90th Anniversary - Oak Lawn Public Library

90th Anniversary - Oak Lawn Public Library

90th
ANNIVERSARY
1If.
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
9000 South Menard Avenue
Oak Lawn, Illinois
The Rev. John W. Josupait, Pastor
"Working together with Christ"
II COR. 6:1
Sunday, October 29,2000
Rev. Martin Keturakaitis
1903 - 1911
Rev. John Rozak (Razokas)
1921 - 1934
Rev. John J.D. Razokas
1911 - 1921
Rev. Ewald Kories
1934 - 1947
HISTORY OF ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
1910 - 2000
lion Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded by Lithuanian Lutherans
who needed a stable, comforting environment to aid them in adjusting to a
new c~untry and a new way of life. They needed a place where they could
worshIp and hear the Gospel of Christ in the language and according to
customs?f their father~. The maintenance of a church in their own language
and tradItIon was very Important to these peoplc, who were bom and raised
in Rvman Catholic land yet managed to retain the faith and customs of their
forbearers.
Lithuanian services had been conducted in Chicago since 1903 by the Kev .
Martin Keturakaitis, pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Collinsvillc. IL.
He came to Chicago each month to bring the message of Salvation in the
Lithuan ian language to those early immigrants until December 4, 1910.
when tI ey fomlally organized Zion Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church
oL Ie Unal ered Augsburg Confession. In June 1911. the Rev. John J.D.
Razoka; was installed as thc first pastor. Under his Icadership the Lithuanian
paper ...")as;untinys'· (Messenger) was printed. and the Sunday School Primer
was publ ished as well as the first Constitution still used by the cOIH!.recal ion
today. ,n early J 921 pastor Razokas was untimely called to etemal~res~.
?r. r-.I1Y 15. 1921. the Rev. John Rozak (cousin of former pastor) was
m:;,talled as pastor. During the years of his ministry. the Congregation
prospered in spiritual welfare, membership, and property. The brick building
on Bell Avenue was purchased. A 1927 Lithuanian Hymnal Book and the ~
church paper "Paslas" (Messenger) were published hy the pastor.
The Rev. Ewald Kories took charge of the Congregation from October 1934
to 1946. During that time. the Dorcas Society rendered helpful services for
the c~; urch. Some debts were paid off with the assistance of the Zion
Daughter's Society organized on November 10. 1919 and the Lithuanian
Evangelical Lutheran Benefit Society founded on March 18. 1923. Roth
organizations are no longer in existence.
Ear l~J in 1947, the Rev. Elmer H. Nauyok began his ministry at Zion and
served congregation until October 31. 1949.
In uecemt.('r of 1949, the Rev. Lie.Doc. john Pauperas. a recent immigrant
from Germany. was installed as the sixth pastor of Zion Congregation. Under
his leadership the Congregation grew in communicant membership largely
due to the new immigration of Lithuanian and Germans after the World War
II. More than 800 affidavits (some 280 by Pastor Pauperas alone) were
signed by various members of the church for new immigrants to come to
these shores. Pastor Pauperas took personal charge of providing housing and
employment for these new arrivals to Chicago.
In 1950, a Gennan service was added. Church activities increased:
Lithuanian and Gennan choirs beautified the Sunday worship; "Rutos"
Society (Feb., 1953) and a German Ladies Society (1955) were organized;
and a Saturday morning language school was maintained for the Gennan and
Lithuanian children. For many years, Mrs. Maria Pauperas provided
guidance and leadership for the Lithuanian and Gennan Sunday Schools.
With a choir concert on June 4, 1955, Building Fund was started which grew
so much that, in J970, a 20 acre parcel of Lemont land was purchased for
$60,000 as a possible relocation of the church. Unexpectedly God called His
servant John Pauperas on May 22, 1971.
.
In August of 1971, Reverend John W. Josupait, Pastor of St. Martini
Lutheran Church in Chicago, was called to be interim minister an~ on
January 30, t 972 was installed as·the seventh pastor of the congregation.
With the coming of pastor Josupait an English service was added to the
Sunday morning schedule. Much discussion took place for relocation.
On March 24, 1974, the last service was held in the old church in Chicago
and entrance was made into the newly purchased church at 9000 South
Menard in Oak J.:.'awn. Many parishioners worked hard and donated their time
and effort for the necessary renovation to make this building a more suitable
place for Sunday worship.
