Today was not one of those days when I had the time to perform my usual research on someone’s family history. However, I did have the time to help provide a tour for some special visitors who stopped by our museum today. One of the groups was expected; the other pair was not. However, when all was said and done, I have to conclude that this was another one of those “Acts of God” that happen so often at our museum. The number of connections between those visitors and the museum’s workers was beyond belief. I will take the little time I have today to put together a little taste of what’s been going on around Altenburg and Frohna the past few days.

First of all, let me describe a few events that took place this past Sunday. A confirmation reunion happened that involved participants who were confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg and Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna 60 years ago in 1961. That gathering included a special guest. They were joined by their 4th grade teacher, Laverne Wachter. A photo was taken of that gathering which took place at Say Grace in Altenburg.

We love it when such reunions take place here in East Perry County.

I also had the privilege of seeing my kicking coach, Courtney Meyer, from back when I played football at Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska. Courtney, who grew up in Frohna, brought his daughter and her family to visit our museum because he wanted them to know more about his family’s history. Courtney is the handsome guy on the left in this photo.

I want to make sure our German friends understand that when I say football, it is the American version of football in which hardly anyone puts a foot to a ball…unless you were a place kicker like I was. By the way, I also played what the Germans call football. We call it soccer over here. We use unusual names for our sports.

Today, we were expecting a visit from Sara Anderegg and 3 other women from her congregation, Peace Lutheran Church near Camdenton, Missouri. Sara and her husband, Rev. Richard Anderegg are old friends from our days in Memphis, Tennessee. My wife and I taught Rick and Sara’s daughters at Christ the King Lutheran School. Rick was a fellow teacher at that school before he attended Concordia Seminary to become a Lutheran pastor. Sara and her friends had attended the LWML Convention in Lexington, Kentucky, and on their trip back home, they made a stop in Altenburg to visit our museum.

Right before these ladies arrived, another couple arrived on the scene. Rev. Poppe and his wife also wanted a little dose of Lutheran history, and found their way to the museum. Rev. Poppe grew up in West Point, Nebraska, and is now a pastor in Lincoln, Nebraska. Little did these two groups know that it would bring together another set of two old friends. Pastor Poppe had been the supervising pastor for Rick and Sara Anderegg’s son-in-law, Rev. Kristopher Morris, when he served his vicarage in Lincoln, Nebraska. What are the odds?

I managed to get a photograph of Pastor Poppe in Trinity’s pulpit where Dr. C.F.W. Walther is known to have preached a sermon or two.

This combination of two groups from two different directions proved to be even more full of other connections that were discovered as the morning progressed. I cannot even begin to describe them all. Below is a photo of the entire group, including my wife and me. Gerard Fiehler is not included because he was the photographer.

One of the great things about working at our museum is that you never know who God is going to gather together for our enjoyment and delight.

In closing, let me announce that we are very close to having Blog Book 7 for sale in our gift shop. It has been printed. Now the books need to be bound together. We should have that finished in about a week or so. Here is a sneak peek.