Rev. Wm. Brand

Rev. William Brand served the congregation as its pastor, both at the old church and at the temporary church building erected on the present church lot, corner Broadway and West Fifth Avenue, while the present church edifice was being erected. Pastor Brand came here from Milwaukee, at which place he had been serving a Lutheran congregation. During his ministry the old church and parsonage property was taken over by the L. & N. Railway Company. The congregation realizing that the progress of time demanded the relinquishment of its long used location, willingly surrendered its property for railroad purposes. Pastor Brand and family were the first to live in the present parsonage on Broadway at its completion. After a service of only a little over two years, Pastor Brand accepted a call to Pittsburg [sic], Penn. Since that time Pastor Brand served several different congregations, and some years ago departed this life.

Rev. C. J. Fricke

Rev. C. J. Fricke, of Aurora, Ill, was the next pastor of the church, being installed on May 2nd, 1909, by Prof. George Luecke of Conover, N. C.

Pastor Fricke, a man of ability, well trained and highly gifted, was an ardent missionary. He was never too tired to look up some member or wavering soul that needed the church, and many a mile did he walk in heat or cold to bring one more to church and Christ. An exceedingly active worker in the interest of his church and congregation. His enthusiasm spread to members and friends alike, bringing them to church to hear the word of God so ably propounded by him. Surely the Lord is pleased with such a faithful servant who labored with all his heart, soul and strength for the welfare of the souls entrusted to his care. During pastor Fricke's ministry of a little more than two years duration, the congregation prospered both materially and spiritually. When in November 1911, he accepted a call back to Aurora, his former charge, the congregation reluctantly bade him farewell, realizing that in a larger congregation and a wider field he could do more and greater work for the Lord, for which his strength and zeal so well fitted him.

Rev. J. A. Friedrich

Rev. Julius A. Friedrich was installed June 12th, 1892, by Rev. C.C. Schmidt of St. Louis. Under the energetic leadership of Pastor Friedrich, the congregation soon took on new life, reviving as it were out of a deep sleep, in which he found it. Pastor Friedrich was a tireless worker in the Lord's vineyard, and a free user of midnight oil, in his study on the second floor of the old parsonage on Broadway. Many a saved soul will stand to the credit of Pastor Friedrich on the Lord's day. During his ministry the congregation joined the Missouri Synod of which it is still a member. Pastor Friedrich was a great believer in the parish school and during the years of financial stress in the congregation when no teacher could be secured, he was apt to forget self, and labored in the school room day after day instructing the children in the things needed by them in their daily life, and for their souls' welfare. It was 25 years ago that the congregation with Pastor Friedrich, celebrated its 25th anniversary. After a continuous service of nearly nine years during which time one of the chief characteristics of his presence was his cheerful smile. Pastor Friedrich accepted a call to St. Charles, Mo., where a much larger field awaited him, and with saddened hearts the congregation bade him good-bye and Godspeed in his new work, on April 15, 1901.

Rev. John Heckel

Rev. John Heckel, now long gone to his reward as a true and tried servant of the Lord, was the first pastor of the church, and began his service in the congregation even before the first church edifice at the corner of Asylum and Broadway was built. He dedicated this church on its completion, September 25th, 1870. During his ministry in Knoxville, his wife Clara Concordia, died. His son, Rev. Paul Heckel, following in the footsteps of his sainted father, has been active in the ministry for many years, was formerly located at Chattanooga, and is now Pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Tampa, Florida. Rev. Heckel served the congregation from December 19th, 1869, till December, 1874, when he accepted a call to Nashville, Tennessee.

Rev. H. Kellermann

Rev. H. Kellermann, the next Pastor of the church, served the congregation from 1916 to 1917, coming from St. Louis, Mo., and was installed by Rev. Paul Heckel of Chattanooga, on May 14th, 1916.

Pastor Kellermann before accepting our call, had been out of the ministry some time on account of impaired health. But his zeal for the Lord's work induced him to take new courage, brave the weaknesses of the body and come to us, solely to bring the word of God to thirsting souls. However he did not recuperate as he had hoped, his health continuing to decline. A man of exceedingly fine intellect, broadened by travel in foreign countries, bright in mind, willing in spirit, he found himself fettered by an ailing body, unable to continue in the pressing duties connected with pastoral work, in a growing congregation, and although the congregation in its effort to keep him, prevailed on him to take an extended vacation, Pastor Kellermann finally felt constrained to offer his resignation which the congregation reluctantly accepted. He preached his farewell sermon November 11th, 1917, and with his family, took leave for a stay in Southern Florida.