On February 2, 1975, the Congregation in a special meeting decided for a
major renovation project of the church. Thus - with new pews, sanctuary
furniture, stained glass windows, etc. - the project was completed at the cost
0[$1 i 5,000. Three dedication services followed: on June 22, 1975,
Lithuanian~ July 13th, Gennan, and July 27th, English. The $12,000 "Allen
Digital Computer" organ was donated by the Lithuanian Lutheran Men's
Benefit Society. It was officially dedicated on November 23, 1975 with an
organ recital by·Dr. Thomas Gieschen, Professor of Music, Concordia
College, River Forest, and our own soloists - Erna Josupait, the late Inge
Paul, and Victor Mieliulis - participating in the dedication services.
ZIONO LIETUVIl/ EVANGELIKl/ LlUTERONlj
PARAPIJOS ISTORIJA
Besides many donations and offerings from the people, the land in Lemont
was subdivided and sold to parishioners to help pay the remodeling cost.
Thr~ acres were kept for future use.
1910 - 2000
"Lietuviai protestantai buvo vieni
The need for a larger hall to provide space for fellowship meetings and
luncheons resulted in the purchase of additional land on the west side of the
church for $20,000. An architect was engaged and, on October 17, 1982, a
cornerstone was laid. The project was completed at a cost of$175,000. On
June 5,1983, the new fellowship hall was dedicated to the glory of God in a
concert of sacred music. The church"office was also-relocated from upstairs
to downstairs for the convenience of older parishioners.'
i~
pirmtUq ~io kr~to gyventoj4., nes jie su
I
Piligrimais 17-tame simtmetyje atvyko per Anglij'l i Amerik'l ir apsigyveno
Manhateno saloje. " Taip
ra~e
buvfts Lietuvos Generalinis Konsulas Petras
Daudzvardis savo knygoje "Lietuviai Cikagoje", gleistoje 1962 metais.
Jau sio $imtme~io pradzioje Cikagoje gyvenantys lietuviai rinkdavosi melstis
ir klausytis Dievo Zodzio gimtaja kalba, kai tik atvykdavo lietuvis kunigas.
After the collapse of communist regime in Soviet Unio'n, Lithuania, the
fatherland of majority of our parishioners, became free country in )990. The
changes brought about the religious freedom. Members of Zion personally
and as well as a congregation became very much involved in reviving and
enrkh 'ng of religious life of Lutheran Evangelical Church of Lithuania. The
congregation supported several projects in Lithuania: reconstruction and
renovation of several church buildings; financial support of pastors; financed
professional seminar for church workers and pastors, summer youth camps;
initiated and partially financed translation and publishing of confessional
books such as "Here I Stand: The Life of Martin Luther" and the Holy
Scripture itself. The congregation is also providing spiritual as well as
financial support to the pastors and theology students who recently received
opportunity to study in United States, by providing a sacred space to worship
in their mother-tongue and actively involving them in life and activities of the
Congregation. One of un predicted outcomes of this work is taking expression
of development of stronger relationships between Lutheran Evangelical
Church in Lithuania and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Vicnas i~ pinmU4. tokitt ·kunigl[ buvo Martynas Keturakaitis is Kolinsviles.
Besides the emphasis on mission support in Lithuania, the Congregation is
ready to develop its mission among recent immigrants from Lithuania who
Iiv~ in Chicago area. For this end, Congregation is actively using Rev.
Valdas Ausra, a pastor from Lithuania who is studying systematic theology in
Doctoral program at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
kunigu iki pat savo mirties 1921 metais.
All this was and is accomplished, as St. Paul tells us, by "WORKING
TOGETHER WITH CHRIST' (II Corinthians 6: 1)
Pamaldas jis pradejo laikyti 1903 m. nuomuojamose patalpose prie 19-t05 ir
Peoria bei 31-mos ir
Lo~."e
gatviq.
Dar neturedami pastovios parapijos, bet taCiau tautiskai if tikybiskai
susiprat~ lietuviai evangelikai jau 1899 m. ikure Lietuviq Liuteron4 Pa~aJpos
Draugyst«, veliau pavadint'l"Salpos Draugyja".
