St Marcus Lutheran Church | 150th Anniversary

Pastor Joel Krieger distributes Holy Communion, 2023

Worship, 2023

St. Marcus’ mother church, St. John’s Lutheran, in its original home on 4th & Highland in 1872.

St. Marcus’ original house church, serving the congregation and school from 1875-1881. It was then moved to N. Pierce St. in the Riverwest neighborhood where it stands today, though much altered.

Founding pastor Joseph A. Westenberger, 1875-1878. He also taught in the one-room school for most of his three years.

Rev. Prof. Eugen A. Notz, 1878-1880. During his two years at St. Marcus, Rev. Notz also served as a full-time professor at the WELS seminary, located during those two years at Hubbard and Garfield.

Ten of the thirteen founding members of the congregation. This picture, from the 1925 anniversary book, mislabeled the name of the first president. Mr. Harrass’ first name is Ferdinand.

The title page of the congregation’s first Protokollbuch, or compilation of the minutes of the church council. It is written by hand in the old-fashioned German script.

The hardware store on King Dr. (3rd St. in those days) was owned by one of the founders, John F. Helm.

At left is the frame church built in 1881, which served until 1913. At right is the 1894 school, which was demolished in 2002.

The original parsonage on Garfield Ave., just to the west of the church building. It was built in 1884. When a new parsonage was built on North Ave. for the Dornfelds in 1926, this house became the custodians’ residence. It was moved to 202 E. Brown in 1998.

The oldest known photograph of the congregation’s ministry. It is part of Teacher Fred Nimmer’s class of 1886—note that only the boys are in this picture.

Pastor George J. Heinrich Reinsch (1880-1890), flanked by the faculty in 1890: from left, Rudolf Fritzke, Fred Nimmer, William Amling, and Miss Ueckert

Miss Ueckert’s primary class, c.1891

Rev. Prof. August O. Pieper, 1891-1902

The 1894 brick school under construction. The masonry contractor was Gustave Jeske and Son.

The 1894 school. The low one-story projection at right allowed the basement activity room to be converted into a bowling alley with four lanes.

Mr. Nimmer’s primary and middle-grades class seated in front of the new school in 1896.

Rev. Ernst F. Dornfeld, 1902-1911

Teacher William Manthey and his class in front of the 1881 church in 1909.

The faculty from 1907-1911: from left, William Manthey, Henry Braun, Richard Dorn, Rev. Ernst F. Dornfeld, and Principal Henry Wagner

Rev. Gustaf Adolf Zeisler, 1921-1923

Rev. Walter A. Gieschen, 1923-1926

Rev. Prof. John P. Meyer, Assistant pastor, 1927-1964. He also served at the WELS
seminary in Thiensville (Mequon) from 1920 until his death.

Rev. Ernst Ph. Dornfeld, 1911-1955, and assistant pastor John C. Jeske, 1949-1953, seated in the office in the school’s basement in 1950.

The new church under construction in 1913.

A magazine ad for Milwaukee artist Carl Reimann, who used German painter Heinrich Hofmann’s designs to execute all the stained-glass windows in the church. He probably also did the two oil-on-canvas paintings high on the wall, flanking the chancel.

The new red-brick church in 1914.

Some of the 8th grade graduates in 1915.

Some of the delegates to the synod convention of 1916, held in St. Marcus’ new church.

Some of the school graduates from 1924. Seated in front are teachers Lenora Gamm, Dora Gamm, William Kirschke, Hugo Wachholz, Christian Heine, Pastors Gieschen and Dornfeld.

The Young People’s Society in 1925.

Teacher Walter Denninger’s 4-5th graders in 1937.

The pre-1950 pulpit with its canopy. You can see the stenciling and silver leaf.

The pre-1950 altar, font, and pulpit. At the upper right, you can see the illumination
provided by rows of electric light bulbs on the ceiling arches.

The chancel was redesigned and rebuilt in a Danish modern, blond look in 1950. Pictured is the wedding of Pastor Mark and Carol Jeske in 1986.

