[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 113 (Thursday, September 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1552]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         ST. MICHAEL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH AND RICHVILLE, MICHIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 2000

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 150th 
anniversary of the founding of Richville, Michigan and St. Michael's 
Lutheran Church in that community.
  In the beginning, the town and the church grew from the same source, 
springing forth as a haven for poor young men and women denied the 
chance to marry in their native Germany because they lacked property.
  This sad situation in Germany in 1850 prompted Pastor Wilhelm Loehe 
to propose a fourth colony in mid-Michigan to be called Frankenhilf, 
which later became Richville, to allow Lutheran men to acquire land and 
money to marry, raise families and practice their faith. Richville was 
the last of four Michigan Franconian colonies established by Loehe. 
Postal authorities later renamed the town to avoid confusion with 
Frankentrost, Frankenlust and Frankenmuth.
  Unfortunately, many of the first German Lutheran settlers who made 
that pilgrimage of faith to Richville left shortly after arriving. 
However, two families persevered and in the fall of 1851 three more 
families joined them, along with Pastor John Diendorfer. On the second 
Sunday of Advent, December 7, 1851, Pastor Diendorfer preached to the 
first congregation gathered at St. Michael's.
  In time, the colony and the church welcomed more members. By 1875, 
the congregation built a second church to seat up to 500 members and 
later they also opened a school. Other structures followed. Since its 
founding, the congregation has outgrown the community, with 1,600 
baptized members and 300 residents. The school now has 11 full-time 
teachers and 200 students.
  Mr. Speaker, this clearly is a church with its foundation firmly 
embedded in the rock of Christian love. The guiding principles of 
Christianity have provided past and present members of this 
congregation with a spiritual sense of community that will serve future 
generations well, taking those who practice it a step closer to God.

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