Pinnoji lietuvill evangelikq liuteronq parapija Cikagoje buvo ikurta 1910 m.
gruod~o
4 d. ir pavadinta "Ziono Lietuviska Evangelgka
Liuteri~ka
Parapija
- Nepermainyto Augsburgo Bpalinimo" vardu. Jos pinnasis kunigas buvo
Jonas J.D. Razokas. Jis par~e parapijos konstitucijet, Ieido laikrasti
"Pasiuntinys' ir 1915 m. pastate pinn'lii medini baZny~ios pastat(t prie 35-t05
ir Emerald gatvi4. sankryzos. Kun. Jonas Razokas buvo sios parapijos
1922 - 1934 m. kun. J. Razokas, buvusio kunigo pusbrolis, pereme Ziono
parapijos Ganytojo pareigas. Jo iniciatyva 1922 m. buyo isigytas mOrinis
bafuytios pastatas prie 22-tros ir Bell gatvill; parapija pakeite pavadinim'l i
"Ziono Lietuviq Evangelikl[ Liuteronq BaZny~ia". Jo pastangomis buvo
leidliamas
laik~tis "Pa~las', 0
1927 m.
i~spausdintas
lietuviskas
g,;eS!TI)'nas. 1923 m. ikurta "Ziono Broli4 Draugija", kuri 1931 m. susijungc
I
) l'
Li tuviq Evangelikq Pasalpos draugija.
Kunigas JU07.Upailis nuo pat savo kunigavill10 Zione prad7.ios ivede
pCllllaldas angl4 kalba. Jo iniciatyva ir visuotiniu parapijos nari4. nutarimu
1134 -
1946 m. parapijos kunigu buvo Ewald Kories. lis suorganizavo
bllvo parduota senoji baz.nycia,
0
7.emC Lemonte padalinta i sklypus ir
pirm<Uq moteni draugijq veliau pavadintq "Dorcas" vardu.
parduota pi:Jrapijicciams". Pelnas ir surinktos aukos 1974 m. kovo 24 d. leido
1947 - 1949 cia kunigavo kun. E.H. Naujokas.
isigyti nalljq bai.nytios pastat'l. Oak Lawn, IL. Palalpos buvo kapitaliai
atrelllonluotos ir pertvarkytos. 1982
111.
prie bai.nycios buvo pristatyta nallJ3
sale , irengtos patalpos s~kmadicninei mokyklai ir kunigo rastine.
1949 metl.!. gruodzio menesi kun. Teologijos licenciatas Jonas Paupcras,
pakviestas is tremties Vokietijoje, percme kunigavimq Ziono parapijai.
KUTI:gas Pauperas,
buv~s
Kauno universiteto docentas, mokesi teologijos
.. iuo metu parapijoje.dcl ivairil! pric2asci4jau nche cikia daugc:li anksciaLl
L~etuvoje, juos gilino Sveicarijoje. Jis isleido cil~ teologijos mokslo knygq ir
m inrtL! .i()~) organizac ijq, taciau ji vis dar yra aktyvi savo misijo~ darbc , I--Ufl~
paruose lietuvisko giesmyno 1947 m. ir 1957 m. laidas: Jo iniciatyvos ir
sillo metu ypac aktyviai.vykdomas Lietuvoje. Lictuvai 1990 metais
pasiaukojimo deka Antrojo Pasaulinio karo isblaskytoms lictuvi4. seimorils
p:I'ikclhus nepriklausomybt; ir sugriuvlls komunistiniam rezimui Sovictq
atvykl; i Amerikq buvo sudaryta upie 800 garantij4·
S;UlIngojc parapija, tick kaip atskiras vienetas, tiek ir savo nari4 asmcn in iu
indcliu, aktyvia i isijungc i Liuteron4 Evangelik4. Raznycios Licluvojc
sk~tinim,!.
Kunig::> ?aupero kunigavimo meta is ivestos pam aid os vokieci4. kalba. Be .I:il!
vl'il--lo paramq ir
ve kiaiCitt parapijini4. organizacij4. 1953 m. isikarc Lictuvi4. moterL! "Rot(l~"
relne kelcl'1 projckt4 Lictuvojc: keliq haznytini4, pastat4, statyhas ir
dr::tug :i(l,
r~ll1on tu .';
0
1955 m. Vokieci4 moter4. draugija . Buvo suorganizlIotas choras
Ziono parapija per paskutiniuosius 10 mer4
vargingiull gyvenancills Lietuvos liuteron4. kunigus;
ir ,Jj':J\'l orkcstras, kuric daznai pagrazindavu pamaldas. Gyvai veikc
"lI(lr~~'llliL;IVO
~('st:lri ieninc
darhuotojams ir kunigams· reme jaunimo vasaros stovyklas; iniciavo ir
lietuviq kalbos ir sekmadicnine baznytinc-rcliginc mokykklcs,
kur oms vadovavo kunigo
~.mona
1955 m. kun . Pauperas sukore fondq, skirt,! naujos baznycios statymui,
surink~s
kuri~
$60,000. Pinigai buvo investuoti nupirkus 20
akrq sklYPll Lemonte. Staigi mirtis 1971
ITI.
