In the interest of being honest and fair, the 1970s was not my favorite decade—not by a long shot. This blog entry will be more personal than the others have been or will be. 1970 saw the first Earth Day, and the Jumbo Jet, the Boeing 747, was introduced for commercial service. The voting age was lowered to 18. The Jesus People Movement was a thing. Abortion was legalized with the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Before the end of the decade, the first human conceived by in-vitro fertilization was born. The Viet Nam war ended, but it was not a satisfactory resolution, many young service members returning to a country that did not value their service. The OPEC oil embargo led to severe energy shortages in the U.S. The Watergate scandal led to President Nixon’s resignation. Ted Bundy eventually confessed to 30 murders, his 1979 trial was the first trial televised in the United States. The Beatles split. Elvis Presley died. America celebrated the bicentennial in 1976. Microsoft was founded, followed by Apple Computer the next year. Saturday Night Live premiered in 1975. The Sony Walkman was introduced. The Trans-Alaska pipeline became operational. The Jonestown Massacre caught national media attention. Some of the notable movies released in the 70s were The Godfather, The Exorcist, Star Wars, and Jaws. On T.V. we were watching All in the Family, Marcus Welby, M.D., Happy Days, and Laverne and Shirley. The number one spot in 1979 was 60 minutes. (The times were still a-changin’.)
Closer to home, Bloomington continued to enjoy “the boom years,” with a population that had grown to 81,971 in 1970. Which was the year both Jefferson High School and Valley West Shopping Center opened. School enrollment peaked in 1971 with 26,000 students. Fire Stations 4, 5, and 6 were built between 1970 and 1979, with a firefighter force of 105. The Bloomington Ice Garden opened in 1970, a second one in 1975. The Minnesota Kicks were based in Bloomington starting in 1976. Bloomington was still the home of the MN Twins, the Vikings, and the North Stars. The Carlton Celebrity Room opened in 1979. Bloomington also had the distinction of being “the fourth largest city in Minnesota.” South of the river things were happening as well. Valley Fair opened May, 1976, Burnsville Center (complete with a food court!) in 1977, and the Minnesota Zoo in 1978.
Emmaus was maturing with the community, celebrating 20 years as a congregation in 1971. The “new” sanctuary served them well, but it was time to get serious about adding the education wing and fellowship hall. The process started in earnest in 1968, but was considered “too expensive” to pursue at that time. They needed to increase the size of the parking lot, city regulations stating a church needs one parking space for every three seats in the nave. Translation? The church would need to buy the properties 8501 2nd Ave. and 8500 3rd Ave., and then petition the city to close 85th Street between 2ndand 3rd Avenues. Special meetings of the congregation were held seeking input and approval from the congregation as each step was taken, which also included how to finance the building. They broke ground in November, 1973, and were able to dedicate the new building in November, 1974. (Oddly, I do not think of that building as being 52 years old!) They still relied on volunteers to do what they could to save on cost, with members laying tile, installing ceiling panels, building cabinets, and painting. The next few years were spent furnishing the rooms, with various ministry groups and individual families donating or purchasing items such as drapes, lamps, furniture, cribs for the nursery, and décor for the walls. Other items that were added over time were dividers in the larger classrooms to make them into two rooms, or carpet in rooms that were designated as lounges. With the increased size of the building and additional entrances there was a concern for security and making sure the doors and windows were closed and locked after activities. There were requests in the bulletins and newsletters for “God’s Security Patrol” volunteers, or there would need to be money added to the budget for hiring security for the building.
The building was put to good use, the gym was a welcome space for playing and gathering. All the activities still met: Boys Brigade/Stockade, Pioneer Girls, Junior and Senior League, In Club, Senior choir, Men’s chorus, Kids’ choirs, Confirmation, Dorcas, Women’s Circles (which continued to meet primarily in member’s homes), Men’s Brotherhood, Women’s Bible study and prayer group, YAHS (Young At Hearts), YAMS (Young Adults, Married and Single).
Reading through a decade of bulletins, newsletters, and annual reports over the course of one month gave a perspective that I did not expect. Throughout the decade there seemed to be growing concern about the general decline of church attendance, apathy in the church and in the community, and particular concern for the youth.
