Gather. Grow. Go.

ABOUT PEACE

Peace Lutheran Ministries exists beyond walls and campuses and even our community.

We are Peace wherever we are.

Peace is a large church of small groups:

large enough to serve you, small enough to need you.

We are disciples who GATHER, GROW, and GO to make more disciples.

Christian education has been foundational in our church and school since 1938…

September 5th, 1938 – With the four existing LCMS congregations in Saginaw all being located about two miles from each other, members of Holy Cross, Bethlehem, Trinity, and Redeemer met in order to plan a location for a new church plant on the West side of the area.

October 1st, 1938 – With the help of the Michigan District (LCMS) Church Extension Board, 9.8 acres of farmland on Mackinaw Street were purchased for $6,000. This land was subdivided and sold, holding back eight lots for the church.

September 30th, 1940 – Peace congregation was born after a meeting of interested people from all four existing congregations voted unanimously to organize.

November 11th, 1940 – The new congregation elected officers and board members, called a pastor, and began work on a constitution, all while remaining members at their mother churches.

The First 50 Years

Pastor Weber

January, 1941 – The congregation met for worship for the first time at Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

February 2nd, 1941 – The Rev. Lorenz F. Weber was installed as the first Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church.

April 6th, 1941 – Ground was broken for the first building.

Groundbreaking

April 13th, 1941 – Easter Sunday, the first Peace Sunday school took place in the basement of Michigan Lutheran Seminary, attended by 45 children. Within 15 years, Sunday school enrollment would be 372, with 42 teachers in 1956.

Cornerstone

May 18th, 1941 – The cornerstone was laid.

June 15th, 1941 – The first five adults were accepted into membership.

June 18th – 27th, 1941 – During the convention of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Peace congregation was officially accepted into membership.

September 7th, 1941 – The building was dedicated. The Peace Ladies Guild served a dinner, which cost 85 cents for adults and 35 cents for children.

September 9th, 1941 – First day of Peace Lutheran School took place.

September 15th, 1941 – The first wedding between Peace members took place.

1946 – Total amount of the debt for the first building, $32,000, was paid off by the 343 members.

1949 – The 484 members of Peace dedicated the Parish Hall at a cost of over $170,000.

1954 – The 877 members of Peace added four classrooms, an office and rooms in the church basement at a cost of $128,000.

Vicar Ed Kast

1958 – Peace participated in the LCMS seminary vicarage program by calling Vicar Fred Stennfeld. Five vicars would follow through 1964, including the Edward Kast, who would later return to Peace as a pastor.

1962 – After holding worship services in the school building from 1941-1949, and in the Parish Hall from 1949-1962, the now 1230 members of Peace dedicated the church sanctuary, as well as the basement parlor, offices, organ, and youth center at a cost of $600,000.

Pastor Brendel
Pastor Smith

1964 – Peace installed its first Associate Pastor, the Rev. Richard Brendel, who served beside Pastor Weber until 1972.

1972 – The Rev. Charles O. Smith was installed as Peace’s second Associate Pastor

1977 – The Rev. William Ney became Peace’s Associate Pastor and the third pastor on staff, joining Pastors Weber and Smith.

Pastor Ney
Pastors Smith and Weber

1979 – After serving Peace faithfully as her Senior Pastor for 38 years, Pastor Weber retired. Pastor Smith was called by the congregation to assume Senior Pastor duties.

1983 – Peace installed the Rev. Robert “Bert” Eggers as Associate Pastor, and Pastor Ney left to take a call to Ontario, Canada.

Pastor Kast
Pastor Eggers

1984 – The Rev. Edward Kast was installed as Associate Pastor.

1985 – Pastor Smith left to take a position with St. Luke’s Hospital Foundation. Pastor Eggers was called by the congregation to serve as “Coordinating” Pastor, but after some time opted to switch roles with Pastor Kast, who became Peace’s fourth Senior pastor.

Pr. Zimmerman

1987 – The Rev. Darrell Zimmerman was installed as Peace’s third pastor on staff.

The Next 50 Years

1993 – Pastor Zimmerman left to take a call.

Pastor Roth

1994 – The Rev. Michael Roth was installed as the third pastor on staff.

1999 – Pastor Kast retired and Pastor Roth left to take a call, leaving Pastor Eggers as the sole pastor.

Pastor Thelen

2001 – The Rev. James Thelen was installed as Peace’s Senior Pastor, and a capital campaign was begun to build a new school on property acquired at the corner of Lawndale and Shattuck, in Saginaw Township.

Pastor Hinz

2002 – The Rev. Paul Hinz was installed as the third pastor on staff, Peace’s tenth pastor in its history.

Pastor Weis

2003 – The new Lawndale campus school was opened, and Pastor Thelen left to take a call.

2004 – The Rev. C. William Weis was installed as Peace’s sixth Senior Pastor.

Pastor Hauser

December 18th, 2016 – The Rev. Matthew J. Hauser was installed as the “School” Pastor after completing the Specific Ministry Program, the first to do so at Peace.

2017 – Pastor Hinz retired.

2018 – The Rev. Roger Stauffer was installed as part-time “Visitation” pastor.

May 30th, 2018 – Pastor Weis was called home to heaven.

Pastor Schmidt

May 5th, 2019 – The Rev. Erik R. Schmidt was installed as “Lead” Pastor, becoming Peace’s seventh Senior Pastor.

December 2019 – Peace’s capital campaign, entitled “Seeds to Branches for Another Generation,” raised $3.75 million since its inception in 2015, allowing for the expansion of the Early Childhood Center at the Lawndale campus.

August 2020 – Pastor Stauffer retired.

Pastor Pahlkotter

December 19th, 2021 – The Rev. Henry G. Pahlkotter II was installed as “Executive” Associate Pastor after completing the Specific Ministry Program.

July 2023 – Pastor Pahlkotter left to take a call.