Anniversary notice for Fairfield Trinity Church, Swift Co., MN

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This article says they celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1947 so this 

would have been 1972.

Fairfield Trinity Church Notes 75th Anniversary

Trinity Lutheran congregation in Fairfield township celebrated the 75th 

anniversary of its founding with special services last Sunday. At the 

services both in the morning and afternoon the crowd overflowed the church 

auditorium and many were seated on temporary benches outside where they 

heard the services with the aid of a public address system. Among the 

throng were many former residents and friends who had been baptized or 

confirmed there. Guests were present from Appleton, Shible, Correll, 

Odessa, Holloway, Danvers, Benson, Morris, Hancock, Horton, Synnes and 

Browns Valley.

The Rev. E. Schwandt, pastor at Clarmount, gave the festival sermon at the 

morning service. He served the Fairfield church from 1931 to 1936. The 

Rev. T. Raedeke, of Wayzata, delivered the sermon during the afternoon 

service. He is the youngest son of the Rev. H. Raedeke who served as 

pastor of the church from 1908 to 1922.

The services were beautified by the choir numbers and solo selections. A 

ladies' choir assisted by a baritone section sang, "Oh, That I Had A 

Thousand Voices." The male choir sang, "Faith of Our Fathers." The mixed 

choir rendered "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty." Miss Marjorie Gades 

sang two solos, "The Twenty-third Psalm," and "The Lord's Prayer." The 

ladies of the church decorated the chancel with baskets and bouquets of 

garden flowers and the altar with bouquets of red roses and a floral piece 

with the number 75 in white carnations. Mrs. Harvey Thielke, Mrs. Russell 

Crosby and Mrs. E. T. Meichsner were the members of the decorating 

committee.

The ladies served dinner to the large attendance with special tables for 

the pastors and those who were members of the congregation longest. The 

serving committee included Mrs. Fred Rohloff, Mrs. LeRoy Schliep, Mrs. 

Alfred Schliep, Mrs. Lawrence Rohloff, Mrs. Arthur Rohloff and Mrs. 

Herbert Reu.

Pastor E. Meichsner, who has served the congregation since July 1941, 

together with Walter Rohloff, William Schliep and Harry Jagow, comprised 

the anniversary committee who arranged the celebration. The anniversary 

offerings were for the Church Extension Fund of the Minnesota District.

Trinity Lutheran congregation was organized in 1876 by the Rev. H. Vetter, 

who became its first pastor and served the congregation until 1888. As a 

traveling missionary he had visited the pioneer settlers of the Fairfield 

community during the previous years holding services in the homes. In 1877 

the new congregation erected a church school building 20 by 30 feet. The 

present church was erected in 1897 when the Rev. C. Albrecht was pastor. 

He served from 1895 to 1903. The 50th anniversary of the church was 

observed Oct. 19, 1947

During the course of its history, the congregation has been served by the 

following ten pastors: Rev. H. Vetter, Rev. E. Stroelin, Rev. . Kranz, 

Rev. C. Albrecht, Rev A. Brauer, Rev. H. Raedeke, Rev. H. Jans, Rev. E. 

Schwandt, Rev. A. Zuberbier and Rev. E. Meichsner. The 1951 statistics of 

the congregation are:

Baptized Members 381

Communicant members 240

Voting members 86

Dorcas Guild Members 38

Sunday school pupils 94

During the 75 years of its history the following official acts were 

performed:

Baptisms 1156

Confirmations 771

Marriages 230

Burials 248