History:

After a time of having services in homes of interested families, the congregation was organized on December 13, 1874 under the name of "Die Evangelische Freie Protestant Gemeinde" (The Evangelical Free Protestant Congregation).
The first constitution was signed by the following charter members: Elias Burke, Rudolph Hoge, Johann Riebold, Charles Metzger, Friederich Hoge, Julius Nill, Adam Feldner, Jacob Mahler, Henry Mumme, Frank Heddergott, Peter Bernhardt, Frank Holtgrave, William Schulz, Phillip Gross, Fritz Schuler and William Freulenau.

The first Congregational Meeting was held on January 3, 1875 in the local Presbyterian Church - now the Pentecostal Church, since the congregation did not have a building until November of 1875.

The first pastor to serve the congregation as a resident pastor was Rev. Dietrich. Peter Cumman whose term of ministry started in 1876 built the first parsonage with his own hands, conducted regular services and also taught Sunday School. Unfortunately, the ministry was short as he died in 1881 having served the congregation only five years.

There followed a period in the history of the congregation when it had a pastor and then short periods without the services of a pastor. Because of this situation, it became more difficult to pay the pastor a living wage. The pastors who served for only a short time were all "free" pastors and were not members of the denomination. Friedens Church then dictated a pleas to the German Evangelical Synod of North America and asked for a pastor who was a member of that denomination. The synod sent a recent graduate of Eden Theological Seminary, the Rev. Ernest Rierneyer in the fall of 1887.
The first couple to be married in the newly organized church was Henry Gindler and Barbara Witman on February 3, 1878. They were the grandparents of Irwin Dollinger, deceased; Marie Dollinger; Oscar Gindler, deceased; Harold Gindler; Elmer Gindler and Irene Kotzman. Their daughter, Maria A. Gindler, the mother of Marie Dollinger, was the first baby baptized in the newly organized church in 1878.

Rev. Ernest Rierneyer served the congregation until the summer of 1891. A new parsonage was built during this time. His successor was Rev. N. Hansen who served from July 1891 to August 1895.
During Rev. Hansen's time at Friedens he also aided a small group of men in Collinsville to draft a constitution which became St. John's Evangelical Church of Christ. Until they could erect a church, every two weeks Rev. Hansen walked from Troy to Collinsville to conduct services in the First Presbyterian Church, which they rented for $1.75 each service.
May 5, 1889, the congregation reorganized as the German Evangelical Friedens Gerneinde (German Evangelical Friedens Congregation) and became a member of the denomination. The German Evangelical Synod of North America; later dropped the word German from its name.
Rev. G. Plassman began his ministry on September 1, 1895 to August 1900 when he resigned.

At the beginning of Rev. Plassman's ministry, there were 38 active members and about 25 or 30 families who were interested. The Sunday School enrollment was 100 pupils, 10 teachers and a lay superintendent. A young Peoples League was organized, and a hard working group of 30 ladies known as the Ladies Aid. A German school was held during the months of April through September. A vacation during the month of July helped to lighten the task of farm work.
A steeple was added to the church building in 1897 and a bell was purchased the same year.

Four ministers served from 1900 to 1910 when Rev. Krickhan came to serve. Rev. Krickhan served only two years - he was noted for the invocation of a Daily Vacation Bible School. It drew a large attendance from surrounding areas and was watched with great interest by other churches and communities.

Rev. Martin Hulz came to Friedens in 1902. During this time, the present parsonage was built and dedicated on March 24, 1913.
Rev. Hulz organized and directed the first large and excellent choir of the church, which became known throughout the area and was asked to sing at various community functions.
Rev. Hulz conducted the last confirmation class held in German. He left the ministry in June 1917.

Today, we start our Anniversary Remembered moment in the year 1932 and continues into 1952.
In 1932, Congregational Meetings got shorter and it is interesting to note that the organist and janitor positions were voted on yearly until January 1939 when a motion was made and passed that Alma Gebauer and Marie Dollinger could be the organists as long as they chose to do so. Val Ottwein could also have the janitor position on the same terms, and the yearly voting to fill these positions discontinued.

Bertha Weber Loyet had been the organist from the very beginning until this time. Alma Gebauer had assisted Bertha since 1923 and in 1930 Marie Dollinger also served as organist.

In July 1943, after having the middle section of the cemetery under Perpetual Care, there was a proposal 3 months later to have all of the cemetery under Perpetual Care. This vote carried 30 yes to zero no votes. This was the first time this had happened on any voting!
Rev. Mornhinweg's 20th Anniversary celebration on January 13, 1952 was a joyful milestone. One reason being, the first clergy to serve more than eight years.

Two hundred guests attended the well-known "potluck" dinner. The Mornhinweg family received a television, a new and modern sign of the times.

During this pastorate, the congregation had increased to 300, the church auditorium had been redecorated two times, the kitchen had been remodeled and rest room facilities added.

Also during this twenty-year period, there were 179 baptisms, 85 weddings and 126 confirmands.