Pastor C. M. Hanson was called to be visitation pastor, his installation service was June 27, 1971. That fall, there was a program for every member visitation, with emphasis on engaging inactive members.
I’ve been able to talk with several “Emmaus teens in the 1970s” (who are now in their late sixties and early seventies) and I asked if Emmaus had any lasting impact on their life. I appreciate their willingness to take a trip down memory lane. The general consensus was that participating in youth group and activities was fun and overall a positive experience growing up. For some of us it was much more than that. It is where we turned our lives over to God, trusting Jesus for our salvation. It is where we learned to study the Bible, to love the Lord. It is where many of us decided on the educational path that led to our careers. For some, it is where we met our spouses. Looking back we realize how much of a commitment the adults put in to planning, organizing, and chaperoning events and loving us. There was definitely love. There was definitely discipline. Boys Stockade and Brigade was remembered fondly, the games they played were more memorable than earning badges—and all remembered the men who led their group. Time spent at Camp Nathaniel was remembered as being times of growth and maturing. Brigade and Stockade collected several things to generate funds to help pay for awards and camp. Some of them were paper drives, collecting bottle caps from Pepsi bottles, or asking the congregation to turn in receipts from Walsh’s grocery store, if they shopped there. Former Pioneer Girls remembered learning different skills in their meetings, and having speakers who talked about serving the Lord with their lives. (Does anyone else remember Stony and Rusty?) Junior Leaguers loved having fun at the hayrides, bowling, swimming, skating, among other activities, all of course tied with a spiritual focus. Senior League enjoyed the same kinds of activities, and appreciated there were events we could invite friends from school to join in on. We attended LEM camp at Koronis in the summer. We attended LEM mid-winter conferences in Minneapolis, required for confirmands, but there were several of us who just enjoyed going and learning to live a deeper life in Christ. We had fall retreats, and winter retreats. In 1978 and 1979 Emmaus youth had their own camp at Patmos instead of going to LEM camp at Koronis. There were different youth directors, many of them interning at Emmaus while in seminary: Elden Nelson, Ron Hoehne, Janet Gauger and Jim Chadwick, Dan Johnson, Bill Moberly, and Mike Anenson. Chatting with others it was interesting to note how some remembered leaders who others had no memory of, and vice versa. (Confirmation to me that God does not work in only one way, or through one person or leadership style. Each of us is gifted and should strive to do what God has given us to do. Our job is obedience, the work is the Lord’s.) Young adults (who were themselves former senior leaguers) were heavily involved in planning and leading programs and activities for the kids and the youth. Many continued to serve as Sunday School or VBS teachers, or small group leaders for several years.
There was a youth mission trip to Mexico each winter. One year the youth also went on a mission trip to a facility for people with special needs in Nebraska. The youth held various events to raise funds to help defray costs of the trips. One year they served donuts with coffee between services on Sunday mornings in the summer. Another year they had a pie social. To generate interest a different year they served a Mexican meal to raise money. More than one year members of the congregation could “hire” youth for 50 cents/hour to do housework, yard work, or any kind of work that needed to be done.
TEEN Week was an option for junior and senior high students, held for one week each August throughout the decade. More than 150 students attended, the format was similar to camp with lectures and Bible study in the mornings. Students were to bring a bag lunch, and there were planned activities for the afternoons. The ladies circles provided supper each night, and in the evening there was a program that families were encouraged to attend. LEM summer teams were often used during this week as leaders, counsellors, and provided entertainment at least one of the evenings. Members from the congregation provided housing for the team members for the week. Much like the LEM summer camps, there was a strong evangelistic focus during this week. To quote one of my friends, “It meant a lot to me, to have a place to go. It was fun.”
Many of my deepest friendships at the time were developed in In Club. Started by Doris Quist and Peggy Anderson, the intent was for kids to have a place they belonged, to have in-depth Bible study, and a place to share their faith. It was for junior and senior high aged kids, and met twice weekly. One meeting was for Bible study, sharing, and prayer. The other was for choir practice, but you had to give your testimony of faith in Jesus for the privilege of being in the choir. According to the annual reports, the average attendance was more than 50 students/week. (Some weeks there were up to 75.) In Club choir did sing for Sunday morning services at Emmaus, but also traveled to other churches and performed, with several students giving their personal testimony at those performances. For many of us when we think of those years In Club was a significant part of our growing up, helping shape who we are today.
