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St.
Paul's Lutheran Church is a congregation whose history
is deeply steeped in Lutheran worship and strong belief
in the importance of education both of which necessarily
result in service to others.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School have been an integral
part of the Waverly community and surrounding area for 127
years. Immigrants from Germany organized St. Paul's congregation
on May 9, 1872. At first, the eight founding families gathered
for worship in rented facilities. Many of St. Paul's early
pastors also served as professors at Wartburg College.
 St.
Paul's purchased an old church building in 1886 to serve
as its first sanctuary. This building was located just north
of the present church building. The cornerstone for the
present building was laid in July1907, and dedicated in
March of 1908. The marble baptismal font was purchased by
the youth of the congregation in 1914. Matching hymnal charts
came from the old church. The first English-language worship
service was in 1908.
The Parish House was built in 1940 and dedicated in February
1941, just ten months before World War II began. It was
built to accommodate a rapidly growing Sunday School, school
and various group events and activities.
 The
strong belief in education was evident from the beginning.
At its organization in 1872, the congregation also organized
its school, a fairly common practice among immigrants. In
1890, the congregation bought land across the street to
the south of the sanctuary to build a schoolhouse. In the
beginning, the school offered first through eighth grades,
with the older grades mandatory for confirmation. In 1952,
a kindergarten was added. The current school building was
constructed and dedicated in 1964. In the fall of 1968,
a preschool program was added and currently serves three,
four and five year olds waiting to go to kindergarten. In
1969 the congregation discontinued seventh and eighth grades.
In the fall of 2006, kindergarten through sixth grade enrollment
is 147 students with an additional 72 attending the preschool.
The school, Where Faith and Learning Go Hand in Hand,
welcomes children from other congregations and nearby communities
as well as those with no church affiliation.
Throughout its history, St. Paul's commitment to worship
and education are to lead its members to reach out in service
to others.
In 1959, the congregation realized it could reach out to
others through a radio ministry. Today, St. Paul's weekly
worship services can be heard every Sunday morning over
KWAY 1470 AM, Waverly's local station.
In 1966, Fred Downing, a member of St. Paul's and a newly
ordained minister, with the help of this congregation, established
an inner-city church, Holy Family Lutheran Church in Cabrini
Green, Chicago. He soon began bringing inner-city children
to visit his hometown and church each summer. These visits
have continued for over forty years and have enabled many
lasting friendships and opportunities to develop. Pastor
Churck Infelt, also a Waverly native and former St. Paul's
member, now leads Holy Family's expanding school and church
ministry.
During the last 25 years, more than 30 members have taken
ordination or commissioning vows as clergy, Christian educators,
missionaries and chaplains. Many more ordinations and commissions
took place during the congregation's first one hundred years.
Through
associate members and missionaries, Pastor Herb and Kirsten
Hafermann, St. Paul's members are discovering new and exciting
partnership with Christians in Tanzania. St. Paul's treasures
its partnership with th Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
and the Northeastern Iowa Synod. Members of the church serve
on national councils, boards, and committees.
Worship and education are keys that result in service to
others. It's summed up in our mission statement. At St.
Paul's we "grow in faith, through Christian community,
for Christ's service".
For
those who are interested, an German-language excerpt from
the congregation's 1922 Fiftieth Anniversary
click here.
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