Children on the playground in front of the 1894 school in 1950.

The Sunday School staff in 1950. Legendary church secretary and Sunday School superintendent Edna Vitense is in the back row; Mission Society president Eileen Uttecht is third from left in the front row, and parish nurse/food pantry/altar guild leader Pat
Steliga is fourth from the left in the front row.

Pastor Paul W. Knickelbein, 1955-1967

School graduates in 1957. Faculty in back row: Dorothy Wolf, Bob Eberhard, Pastor Knickelbein, Principal Walter Vater, Ruth Schaller, and Rose Wisenbaugh.

Pastor Richard and Shirley Seeger, 1967-1979, in the school parking lot.

Henrietta Taylor and friends enjoying the centennial dinner in 1975.

Some dinner guestsat the centennial
celebration in 1975: front right: Martha
Vanselow. Second table facing camera:
Pat Steliga (with white collar), Ella Fehrmann, Helen Semerau.

Mr. Gartner’s 7-8 graders in 1976.

Mr. Gartner in his classroom in 1976.

Pastor Mark A. Jeske, 1980-2022

Kindergarten teacher Judy Gartner in her classroom in 1982.

Mrs. Gartner’s classroom in 1982.

The school after its 1994 renovation.

The student body in the gym with its beautiful new stage curtain and refinished floor in 1995.

The gym renovation in 1994 made it possible to have home games. Seating was extremely limited, but the cheerleaders loved it.

Juneteenth Day in 1995. The Gospel choir, augmented by volunteer VBS teachers.

Juneteenth soloists Willie Reynolds and Gwen Roebuck-Banks.

Kente cloth colors in Juneteenth Day worship.

Juneteenth Day flyers.

Outdoor Juneteenth worship in 1995.

A baptism on Juneteenth Day.

Gospel Choir director Darlene Jones-Grams.

Juneteenth Day 1997

The St. Jacobi Lutheran Church’s historic altar
being installed at St. Marcus in 1998.

Career Day in March of 2000 in the gym. Visible are teachers Sue Keese, Sandy O’Brien, Shana Retzlaff, and Lynne Kelm. The scoreboard was donated by Herb and Honey Schaper.

1894 School Building Demo, 2002

The 2003 school under construction.

The 2003 classroom wing is enclosed—now for the gym.

The north tower being built in 2003.

The 2003 school is almost done!

The new school was dedicated on September 20, 2003.

Pastor James Skorzewski, 2002-2008

Koiné begins: from left, pianist Seth Bauer, drummer Bob Buss, bassist Pete Reese, singer Brian Davison, and guitarist Benj Lawrenz.

Jeff Krumbein, Minister of Music, 1994-2019

Schoolchildren doing the California Raisin
dance for a fundraiser lunch in 2008.

Rev. Dr. Paul S. Steinberg, 2008-2017

Rev. Kelly B. Huet, 2009-2015

Rev. William J. Schaefer, 2011-2015

School chapel devotion in the sanctuary, 2011.

Construction of the 2011 Primary School.

The Primary School is finished in 2011.

The Gospel Choir singing at Martin Luther College chapel in New Ulm, MN in 2011.

K3-K4 children singing for worship in 2012, directed by Carol Jeske.

Christmas, 2013

Panoramic shot from the balcony, 2014. Most of the carpeting has been removed from the chancel and front of the nave to boost the acoustics.

The Krier Gym under construction in 2013.

Middle School drumline in 2014.

Principal April Richter addresses students and parents at the Center Street Campus in 2014.

Rev. James M. Hein, Lead Pastor, 2016-present

Rev. Prof. Daniel Leyrer, 2016-present. Rev. Leyrer also serves as the President of the Southeastern Wisconsin District of the WELS

Ron Kelly, Pastoral Assistant, 2019-present

Rev. Joel Krieger, School Pastor, 2022-present

Saturday night outdoor worship in 2017.

