1968

Pastor Norman C. Krapf preached his farewell sermon in February. After a 2-month interim, Steven Middernacht, from Ascension Church in Deer Park, Long Island, accepted our call and was installed on April 21.

St. Mark's Church in Huntington, Long Island, donated a baptismal font to Christ's Lutheran Church. According to a summertime issue of The Scroll(1):

On Saturday, May 8th, 1968, Christ's church received the gift of a baptismal font from St. Mark's in Huntington, Long Island, a font which they had for about one year. About two years ago, St. Mark's of Jamaica closed. The synod decided that the old church might have some materials that the new congregation could use. Dr. Beck [of the synod] gave pastors permission to go into the old church and take whatever they might need. St. Mark's in Huntington didn't have a building yet, [but] they took some things, including the font. (When they finished the new church, [its] style was not congruent with the style of the font.) When Pastor Brian Welch [of St. Mark's Church] was here for the installation [of Pastor Middernacht], he noticed our old font was in a bad way and offered his extra one. When we saw it, we liked it and brought it home. In fact, it looks like it was made for Christ's Church. We are grateful to St. Mark's Lutheran Church of Huntington, L.I., and to the former St. Mark's Lutheran Church of Jamaica, Queens.

Here is an excerpt from the September issue of The Scroll:

We mourn the loss of a beloved and faithful churchman, Edgar T. Shultis, on August 25th, 1968. Besides many hours of service to the church as a deacon, choir member, and faithful member, one of his most notable contributions to many was the donation of the paintings in memory of his parents, Edgar and Jane Ann Shultis. Mr. Shultis was a member of the confirmation class of 1895 and his contribution to our church and the Lutheran Church at large for devoted service will long be remembered.

Doris Blatter was hired as music director for the church. Here is one of her reminiscences(2):

I learned how to select hymns and anthems based on the pericopes [the scripture readings for the day] from Steve [Middernacht]… as well as from attending conferences and workshops.…

Pastor Middernacht motivated some members of the congregation to examine the possibility for replacing the Hammond electric organ with a suitable pipe organ. Here is an excerpt from the December issue of The Scroll:

Some of you have begun to notice that the organ occasionally makes some peculiar sounds. It's not the organist's fault! The pedals are just about dead as their sound can barely be heard. The upper keyboard of late has been producing an unpredictable combination of bongs and squeals. An additional problem arises when there are more than 90 people, the organ can barely be heard in some sections of the church.… the day is coming when the instrument will have to be replaced. To prepare for this, an organ fund was begun with gifts from two interested persons.…

The annual budget was $16,888 ($95,248 in 2006 dollars). The pastor's salary was $8,038 ($47,263), the sexton's $620 ($3,497), and the organist's $540 ($3,046).

The congregation installed a new altar in the church. (Click any of the three thumbnails above to see an enlargement of a different side of the altar.)

Connie Wengert and Joan Donohue co-chaired the church fair.

Mike Gritman was council president; Edna Holumzer, 52, was secretary; Don Lawson, treasurer; John Mager, sexton; Magda Moseman and Florence Peper, 76, cared for the altar flowers and communion setting; and Alice Weider was editor of The Scroll.

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