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If history is regarded as a generally orderly
record of the significant events impacting the development of a region, nation,
people, or institution it would appear that an assignment to record a history
is clear and focused.
But it is not without its problems, many or
few, the obvious or the hidden. These include the time which is available, or
will be made available to the project, the research capabilities of the writers,
the size and magnitude of the subject, the amount and the accessibility of records,
basic documents, and previously compiled papers and books.
The history of a medium-sized church in a medium-sized
suburban community most frequently follows a normal progression of events. That
is not the case with the history of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church of Fairborn,
Ohio. A natural disaster of monumental proportions threatened the very existence
of the church and was a warrant for the extinction of the village. Church and
village were saved by a determined people applying an extraordinary and rare
political process. Both stories must be told if any history of St. Mark’s is
to be complete.
From early on in this writing certain conditions
had to be accepted and certain decisions made. The first was to accept as the
best available history of the church information found in newspaper articles,
publications prepared for major anniversaries of the church, minutes of church
organizations, a file of old Messengers, and in particular two typewritten
historical summaries removed upon the opening of the church cornerstone in September
1998.
The first document is the “Historical Sketch
of the Ev. Lutheran Church of Osborne, Ohio,” prepared by O.P. Mitman and “read
at the historical service November 25, 1898.”
The second document from the cornerstone opening
is dated July 13, 1922. These pages are described as extracts from the “History
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Osborne, Ohio,” prepared by the Rev. J.
J. Welch, pastor from June 1873 to October 1, 1874. This information was compiled
by the Rev. Harvey E. Crowell for deposit in the church cornerstone of the “new
Osborn” church in 1923.
With the decision to use past research efforts
(except where current findings may have discovered earlier errors) concentration
has been on church history of more recent years. And, of course, in no way can
it be a full and detailed history in these relatively few pages.
What this history attempts to describe is the
dedication of a people strong in their faith, upholding their Lutheran heritage,
and giving praise and thanks to the Lord for establishing a church “built on
His foundation and serving to His glory.”
Bernard and Eugenia Hilbrink, members
Sesquicentennial Anniversary Committee
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Fairborn Ohio, October 1998