School children play xylophones for Easter worship, 2018.

Joel Schwartz, Church Music Director, 2020-present

The new organ console being hoisted into the balcony, 2017.

The rebuilt pipe organ, together with the five timpani, 2017.

Kole Knueppel, Executive Director, 2021-present, also served as the School’s Principal from 2001-2004

Henry Tyson, Superintendent, 2008-Present. Principal, 2004-2008. Vice Principal, 2002-2004.

Center Street Campus signage, 2024

April Richter, Director of Early Education Programming, 2024-Present. Center Street Campus Founding Principal, 2014-2024 (Total time served: 2003-Present)

Brittany Krause, Center Street Campus Middle School Director & Principal, 2024-Present (Total time served: 2018-Present)

Sarina Scott-Owens, Center Street Campus Kindergarten & Primary Director & Principal, 2024-Present (Total time served: 2019-Present)

St. Marcus scholar, 2024

Center Street Campus, 2024; historic natatorium section at right.

Tracy Eastburn, Karl J. Schlueter Campus Principal, 2021-Present (Total time served: 2019-Present)

Karl J. Schlueter Campus, First St. façade, 2024.

St. Marcus scholar, 2024

Karl J. Schlueter Campus, 2024, Burleigh Street view.

North Avenue Campus, 2024, Primary School Building

Rebecca Hannemann, North Avenue Campus
Kindergarten & Primary Grades Principal/Director of Student Services, 2023-present (Total time served: 2006-Present)

Garrett Mandeville, North Avenue Campus Middle School Principal/Director of Talent & Recruitment, 2023-Present (Total time served: 2016-Present)

St. Marcus scholars, 2024

North Avenue Campus, 2024, Primary School Building entrance

St. Marcus scholar, 2024

North Avenue Campus, 2024 Middle School Building

North Avenue Campus, 2024 Middle School Building entrance

St. Marcus scholar, 2024

St. Marcus Church, 2024

The balcony window, “Come Unto Me”, shows Christ hearing the prayers of people in need and speaking his blessing on them.

Gospel Choir, 2023

St. Marcus Board of Directors, 2024 (Left to right: Jeff Underwood, Vice President; Kirk Fedewa, Secretary; Ben Hannemann, President; Brenda Jashinsky, Business Council Chair; Andrew Lamers, Treasurer; John Rhodes, Facilities Council Chair; Ethan Degner, Community Council Chair. Not pictured: Amy Heffelfinger-Miles, School Council Chair & Mark Ricke, Church Council Chair)

Brent Krohn, School Campus Evangelist, 2024-present and Saturday Worship Leader, 2023-present

Altar Guild, 2024

Row 1. Heidi Sebald, Joylyn Rehm, Mandy Hanson, Jolene Wierschke, Debbie Lemke | Row 2. Sandy O’Brien, Rosalind Perry, Lilli Gust | Row 3. Sherry Hartman, Janine Burr, Deb Jaeger | Row 4. Carol Jeske, Barbara Mays, Cindy Strehlow, Teena Wigley, Suzanne Knapp | Not pictured: Lynda Arndt, Tracy and Terry Eastburn, Kole Knueppel, Bonita Lathan,
and Tracy Lechinger

Pastor Mark & Carol Jeske Atrium, 2024

Worship, 2023

Pastor Joel Krieger distributes Holy Communion, 2023

Worship, 2023

St. Marcus’ mother church, St. John’s Lutheran, in its original home on 4th & Highland in 1872.

St. Marcus’ original house church, serving the congregation and school from 1875-1881. It was then moved to N. Pierce St. in the Riverwest neighborhood where it stands today, though much altered.

The History of St. Marcus
by Mark Jeske

Appendices

Click the buttons below to access the book's appendices.

Photo Essay

St. Marcus

The History of St. Marcus by Mark Jeske

Appendices

Click the buttons below to access the book's appendices.

Photo Essay

St. Marcus

The History of St. Marcus
by Mark Jeske