Prof. Ed. Koehler

Prof. Ed. Koehler served the congregation as its first pastor in the present church edifice, being called to our church from Mosheim, Tennessee. He was installed in the temporary church building on October 11th, 1903. Although the construction of the new church was fairly well under way when Pastor Koehler came, his unceasing attention to its every detail , in addition to his pressing duties in church and school work, was one of the factors in putting our congregation in possession of one of the best appointed church buildings of our Synod in the South.

Pastor Koehler, a strong man of God, did great service for the Kingdom while in the ministry of our congregation. Especially did he possess a great natural ability and aptitude for teaching the young, and when the call from the teachers' seminary of Addison, Ill., came to him in September, 1908, the congregation realized the great opportunity offered him, in the preparation of hundreds of boys for service in our parish schools, and though with deep regret, consented to his acceptance of the call to this highly important work. Since then he was been one of the great workers at River Forest, hundreds of congregations with thousands of children being served by teachers who received their training at the hands of Professor Koehler.

Rev. Karl Kretzschmar

Rev. Karl Kretzschmar, the present Pastor, formerly of Hastings, Nebraska, was duly installed April 14th, 1918, by Rev. O. Graebner, of Chattanooga.

Pastor Kretzschmar is a man in the full prime and vigor of life, energetic, and with the conscious ability of a true church worker, incessant in his labors, equally versed in English and German, and a preacher of the utmost simplicity. He is also a splendid organizer and leader of young people. Not only has he always been actively interested in our local society but he has also entered enthusiastically into activities connected with the extension of the work of the young people in the South. In recognition of his ability as a leader, he was unanimously chosen president of the Southeastern Luther League, an organization of the Young Peoples' Societies of Tennessee and Alabama, which will soon form the nucleus of a Southern District of the Walther League.

Because of his many admirable qualities, pastor Kretzschmar has imbued the congregation with confidence, and it is with great enthusiasm that one and all join in the fiftieth anniversary of our dear church, and in the celebration of the preservation of the true Word of God which He in His mercy has retained in all its purity within our church for half a century.

Rev C. L. Mueller

Rev. Carl L. Mueller, of Hemlock, Michigan, served the church as its pastor for more than three years, being installed June 2nd, 1912, by Prof. Weiss of Conover, N. C.

Pastor Mueller, a faithful, God-fearing man, a true preacher of the Word, making no bid for the approval of man, was content to labor quietly yet unceasingly in the Lord's Vineyard, looking neither to the right nor to the left. His sermons whether English or German, could be relied on to be in full accord with the Book of all books, and no wavering on his part. Strong for our parish school, Pastor Mueller himself took charge of the school during the time of a change of teachers, despite his ever increasing duties in the congregation. Pastor Mueller accepted a call to Blackjack, Mo., November 26th, 1915.

Prof. W. W. Rittamel

Prof. W. W. Rittamel is the son of the Rev. W. F. Rittamel of Staplehurst, Nebraska. After his graduation from the Lutheran Teacher's Seminary at Seward, Nebraska, Prof. Rittamel entered the Nebraska State normal school at Fremont, Nebraska, for post-graduate work. Upon the completion of this course he accepted the position of principal at the high school of Shubert, Nebraska. Though re-elected to this position, he considered the work of a teacher in a Lutheran parish school of greater importance than mere secular educational work, and accepted our call in September, 1918. He was installed by Pastor Kretzschmar, September 22nd, 1918. The school under the charge of Prof. Rittamel is prospering.

Rev. J. G. Schaid

Rev. J. G. Schaid served the church as its second pastor, beginning his duties July 16th, 1875. Pastor Schaid came to Knoxville a young graduate from the Seminary at Philadelphia, Penn., and during his ministry here, married and with his family served the congregation over 12 years, a long service in one church, and yet after 32 years, his name is but a memory, and in the congregation today there are but few left who knew pastor Schaid. Some years ago, at an advanced age, and in failing health, he was killed while crossing a railroad.