I’ve been knee-deep in photographs the past couple of weeks. A new display is beginning to take shape, and it’s one that highlights people and the stories connected to them.

One portion of the exhibit grew out of a single drawer in our photograph cabinet labeled simply: “Wedding.” Inside were dozens of images—many of them with couples already identified. Those wedding photographs will form one section of the display, allowing us to put names to faces and moments to milestones.

Other cases in the exhibit will showcase individuals rather than couples, expanding the focus beyond weddings. Together, these sections help paint a fuller picture of the families and individuals who helped shape our shared history.

Because so many of the people in these photographs have been identified, this exhibit also gives us a wonderful opportunity to highlight the genealogy resources available here. Each photograph includes a caption with names and the page number where those individuals appear in Lynn’s award-winning German Family Tree (GFT). We’ve printed the corresponding pages and placed them in a binder near the exhibit for easy reference.

Visitors who wish to explore further can consult the full version of German Family Tree in our library to learn more about ancestors, descendants, and family connections. Also in progress is another binder containing copies of blog posts that highlight many of the individuals pictured—stories that add depth and context to the faces on display.

If you look closely at the pictures along the front of the display, however, you will see that the one on the far right doesn’t have a caption. That’s because, while I have a name (Mr. & Mrs. Pete Mueller), I can’t find a match in GFT. Can anyone give me more information about this couple?

This exhibit is still coming together, but it already reminds me how powerful photographs can be. Whether shown as couples or as individuals, these images connect us to real people, real lives, and the enduring stories of family and faith.

Speaking of the blog and the stories shared there, I have a favor to ask.

We are beginning a project to preserve the ten years’ worth of blog posts by saving them as Word documents. This ensures that, should anything ever happen to our WordPress account, we won’t lose the many stories that have been written and shared over the years. The first couple of years are already complete, but there is still a significant amount left to do.

If you are comfortable with simple copy-and-paste tasks and have some time to give over the next couple of months, we would greatly appreciate your help. Please let me know by phone or email, and I will provide clear instructions to get you started.

Together, we can make this monumental task not only manageable, but successful—preserving these stories for years to come.

Finally, there’s been more activity in our parking lot today than usual, and it keeps drawing my attention. The reason is a joyful one: a new pastor is moving into the parsonage across the street. Pastor Chuck Johnson will be installed this Sunday as pastor of the newly formed dual parish of Trinity, Altenburg, and Immanuel, New Wells.

We give thanks for his arrival and pray that God will richly bless Pastor Chuck, his family, and his ministry here. May the Lord guide and strengthen them as they begin this new chapter.

Until next week! Denise Hellwege, Director