Sketches of Faith and Life in the 175-Year History of the LCMS

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) was founded on April 26, 1847, when 12 pastors representing 14 congregations from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, New York and Ohio signed the church body’s constitution at First St. Paul Lutheran Church, Chicago. Since that time, the LCMS has endured many trials and triumphs — all by the grace of God.

As our church body celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2022, please take a few moments to learn more about some of the people who made a significant impact on the LCMS throughout its history. The following 52 handouts, created by Concordia Historical Institute, may be copied and shared with your congregation, Bible class or other group.

Download all available files (ZIP file)

Handouts 1-15

1
C.F.W. Walther

Handout: Part 1 • Part 2
Picture: Image 1 • Image 2

2
F.C.D Wyneken

Handout: Part 1 • Part 2
Picture: Image 1 • Image 2

3
Gotthold H. Löber

Handout

4
Friedrich August Crämer

Handout

5
Wilhelm Sihler

Handout

6
Johann F. Bünger

Handout

7
J. Adam Ernst & J. Georg Burger

Handout

8
Friedrich Lochner

Handout

9
Eduard R. Baierlein

Handout

10
Dorothea Benthien Crämer

Handout

11
Susanna Sihler

Handout

12
Christiane Bünger

Handout

13
Georg Albert Schieferdecker

Handout

14
Wilhelm Löhe

Handout

15
Philipp Wambsganss Jr.

Handout

Handouts 16-30

16
Georg Ernst Ferdinand Sievers

Handout

17
Jan Kilian

Handout

18
Friedrich Pfotenhauer

Handout
Picture

19
John W. Behnken

Handout
Picture

20
H.C. Schwan

Handout

21
Walter A. Maier

Handout: Part 1 • Part 2

22
Theodore Graebner

Handout
Picture

23
Rosa Young

Handout

24
Nils Bakke

Handout

25
Martin Scharlemann

Handout

26
Carl Manthey-Zorn

Handout

27
J.A.O. Preus II

Handout

28
Robert D. Preus

Handout

29
Herman W. Gockel

Handout

30
Eduard L. Arndt

Handout

Handouts 31-49

31
Heinrich Nau

Handout

32
Oswald Hoffmann

Handout

33
August Crull

Handout

34
J.W.C. Lindemann

Handout

35
Emilie Bünger Walther

Handout

36
Jean Garton

Handout

37
Andrés Melendez

Handout

38
Theodor Naether

Handout

39
Louise Elisabeth Ellermann

Handout

40
Franz Pieper

Handout

41
Arthur Carl Piepkorn

Handout

42
Henry F. Gerecke

Handout

43
Olive Gruen

Handout

44
Franz Julius Biltz

Handout

45
Ernst Ottomar Cloeter

Handout

46
Andrew Schulze

Handout

47
Won-Yong Ji

Handout

48
Ralph Bohlmann

Handout
Picture

49
Friedrich Wilhelm Richmann

Handout

Learn more about the Synod’s 175th anniversary at lcms.org/175.