After In Club came to an end Alathea was formed, and is fondly remembered by those who were in it. SALT was formed with more of a small group focus for the youth. Hopefully mention of this here will bring up memories for those who were involved in these groups, both students and leaders.
For adults Bethel Series classes were still offered, which was a two year program providing comprehensive, in-depth knowledge of the whole Bible. Participants were celebrated with a reception on completion of the program. Members of the congregation were encouraged to attend outside programs such as The Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts, the International Conference on the Holy Spirit, and LEM Evangelistic conferences. Members were encouraged to volunteer with VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People), or support GMAE (Greater Minneapolis Association of Evangelicals) programs. And, on Sunday mornings there were classes for adults as well as classes for new members. Emmaus also brought in speakers for special evangelistic meetings, or to discuss concerning issues for families such as alcohol and drug use, information on the occult, or how to relate to your teenager.
A one week Emmaus Family camp was held at Patmos each August. It was a great week to get away, have fun, fellowship, and relax. It was a lot of work to plan and set up. It was also a HUGE blessing to those who attended. The planning committee not only had to plan the theme and speakers, but the meals and snacks, and hire a life guard. There were generally 80-100 attendees, most of them families, but there were usually a few brave singles who recognized the term family included the broader “Emmaus family.” I believe attendance was capped at 100 for insurance purposes, but could be completely wrong about that.
A mom’s Bible study group was started, offering child care, for young moms to get support from each other. Dorcas met monthly, women were encouraged to attend, as well as to join a circle—a great way to get to know other women in the congregation. The circles each had a different focus (cradle roll, altar/communion, cheer, to name a few), but met in members’ homes weekly for Bible study and to discuss/plan/work on their service focus. Other opportunities for women were a boutique held in the fall two years to raise funds for missionaries. They had craft meetings during the summer to make items to sell at the boutique. Per their reports the sales were successful, but they did not turn this into an annual event. The mother/daughter banquet was an annual event. They held a couple of quilting bees, inviting women to bring a sack lunch, scissors, and a sewing machine if possible. Initially the quilting events were held 3-4 times a year. By 1978 they were meeting weekly, although the meetings were not on the activity list in the bulletins. They put a note in the bulletin if they were NOT meeting that week. There were requests for donations of materials and supplies, and the quilts they made were given to Lutheran World Relief. To purchase items needed for the kitchen and for other activities the women were able to participate in Market Research test groups, with the money paid to Emmaus women’s ministry. They also requested donations of S&H Green stamps, as well as General Mills and Betty Crocker coupons to help with purchases of supplies and equipment.
The men were encouraged to attend the men’s Brotherhood meetings which were held monthly and included a meal, potluck or a meal provided by the ladies. The men’s meetings generally consisted of a short business meeting, the meal, a time of singing, and a program with a special speaker. There was a father/son banquet held annually.
Class sizes for Sunday School were getting smaller compared to the previous decades, but there were still plenty of kids coming. There were more than 400 children enrolled in 1972 with 63 teachers/teacher supporters. For a few years they were able to have a class Sunday mornings for children with special needs, training was offered for those interested in working in that capacity. In addition to Sunday School, in the mid-70s Emmaus began using the Trinity program for children in 4, 5, and 6th grade, in part to help prepare them for confirmation classes. The kids may not have loved having home work for church in addition to school work, but general consensus among teachers was that it was an excellent program. The teacher training was pretty good, too. VBS was held for one week each summer, with classes for preschool to 6th grade. (The 7th graders were invited to attend TEEN Week.)
With the removal of religion from the public schools, Child Evangelism Fellowship offered training for churches interested in providing release time for religious education. Emmaus recruited volunteers to teach from the provided materials and also to aid with transportation of students from Valley View elementary school to come to Emmaus on Friday afternoons from 2-3:00. At one point they were hoping to add students from another school, but I did not find much information beyond asking for more volunteers. It is possible that another church was able to provide for those students.
