Family Connections

One of the reasons we are presently in Michigan was because of the Hensler Reunion, which was held this past Sunday. So the subject of this posting has to do with my family history which I especially would like to share with our children. We started our day Sunday at St.John's Lutheran Church in Amelith. My parents were baptized, confirmed and married at this church. The original building is still there, it was built in 1870. It has had additional sections added onto it through the years. The sanctuary is quite impressive looking with many stained glass windows and a lit tableau of the Lord's Supper carved into the front of the altar.

The current pastor, Stephen Starke, is a well known hymn writer for the Missouri Synod. Unfortunately, we did not have the pleasure of singing any of his songs during the service.  After church my brother Wayne introduced himself to the pastor as "Wayne Lohrmann" and that we were there because St.John's church was the home church of our parents.  Pastor Starke replied: "oh yes, Teacher Lohrmann". Our grandfather taught at St.John's school in the first half of the last century for about thirty years. We also talked to a couple after church who remembered their parents mentioning that they had Mr. Lohrmann as their teacher. Below is a picture of the front of the current school building.

 Across from the school building is a cemetery where both our grandparents and great grandparents are buried. Also on the church grounds is a large picnic shelter where the Hensler reunion is held annually. My mother had nine brothers and sisters so I have roughly about 40 first cousins. The reunion is always a fun time for us to visit with each other. There is now only one sibling left, Aunt Donna, who is so dear to all of her nieces and nephews. She is pictured below with her daughter Dearaine and my sister-in-law Heidi.

A day at the reunion is never complete without a stop at the century-old farm where our Hensler grandparents raised their children. Uncle Jack's son Bob and grandson now run the farm. It is still the original barn and I have many good memories of visiting there as a young child.