0
seminurtl, skirlil Lictuvos Liutcronq
geguzes men. nutrauke kunign
ir I3ihlijos spausdinim,t. Parapija suteikia
teologijos i !\merikll. Vienu is nctiket4 parapijos egzistavimo ir
veil-- los
i~lIavq
yra stiprcjantys rysiai larp Lietuvi4. Evangc1ik4
lk
bai£:t
~eologijos
ll~lIy~ ,
mokslus Konkordijos Tcologineje scminarijojc Springlildc.
l11i~ijl '·'
l3aznycio~
lauko Lictllvojc, Parapijll yra pasirllosusi ystyti misijq tarp
Ilt:'-oeni:li lI11igravusiq l Amerikcllietuviq gyvenanci4 Cikaguje ir jus
,pylinkese. Siam tikslui Parapija aktyviai ijunge i savo vciklq kunigq
Kun . .it.iozupaitis, pries pradedamas darbC\ Zione, jau apie 10 met4 buvo
Valdq !\usrq, kuris atvykc;s
k u n i gc..v~c;
doktorincje programojc.
ivairiose Amerikos parapijose.
If
~ tlldi.illoti
Nun 1972 m. sausio men . parapijojc dirha kllJl. Jonas luozupaitis. KlInigas
Lietuvoje ir buvo ilgamctis Ziono parapijos
taip pat
paramq kunigams ir teologijus studentams, kuric atvyksta
Lietuvoje ir Liuterontt Baznycios-MisOri Sinodo.
gim~s
dvasin~, 0
rinansin~
Paupero pasiaukojanti darb,! Vie~paties vynuogyne.
Juolupaitis yra
Bnl.ny(:lo~
rarcmc konresincs literaturo \eidim~ -- "Cia AS' Slav/u: MartYllo Liulc..'rio
Marija Pauperienc. :
(J)/ I ,t'l/if1},:.~JI
jau 1970 m. turejo
ir lillansil
i~
Lictuvos
~tudijuoja dogmatin~
teologijq LSTC
GESCHICHTE DER EVANGELISCH-LUTHERISCHEN
'lisa tai <Juvo atlikta ir yra atliekama, kaip Sv. Povilas mums skelbia, deka
[ru<to, ka IT es esame pa~aukti bati
ZIONSKIRCHE
1910 - 2000
'DIEVO BENDRADARBlAIS". (2 Korintieciams 6: 1)
Die Evangelisch-Lutherische Zionskirche wurde als die Litauische
Evangelisch-Lutherische Zionskirche der unver1!.nderten Augsburger
Konfession, von litauischen lmmigranten gegrilndet. In ihrem Verlangen
sich dem neuen Land und der fremden Sprache anzupassen, brauchten sie
eine Institution in der ihnen die fiohe Botschaft der ErlOsung durch Je5um
Christum in ihrer Muttersprache gepredigt wurde.
Litauische Gottesdienste einmal im Monat wurden schon seit 1903 durch
Pastor Martin Kerurakaitis, dem Pastor der Jerusalem Lutheran Church in
Collinsville, IL, hier in Chicago gehalten. Am 4. Dezember 1910, wurde
Pastor John J.D. Razokas offiziell als def erste Pastor der "Zion Lithuanian
Evangelical Lutheran Church" eingeflihrt. Unter seiner Leitun? wurde vie
literarische Arbeit geleistet: die litauische Zeitung "Pasiuntinys" (Der Bote).
die Herausgabe des Sonntagschul-Textes, und hauptsachlich, die erste
Verfassung, der Konstitution welche heute noch derGemeinde dient. Am 15.
Januar 192 I, wurde Pastor Razokas allzufrUh zur ewigen Ruhe abgerufen.
Am 15. Mai 1921, wurde Pastor John Rozak (sein Vetter) ins am! etngCSet;1
Unter seiner Leitung wuchs die Gemeinde weiter und das Gebaude an der
"..
Bell Ave. wurde gekauft.
Pastor Ewald Kories tibemahm die Gemeinde im Oktober 1934 und blieb bis
1946 im Amt. Wah rend der Zeit seines Seelsorgeramtes leistete die Dorcas
Gcseli :,~ haft
grosse Dienste fur die Kirche. Durch den Beistand der Tochter
Zions Gesellschaft, gegrtindet am 10. November 1919, und der "Lithuanian
Evangelical Lutheran Benefit Society," gegrtindet am 18. Marz ] 923 ,
konnten emige der Schulden abgezahlt werden. Diese beiden Gesellschaften
bestehen nicht mehr.