In 1976 Emmaus sponsored the Hem family coming to the U.S. from Cambodia. This meant welcoming them on arrival in the U.S. and helping with housing, furniture, clothing, finding work, learning English, helping them become independent. Two years later Emmaus co-sponsored with Trinity of Minnehaha Falls the Truong family from Cambodia.
As I said at the beginning of this post Emmaus was maturing with the community, and by “maturing” I mean aging. There are more notes in the bulletins thanking the pastors, the prayer chain, and the church family for prayers, cards, and gifts given during illnesses, hospitalizations, loss of parents, or loss of a spouse than in previous years. Loss is always difficult, but some of them were so deeply sad and seemed to have a profound effect on the congregation, a teen in a car accident, an infant, a husband who died at work of a heart attack. There are invitations to celebrate confirmands, graduates, wedding showers, weddings, and 25th or 50th wedding anniversary celebrations. There are frequent red roses on the altar for births of children or grandchildren. There are white roses for deaths.
In 1968 a fund was started for a pipe organ. By 1970 they had $8,000 of the $20,000 they needed. They were able to celebrate with a special concert when the organ was installed a few years later, fully funded. Mrs. Kingsbeck, Mrs. Kompelein, and Mrs. McCaughan were still our organists, with others on rare occasions. (Ladies’ first names were starting to appear in the bulletins during these years, but I did not see them for the organists!) Almost thirty years of faithful service from these women by the end of 1979!
Regarding the subject of music, a fund was established for new hymn books. The new books were purchased in 1977. Since there were not enough hymnals purchased the words for the songs were also printed in the bulletins each week. I chuckled when I read this note in the bulletin: “New Hymnal Hymns For the Family of God the songs add a spark and life to our worship services. Maybe the same would be true of some changes to our liturgy? Our present form has become so habitual it sometimes fringes on dullness.” To be fair, the format of the service had not changed since the first service in 1951, “The Order of Worship” #107 in the Concordia Hymnal.
During these years Emmaus began providing partial, then full support to more missionaries. The Wendlers in Africa, and Loren and Connie Coalwell in Ecuador, both with WMPL. The Coalwells had previously worked with Emmaus Youth. The missions committee was formed in 1978, and was seeking members to join them. Some of the youth received support from Emmaus on short term mission trips with various organizations. The Quists spent a year in Arizona with Campus Crusade for Christ, Joyce Lundholm, who started the special needs Sunday School class, moved to CA with her family to work at Campus Crusade and received support from Emmaus.
Pastor C.M. Hanson resigned in June, 1976, he and his wife Evelyn remained active members of Emmaus in his retirement. Pastor Harold Johnson, visitation pastor emeritus and his wife Tee remained active and well-loved members of Emmaus in his retirement. Pastor Erwin Brandt accepted a call to a church in South Dakota and left in November, 1977. A call was extended to Pastor Don Richman in March, 1978. He started in May. Pastor Jack Aamot was installed as associate pastor in August, 1979, the same day that Mike Anenson was installed as youth director.
In addition to playing the organ, Eleanor McCaughan was still the church secretary. I do not know how much (if any) help she had, but she did NOT have a computer, a word processor, or an answering machine. She DID have a typewriter and a mimeograph machine! And, to my recollection she always had a smile on her face.
As I said at the beginning of this segment, reading through the decade of bulletins, annual reports, and newsletters gave a perspective I did not expect. Certainly these sources contained information about the budget, finances, numbers of confirmed and baptized members, family units, programs offered, and a host of other appeals and details. Taken week by week it would be easy to think of the church as a business, concerned about finances and numbers, but looking at it differently it is easy to see that the heart of this congregation is still to be a beacon to the neighborhood, a desire to reach the world with the gospel message, and a deeper desire to serve and support families, provide friendship and fellowship, and keep youth engaged. As one of my good friends, also a long-time member of Emmaus, so eloquently stated: “It amazes me to know that even seventy years later Emmaus is a home for believers to be nourished and matured, and has been consistently for all these years.”
Thank you to all those who spent time remembering these years with me!