Some members try to save historic church in Muskego
Leaders plan to demolish 1905 building that’s now little-used
MUSKEGO - At the time of the year when Christians celebrate in unity, some members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Muskego feel divided over church leaders’ plans to eliminate the place where the congregation grew more than a century ago, even as they try to find ways to preserve the past.
Church officials publicly revealed in May that they planned to eventually demolish the now-little-used church building on Janesville Road just east of Tess Corners Drive. The condition of the building, built in 1905 and used regularly as a place of worship until the late 1970s, and the cost of repairing it exceeded its value to the congregation, whose campus includes a more modern church building just south of the historic church, they said.
But not everyone agrees.
Members are pushing to save the church with a petition
Nearly seven months since a congregational vote supporting the eventual removal of the old church, some members have signed a paper petition circulated by those unhappy with that decision, but most have remained largely unheard, making it difficult to measure support or resistance to the plan.
Cheryl Weise, a church member who was among those who quietly objected to the congregation’s decision early on, said an online petition has garnered more than 800 signatures — but only about 250 of those are members in St. Paul’s Church.
However, the congregation consists of more than 2,700 members, which means that fewer than 10% have signed the petition. Then again, the congregational vote to demolish the church involved only about 52 members, including 14 who voted against the idea, according to some church members.
Weise said a group opposing the 1905 church building’s demise has had limited success reaching out to members.
“A couple tried to get signatures but had to do in a little bit of a covert way,” she said. “There weren’t any other volunteers that stepped forth to go and collect signatures in person. For some, I get that there is a fear of retribution and even when approached some felt uncomfortable signing it because of the same reason.”
As to why some fear any retribution is unclear, Weise added.
Even with Weise’s assistance identifying those who have expressed concerns, at least a half-dozen members, including four in recent weeks, did not respond to email requests for interview or didn’t follow through after acknowledging emails.
But some haven’t held back. For those who have a deep history with the church, the demolition decision is hard to live with.
“My family and I are devastated with the thought of it,” said Lynette Grimme, whose father, Milton Baas, is among the oldest church members as he approaches his 100th birthday in January. It was Baas’ grandparents that played a large role in starting the church, she added.
From her standpoint, the decision by the small number of congregation members in May wasn’t a full hearing on members’ feelings on the topic.
“There was not enough notice given when the meeting was scheduled, and a lot of new members were involved that didn’t care about the preservation,” Grimme said, extending that idea to church leaders. “All four pastors stated that they want it down as they have no affiliation to the old church and its history.”
St. Paul’s Church, affiliated with the conservative Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, and Muskego share a common point in history. The church erected its first building in 1838 in Tess Corners, on the same site as the 1905 church and during the same year Muskego became a town.
Church officials offer few public comments
One factor that has made the church’s decision hard to evaluate and discuss is the lack of candor since the announcement.
Church officials stressed in May that they plan on preserving part of the 1905 church, though such details have not been publicly shared since.
“As the congregation begins to plan for future additions, the congregation approved taking this church building down so that we can preserve elements of the building in new and remodeled construction so that we might continue to honor the gospel ministry that took place in this building,” church leaders said in a letter that was included on St. Paul’s Lutheran Church’s website in May. They also indicated “there are no plans for demolition in the immediate future.”
Church leaders did at least specify that the costs of making the 117-year-old building, which has not been used regularly for 44 years, usable again played a factor in their decision to eventually remove the church and reuse the land. They cited a “lack of parking, handicapped accessibility, adequate bathrooms and air conditioning” as critical measures.
But church officials, notably church administrator Randy Fink and Pastor Pete Panitzke, have largely ignored media questions spread over a sixmonth interval about the decision and the old church’s future. (Panitzke briefly responded to two emails, saying in one that he couldn’t promise answers to all questions submitted and in the second saying he was unaware that some church members were actively opposing the church’s future demolition.)
Former resident who admires the church seeks answers
Such lack of information is more than history buff John J. Archibald could stand.
Archibald, a former Tess CornersMuskego resident who grew up near the church, has come to appreciate the church historically — something he attributes partly to his Tess Corners Elementary School teacher Adele Holz, who kindled his interest in history and, coincidentally, is buried at the church cemetery along with her husband, Lester.
“I have visited their graves on almost every trip north I have taken,” he said. “I owe so much to her and her encouragement.
“As such, I have walked around the church and grounds of St. Paul’s several times across the decades.”
A resident of Benton, Arkansas, since 2006, Archibald was caught by surprise while visiting the Muskego Historical Society’s Facebook page, where news of St. Paul congregation’s decision first spread in May and drew responses from area residents who were also greatly surprised and upset by the prospective demolition.
A Marquette University communications graduate who has worked in newspapers and serves as publisher of a small publishing company in Arkansas, he tried to make sense of it, keeping in mind that the congregation, even those who favor the old church’s demolition, are trying to do what they think is right.
“It struck me as unusual that a church group would vote to demolish a building that had nominal exterior signs of age,” Archibald said, noting his research experiences in evaluating buildings considered for preservation.
Given the historic tenor of the congregation, who view their opulent campus as something that should be shared with the broader community, he reached his network of historic preservation contacts to discuss the issue. His general sense is that he and others think voting members St. Paul’s Church should carefully re-evaluate the potential usefulness of the 117-year-old church building.
“I don’t think the people of the congregation are fully aware of the value of the 1905 church,” Archibald said. “There is more to appreciate than has been shared. Prior generations worked hard to keep it in excellent condition. It’s like the people of the past were trying to give the people of the future a gift.
“We’re the future now,” he added. “It’s time to share the gift.”
“I don’t think the people of the congregation are fully aware of the value of the 1905 church . ... Prior generations worked hard to keep it in excellent condition.” John J. Archibald
History buff and former area resident