1981

Pastor Douglas H. Strachan, conducting services.

The following is from the annual congressional meeting, January 23(1):

… Announcement was made by Alice Weider that she is resigning as Editor of The Scroll [after 20 years of service].… Alice was given a hearty round of applause… a motion made by Paul [Pete] Keller, to let the minutes reflect that Alice Weider was awarded recognition at this meeting. Carried.

Here is an excerpt from the February issue of The Scroll entitled "Scroll Editor Found"(2):

In an obviously weak moment, and being of dubiously sound mind and body, Carol Petterson offered to "help" coordinate The Scroll. Pastor was seen to have tears in his eyes and looking upward in a grateful manner.… So, if you have any articles or suggestions for next month's issue, give her a call. The Complaint Dept. is still not organized.…

Here is a letter dated May 30:

TO: Garet Church, President of the Church Council, and other council members:

This is to inform you that I am turning in my resignation as pastor of Christ's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, New York, to be effective as of July 31, 1981. This is in agreement with the discussion between myself and the church council last October, 1980. At that time it was agreed that I sever my relationship with Christ's Lutheran Church by August of 1981.…

Because of conflicts of personalities, and because of circumstances that are beyond our understanding, I and the church council mutually agree that this is the best course of action to take.

Sincerely,
Douglas H. Strachan, Pastor

After Pastor Strachan left, Lauri Johann Anderson, D.D., came out of retirement to act as interim pastor. According to the Council Minutes of August 11:

Discussion on Pastor Anderson's remuneration--this will be amount to $500 per month [$1,140 per month in 2006 dollars), covers Sunday church service, weddings, funerals, etc. He will be in the office on Mondays, and will teach confirmation class.

The committee to call a new official pastor met on October 27, but the synod sent no names or résumés of candidates. As the committee reported at the annual congregational meeting after year's end,

none of the candidates who have been sent the package of information has been willing to pursue further discussion with us.… [We] have been told that the main stumbling block to securing a candidate for us to interview is the size of the financial package we have been able to offer.

Dr. Anderson introduced the ringing of the church bell during the recitation of the Lord's Prayer.

In April, the congregation celebrated the citizenship ceremony for the "adopted" Vietnamese family, Lien and Lac Nguyen, their three children, and their niece (who had been housed in the parsonage from 1975 to 1977). According to the following year's annual report,

Fellowship Hall looked like the Fourth of July. Flags and red, white and blue decorations filled the hall as everyone cheered the new American citizens--Lac, Lien, Nhat and Lam Nguyen. (Thai was born a citizen.)… Doris Blatter sang "America."… Cub Scouts Nhat Nguyen, Dean Johnson and Kemp Anderson provided a color guard.… Barbara and Walter Kortrey joined us in remembering how the Nguyens first came to Woodstock in July, 1975. Pastor Kortrey's inspiring words reminded all of us that, though we may rightly be proud of helping the Nguyens, we have to remember that all we do, we do for Christ.…

The congregation celebrated the 175th anniversary of the church's founding. Here is a picture of the congregation taken outside the church during the 175th anniversary celebration. (To enlarge this picture, just click it.) They buried a time capsule.

There was a large and active Sunday School and a children's choir. Here is an excerpt from the Summer issue of The Scroll:

Our seventh grade Sunday School class ended the [school] year learning about our church. We interviewed five people for this project. Mr. [Erwin] Holumzer spoke to us… concerning the history of our congregation.… [He] told us one of the most difficult decisions to make was that concerning the building of an education building.… [Talk] began in 1951 and it wasn't until 1964 that the Fellowship Hall was built.… One Sunday, Charlie Wolven laid a five dollar bill on the table and exclaimed, "The Fellowship Hall Fund is now open!"… by Betsy Balzer, Lisa Pape, and Eric Petterson

Erwin Holumzer, 61, recommended that the congregation install a ramp so that handicapped people could better get into the church.

The Group to LYE took a trip to Bridgeport.

Here is an excerpt from the March issue entitled "Stewardship," signed by Martin C. Heyer Meyer, Metro News--February, submitted by Ruth Barmwater(3):

S		Serving God through time, talents, money
T		Tithing, the voluntary giving of 10% of one's income
E		Every member participates
W		Willingly, for "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7)
A		Always smile when giving--it's less painful
R		Regular weekly giving by the envelope system; there is no better way
D		Dare we do less, when God does so much more?
S		Speak to me, Lord, for Thy servant heareth
H		Have Thine Own Way, Lord
I		In all things, let us give thanks
P		Pleasing to God, may it be our goal.

The congregation installed a combination room divider and bookcase for the Fellowship Hall.

A "very sensible" fire door exit was installed to the left of the sanctuary (chancel), with a pre-cast (concrete) stairway provided for an exit. (This exit replaced one of the two double-hung windows of clear glass that had installed on each side of the apse when the church was new in 1895 and had been covered over in 1974 with aluminum siding on the outside and drapes on the inside.)

The church budget was $42,773 ($97,522 in 2006 dollars).

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Jimmy Carter (Democrat) was President, succeeded during this year by Ronald Reagan. The newly elected 97th Congress was in session. A dollar in that year would be worth $2.28 in 2006 for most consumable products.

Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first American test-tube baby, was born in Norfolk, VA.

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