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Peoria

From FröhlichHistory

US Congregations

Peoria Church.
Branches: ACCA
Date Founded: 1851
Attendance 2025: 430
Address: 3420 N. Sheridan Road
Website: Peoriaacchurch.com
Other Local Froelich Churches:
Peoria(GAC)
12 Oaks Community Church









History

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The Sheridan Road Apostolic Christian Church of Peoria began in 1850. Brother Joseph Virkler came to the Peoria area in 1850 from New York State and delivered the first sermon of the Apostolic Christian doctrine. In 1852 services were held at the home of a Sister Sommer living on the Metamora Road and Brother Johannes Kraehenbuehl (Kreinbill), one the earliest converts in Illinois, was their minister for the six other members assembled there.

In 1851, John Frederic Hartman and wife Anna Marie Eleanora and family moved to Peoria from Detmold Lippe (Germany) via St. Louis, MO. They assembled with the believers, repented and a short time later, Brother Hartman became the minister in Peoria. Soon, the small congregation of about twenty souls assembled in his home at 1507 North Monroe Street.

In 1874, the assembly room at Brother Hartman’s home became too small for the growing congregation. A decision was made to build a wood frame church at 511 Green Street and this church was completed May 10, 1874 at a cost of $1,000.

In 1896, the members of the Green Street Church decided their building was too small for the growing assembly, so it was torn down and a brick building was erected on the same site costing $7,500.

In 1949, the Peoria membership had grown significantly during the fifty years it used the Green Street Church and was now not large enough to accommodate the growing congregation. A decision was made to build a new church and land was purchased at 3420 North Sheridan Road in 1949. The present church was dedicated December 10, 1950. It cost approximately $350,000 and seats 950 people.

In 1977, the need for an enlarged dining room became apparent and a large church addition was built and opened on January 8, 1978. It included a dining room, kitchen, fellowship area, Sunday School facilities, mother and baby room, rest rooms, and several improvements to the original church at a cost of approximately $800,000.

In 1985, a tape library with duplication equipment was established. Later, in 1986, the conference room was redecorated and refurnished and in 1987, the former dining room on the lower level was carpeted and converted into additional fellowship area and is used extensively by Sunday School students. Also during this year, the church foyer and dining room were re-carpeted, the foyer repainted, and an Adult Bible Study room was provided on the lower level.

In 1992, the baby room was renovated and redecorated to provide for necessary improvements.

In 1996, new driveways on both sides of the church and across the rear of the church were completed. Also, a driveway across the front of the church was installed to provide better access to the front door for those who need a shorter walking distance of who may be handicapped and for use at funeral services. The church grounds were completely re-landscaped during this construction period with new trees and bushes and brick edging which greatly enhanced the beauty of our church building.

in 1999, the main parking lot was reconstructed in concrete with trees and flowers in landscaped planter boxes. A fence of bollards with connecting chain at the East entrance completed the enhancements of our church grounds.

During 2001 a completely new sound and speaker system was installed which provided greater clarity and improved hearing for the entire congregation. Also, the lowerlevel rest rooms were renovated and redecorated.

[Ministers

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Ministers
Name Born Baptized Minister Deacon Elder Retired Wife Notes
John Kreinbill 1/1/1803 1/1/1852 1/1/1887 Jacobena Gehring
Johann A. Braun 11/9/1825 1/17/1905 1/1/1854 Germany 1/1/186? Anna Schmidt
Ludwig Johann Hartman 5/15/1815 1/1/1859 1/1/1895 Anna Uckermann
John W. Schmidt 6/5/1844 1/1/1867 1/1/1929 10/7/1939 Verena Meyer
George Stieglitz 4/18/1831 1980 1903 Mary Sommer
Emil Schubert 9/22/1874[176] 1/1/1910 2/17/1929 8/14/1950 Anna Sieber
Jacob Schilz 1/4/1849 1910 1917 Louisa Heiler
Dan Knepp 10/20/1875 1/1/1927 1/1/1946 Sophie Bechtel
Michael Weyeneth 4/1/1894 4/1/1905 1/1/1929 1/1/1972 Emma Hodel
Fred Feucht 9/27/1877 1934 Bertha Nester
Silas Leuthold 9/8/1893 2/1/1927 6/1/1934 6/12/1949 1/1/1974 Mary Metz
Chris Koehl 3/23/1884 7/10/1910 2/9/1942 10/1/1962 Elizabeth Massner
Roy L. Sauder 11/11/1909 4/29/1928 2/9/1947 1/3/1965 6/18/1989 Gertrude Baurer
Willis R. Ehnle 10/16/1925 6/23/1946 7/31/1955 9/26/2004 7/24/1977 5/20/2018 Lois Beer
Leroy Hartman 9/19/1917 4/17/1949 1/20/1957 8/23/1989 Elsa Schlipf
James Hoerr 2/10/1926 6/15/1947 1/20/1957 6/22/1997 Virginia Moser
Charles Hemmer 7/24/1930 2/6/1949 4/30/1969 9/27/1970 3/8/1987 9/18/2005 Marian Woerner
Kenneth E. Hoerr 1/6/1937 4/24/1966 1/26/1975 3/1/1998 1/1/2014 Darlene Hoerr
Michael F. Rieker 5/31/1951 2/18/1968 2/14/1988 6/13/2021 Carol Erkert
David W. Obergfel 1/31/1955 6/5/1974 4/13/1997 4/17/2022 Kathleen Hoerr
Timothy J. Funk 4/2/1959 9/11/1977 6/11/2000 9/18/2005 Debra Feucht
Timothy E. Roecker 5/29/1958 8/4/1974 6/11/2000 Diane Hohulin
Craig M. Stickling 5/28/1965 9/20/1981 5/4/2008 3/14/2021 Jacqueline Zobrist
Gregg E. Rumbold 2/7/1969 9/22/1991 11/19/2014 Heather Wieland
Michael J. Kaisner 7/16/1976 3/26/1995 12/6/2017 8/25/2024 Melinda Hoerr
David Sceggel 9/18/1978 11/14/1993 8/12/2020 Stephanie Regier
Caleb Plattner 10/3/1993 10/28/2012 11/26/2023 Kristin Fehr

Attendance

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Attendance
Year Total Members Sunday School Year Total Members Sunday School