Pastor Profile

Rev. Paul H. Graeser

Our Twelfth Pastor

(1939 - 1952)

     Paul H. Graeser was born at St. Louis, Missouri on October 6, 1896. 

     Following his father's vocation, he graduated from the Mission House Seminary located at Plymouth, Wisconsin, and was ordained on July 8, 1923. Rev. Graeser immediately began his pastoral career at Wausau, Wisconsin where he remained until 1935. 

     He married Miss Ruth Sager on September 15, 1923, at Kaukama, Wisconsin. Their children are Robert, Janice, and Richard.

     After serving the Salem Evangelical & Reformed Church at Ft. Wayne, Indiana from 1935-1939, he accepted the call to our church. 

     During his pastorate in Lima, there were traditional changes and advancements of our congregation. Under the shadow of World War II, the German language was finally terminated during church services. And the basement was enlarged in the Sunday School area later in his term. 

     Rev. Graeser made many acquaintances in the Lima community, and was active with several worthwhile civic and humanitarian organizations. Past President of the Allen County Ministerial Association, he was also a delegate to the Synod of our denomination.

     Ministering to our congregation for 13 years, he left to serve the Evangelical & Reformed Church at Van Wert, Ohio, until 1960. 

     In 1963, following a leave of absence due to illness, Rev. Graeser resumed ministry at Lake Helen, Florida. There he received the distinguished "Pastor Emeritus" honor with the Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. 

Expanding Knowledge

New Educational Annex - 1963

(Shown at left in picture)  

Facilities include: 

Additional Sunday School classrooms, furnished Parlor, Kitchen, and Offices.

     As we read below the lengthy list of First E&R Sunday School Officers and Teachers in 1955, the need for a new Educational Annex is quite evident:

Superintendent- Lee Van Blargan
Asst. Superintendent- Wayne Bailey
Chorister- Burdette Vermillion
Asst. Chorister- James Kincaid
Pianist- Ella Eysenbach
General Secretary (ordering materials)- Mathilda Benny
Asst. General Secretaries- Dorothy Hoeper, Beverly Bucher, Alvin Grapner
Treasurer- Carl Wellman
Recording Secretary- Suzanna Wyre
Kindergarten Dept. Supervisor- Mrs. Fred Tschanz
Beginners' Dept. Supervisor- Mrs. G.E. Herold
Children's Division Superintendent- Mrs. Ralph Burkholder
Home Department- Mrs. A.C. Gerstenlauer, Mrs. Charles Stilgenbauer
Director of Visual Education- Don Herold
Asst. Director of Visual Education- Louis Meckstroth
Mary Martha Class, Teacher- Mrs. Grace Leppla
Mary Martha Class, Substitute Teacher- Mrs. H.C. Heffner
Gleaners' Class, Teacher- Mrs. Marie Eberle
Fidelis Class, Teacher- Mrs. Frank Lowry
Triangle Class, Teacher- Miss Martha Schaefer
Triangle Class, Substitute Teacher- Mrs. Margaret Stevens
Men's Bible Class, Teacher- Rev. Richard P. Vitz
Builders' Class, Teacher- Frank Spragg
Young People's Mixed Class, Teacher- Mrs. Ruth Rhoda
Intermediate Dept., Teachers- Herbert Rable, Paul Kreher
Junior Dept. (6), Teacher- Mrs. Ed Decker 
Junior Dept. (5), Teacher- Mrs. Richard Vitz
Junior Dept. (4), Teacher- Ray Burkholder
Primary Dept. (3), Teacher- Mary Ann Walters
Primary Dept. (3), Substitute Teacher- Mrs. Eileen Burkholder
Primary Dept. (2), Teacher- Suzanna Wyre
Primary Dept. (1), Teacher- Mathilda Benny
Kindergarten Dept., Teachers- Mrs. Jeannette Nusbaum, Mrs. Arnold Patrick
Nursery Department- Mrs. Robert Staver, Mrs. Carolyn Arnett, Mrs. C.J. Naus,
Junior Church Department- Inez Rable, Mrs. Eileen Burkholder,                                                                                                 Mrs. Frank Lowry, Jane Spragg, Violet Decker
Substitute Teacher- Mr. John Emans

Sabbath Studies

     
     Sunday School at First E&R Church has always been a stronghold of learning about the Good Book. On August 7, 1873 the German Reformed Church was host to a district Sunday School Festival, with six German Sunday schools of Allen County and several English schools participating. Approximately 1000 people paraded to the old fairgrounds on Bellefontaine Avenue where they enjoyed a picnic, before returning downtown for a concert at the City Hall located on Main & High Streets. 
     During the Pastorate of Rev. C. Pluess, the Sunday School flourished under the leadership of Superintendent Jacob Moser. 
      One visiting Pastor who attended the event, wrote the following account featured in a periodical of the Reformed Church of the United States: 


"Taken as whole, it was the grandest Sabbath school festival we ever witnessed, its success evidently attributable to the untiring exertions of Mr. Moser, the Superintendent, and his co-workers in the school. We were very much gratified that where twenty years ago we preached to a few scattering Germans only occasionally, now we have a German congregation able to make such a display...May the Lord Bless the Lima Sabbath school and congregation!" ~ J. Klinger

     See below a photo of the Sunday School Cabinet (Officers & Teachers) circa early 1930's, under the Pastorate of Rev. Reuben J. Schroer. 



Front Row (left to right) -

Hilda Snook Wolf, Martha Schaefer, Mrs. Lillian Gerstenlauer,

Mrs. Salome Niemeyer, Mrs. Katherine Mumper, Mrs. Oscar Alstetter,

Dorothy Rhoda McNett, Mrs. Inez Herold;

Second Row -

Miss Sophia Hoff, Mrs. Norma Kessler, Miss Clara Greding, Mrs. Holtkamp,

Mrs. Carl Rhoda, Miss Ella Eysenbach, Mrs. R.J. Schroer, Mrs. Zeits;

Third Row -

Mrs. Lillian Heinrich, Lee G. Van Blargan, Bernard Wolf, Clarence Frey, Jr.,

Clarence Frey, Sr., George Urich, Mrs. Mary Perry.