Dorchester, Salem United Methodist Church (1882-1973)

Surnames: BAHRENGURG BERG BEROFSKY BURSACK BUSHENDORF BUZER ERFMEYER GOETZ KOLANDER KRAUSE KREUGER LACOUNT LUTZ MARKS MCCORMICK MUELLER NEHS REIMER SCHMELLER SCHMIDT SCHNEIDER THIEL VIETH WALTERS WELCH WILL WILSON ZILLMER
 

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Dorchester, Wis. Salem United Methodist Church

1882--1973
In the year of our Lord 1882, the Salem Evangelical congregation of Dorchester was organized to forward the Kingdom of God. The organization took place in a log school house located one block east of the present church site the Rev. William Kolander serving as pastor. Charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Herman Will, Mr. and Mrs. John Reimer, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Buzer, Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Schmidt, Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Schmidt and George Mueller. Officers elected were: G. F. Schmidt, class leader board of trustees: John Reimer, president A. F. Schmidt, secretary G. F. Schmidt, treasurer.

In 1883 logs were hauled to the mill and a church was constructed. The early pastors were Rev. Charles Berg, C. W. Wilson, Otto Berofsky, Sam Erfmeyer and G. H. Goetz.

Dorchester was then taken into the Marshfield Mission, and was served from there. The ministers were A. Lutz, D. Schneider, A. W. Zillmer, F. Nehs, Jacob Schmeller and John Marks. During the pastorate of Marks the Marshfield Mission was divided, giving Dorchester a separate pastor.

An addition to the church to accommodate the Sunday School was built during the pastorate of the next pastor, Rev. W. W. Kreuger. Following him were Pastors G. L. Bursack, E. W. Marks, P. F. Walters, L. G. Thiel, James LaCount, R. Browe, V. Miller and Rev. G. T. Vieth.

In 1946 the church united with the United Brethren in Christ Church and became Evangelical United Brethren church. Upon retirement of Rev. Vieth, whose son Reuben is a present member of the congregation, Rev. Harold Welch became pastor in 1952. Rev. Sherman Bushendorf and Rev. L. L. McCormick were the next pastors serving.

Over the years remodeling and many changes were made to the church, including stained glass windows to add to the beauty of worship.

In 1966 all Evangelical United Brethren churches united with all Methodist churches. The Dorchester church became the United Methodist Church.

Early pastors of the church resided in the Peace Parsonage, being rented until 1936. That year the home of R. Krause, Jr. was purchased and served as parsonage until 1945. In that year, during the pastorate of Rev. Miller the present parsonage was purchased. Rev. Henry Bahrenburg is the present pastor. Organizations of the church are the Sunday School, Youth Fellowship and United Methodist Women.

Source: Historical Sketches of Dorchester, Wisconsin.