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Union Congregational - United Church of Christ
Our First 85 Years

To whom does the Union Congregational Church owe its thanks for its start 85 years ago?  The Christians of other denominations (Methodist and Presbyterian)  who held services in a building at our present site, beginning in 1900?  The Eagle River Congregational Church who lent their minister to us to conduct occasional  services in 1916 and 1917?  The Wisconsin Congregational Church who sent their missionary and evangelist to us to help organize this church in 1918?  The early ministers who accepted the call to serve the fledgling church?  Or do we owe our start to the 28 far-sighted and determined individuals who were the charter members of the first congregation?  The answer, of course, is all of the above.

Once established, and when  the work of the church had just begun, a huge setback occurred in September, 1924.  A tornado completely destroyed the original building.  In March, 1925 the membership voted to rebuild.  With a grant from the Congregational Church Building Society for $1200 and a mortgage for $2500, a new sanctuary was built, then dedicated on August 2, 1925.  In 1927 the first   pastor to serve full-time for more than a year, Rev. Daniel Woodward, was hired.  Rev. Noble Conkle served for the next decade.

During the term of Pastor Alvin Koenig (1940  to 1942), some remodeling of the church, under the direction of Cy Williams, was accomplished, but money was tight.  In 1941  our church council voted to ask members for wood to heat the church so that a $39 donation they had received would not be used until absolutely necessary.  In 1942, when Rev. Koenig resigned, a card party was held to help pay the balance of the salary owed him.  From 1942 until 1945, we shared a minister, Rev. Frank Tomenendale, with the Eagle River Congregational Church, paying him $25 a   month.  For the next 3 years, services were conducted by James Williams, Rhinelander Junior High principal.

  The parking lot property was bought in 1958 and the manse garage was built two years later.

In 1966, Rev. Gordon Winsor became our pastor. The enlargement and remodeling of the sanctuary was begun in 1969, again under the direction of Cy Williams, for a total or $21,900.  Somewhat later the restrooms were remodeled and a choir robe closet was built.  In 1974 the congregation gratefully celebrated the burning of its mortgage.

Rev. Ronald McDuffie and his wife June joined us in 1981, building their own home on Maple Lake. Rev. McDuffie served as pastor until 1993, when he became Pastor Emeritus.  A house on Anderson Street was bought to be a larger parsonage on March 10, 1993.  Rev. Stephen Rohloff became our pastor on May 27, 1993 and resigned in October, 1996.   He was succeeded by Pastor Mary Ann Miller, who was interim pastor until she was installed as regular pastor of our church on October 12, 1997.  Since Pastor Miller resided in Lac du Flambeau, the parsonage was not needed and it was sold in September, 1997. 

Throughout its years, Union Congregational Church has been there for its members, friends, and neighbors, and also for the larger community.  In 1920, when the school needed more classroom space, our church opened their doors to them.  Grace Lutheran Church held its services here before their church was erected.  The town library was in our basement for many years.

Community and ecumenical activities have always been important.  In the early years, the ladies of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and the ladies of our church had joint fund-raising card parties, splitting the profits.  An annual Advent program and party is held for all the women of Three Lakes, hosted each year by a different church.  For years our ladies sponsored a very popular Mother-Daughter banquet for Three Lakes.  When our parking lot was blacktopped, we installed a basketball hoop on its edge for the use of neighborhood youth.  Fund drives and fund raisers for the benefit of the needy from any church in the community (or with no affiliation) are always responded to by our church.  Our church's wider mission includes a prison fellowship and local, national and international relief.

Music plays a big part in our worship as evidenced by the Ahlborn Galanti organ we installed in 1994 and a new carillon in 2001, both memorials. Our choir has not only enhanced our own worship services, but we have shared our choir, organist, and director with the community to bring about such things as a Welsh hymn sing (Gymanfa Ganu), an ecumenical chorus for Independence Day, and music for other occasions, such as funerals and memorial services, when called on. Lately, the Festival of Lessons and Carols was inaugurated by Tom Babcock of our church, directed by our choir director, and first held at St. Theresa's in 1987.

Over the years, pledges, gifts ( memorial, endowment fund and otherwise), volunteer labor by members and friends of the church, and fund drives for special projects have made many church improvements and enhancements possible.  Recently, the Edith Reiter Trust Fund has been of immense benefit to Union Congregational Church, allowing us to make many repairs and improvements in many departments.

Though we have many saints to thank for their hard work in starting our church, after 85 years we have hundreds of dedicated people to thank for its survival and growth to the glory of God.