Anfang 1947 ilbemahm Pastor Elmer H. Nauyok das Seelsorgeremt in der
Am 2. Fcbruar J 975, entschloss sich die Gemeinde in einer Sondersitzung
Zior. kirche und diente der Gemeinde bis urn 31. Oktober 1949.
umfangrc i.:he Umanderungsarbeiten am Kirchengebaude zu unlernehmen.
Die komplette Renovierung wllrde fur $115,000 ausgcfuhrt. Drci
1m Dezember 1949, iibemahm Pastor Lic. Doc. John Pauperas, der soeben
Einweihungsfciern folgten : am 22. Juni 1975, litauischc; am 13. Juli,
aus Deutschland angekommen war, die Gemeinde als der sechste Pastor.
deutsch; und 27. Juli, englisch . Die neue Orgel wurde am 23 . November
Unter seiner Leitung wuchs die Zahl der Gemeindemitgiieder, hautsachlich .
1975 mit cincm Orgclvortrang von Dr. Thomas Gieschen, Musikprofcssor
durch die Einwanderung deutscher und litauischer lmmigranten, die ihre
des Concordia College, River Forest, cingcweiht. tJnserc cigencn Soloisten :
Heimat nach dem zweiten Weltkrieg verlassen hatten. Mehr als 800 eidliche
Erna Josupait, die verstorbene loge Paul, und Victor Micliulis, waren
Beitrager an diesem Einweihungskonzert.
ErkHirungen wurden von verschiedenen Gemeindemitgliedern
unterschrieben (ungefahr 280 davon schon allein von Pastor Pauperas) die es
diesen Menschen ennoglichte in dieses Land zu kommen. Pastor Pauperas
Da wir eine Kirche sind die gerne zum geselligen Essen zusammenkommt.
sorgte sich personlich urn die Beschaffung von Wohnmoglichkeiten und
wurdc cs beraten ob es moglich ware einen groscrcn Saal an dcr Kirchc
Arbeitsplatze fUr diese neuen Ankommlinge.
fl nzubauen . Das Land westlich der Kirche wurde fO~ $20,000 gckauft. cin
;\rchiteckt wurde angestcllt, und am 17. Oktobcr 1982, wurde der
1950 wurde der Gottesdienst in der deutschen Sprache hinzugeftigt. Die
Kirchenarbeiten wurde erweitert. Litauische uT\d deutsche Chore
Cinrndstein gclegt, Wahrcnd der Wintcrmonate wurde das Unternchmcn
vollendct zu Kosten von $175,000. Am 5. Juni wurdc der neue
"er ~chonerten
Gcmeindesaa l zur Ehrc Gottes mit einem Kirchenkonzert eingcweiht.
In
g~fI.lfen .
die Gottesdienste und ein Posaunen-Chor wurde ins Leben
1m Februar 1953, wurde die "Rutos" Society, und in 1955, der
Deli£5che Frauerverein, gegrtlndet.
All das knnn nul' zlIstanuegcbracht werden durch wic Sl. Paulus UIlS mittcilt
"DIE lUSAMMENARBEIT MiT CHRISTUS" 2 Kor. 6: I.
Die Sprachschule fur deutsche und litauische Kinde~ fand Samstagmorgens
statt. Viele Jahre lang leitete Frau Maria Pauperas die deutsche und
\
litauische Sonntagsschule statt. Mit einem Chorkonzert am 4. Juni i 955,
wurde ein Baufond begonnen, welcher derartig wuchs dass in 1970 ein 20
acre Landsruck fUr $60,QOO in Lemont gekauft wurde, welches zu einem
-nolichen Urnzug des Gemeinde dienen sollte. Am 22. Mai 1971, nahm der
Herr seinen Diener, lohn Pauperas, plOtzlich urd unerwartet zu sich.
...
Am 30. Januar 1972, wurde Pastor John W. Josupait als siebenter Pastor der
Gemeinde eingesetzt. Mit seiner Ankunft wurde der englische Gottesdienst
hinzugefUgt. Der letzte Gottesdienst in der alten Kirche war am 24 . Marz
J 974 mit dem Einzug in das neugekaufte Kirchengebaude, 90CO S. Menard.
Ave, Oak Lawn.
Rev. Elmer Nauyok
1947 - 1949
Rev. John Pau peras
1949 - 1971
Rev. John W. Josupait
1972 - present
First Church Built in 1915 - 1922
35th & South Emerald, Chicago, IL
•
Old Church - Bought 1922 - 1974
Cermak & South Bell Ave. , Chicago, IL