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.