Celebrating 175 Years of Frankenmuth & St. Lorenz

The newly expanded congregation began construction of a larger, sturdier ‘church – school – parsonage,’ which was dedicated on Christmas Day 1846.”

The evolution of that structure, named St. Lorenz after the emigrants’ mother church, St. Laurentius in Rosstal, was the culmination of years of courage and bravery, and one steadfast mission.

“Wie Gut Und Schön Es Ist Bei Jesu Sein”

“The original 15 settlers, coming from the province of Middle Franconia, Bavaria, were motivated by the noblest ideals of service to God and Man, and they were willing to leave their relatives and friends, cross an ocean, and endure the hardships of frontier life to carry out these new ideals,” reads “Teach My People The Truth!” “Their objective was to establish a Christian community in the midst of the pagan Chippewa Indians and to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Or, “wie gut und schön es ist bei Jesu sein”, in German, “how wonderful it is to live with Jesus."

Dan Haubenstricker, co-chair of the St. Lorenz Heritage Committee, says the congregation still has its original record books, dating back to 1845, and “among the first acts of the church recorded are baptisms of Native American children.

”In the same ‘church – school – parsonage’ structure that children were baptized in 1846, “German settlers taught Chippewa children Christianity and English and German,” Haubenstricker says.

A replica of the modest ‘church – school – parsonage’ structure stands today in its original location as a tribute.