1876-1900
At first these Victor people gathered for services in their homes. On March 26,
1876, the Rev. Jacob Meier of Muscatine helped organize the German Baptist Church of Victor, Iowa. He came to the Victor church once each six weeks and received $100 per year. On other Sundays men of the church took charge in alphabetical order. All services were in the German language. To solicit funds for the new church one of the brethren would visit each member. The new congregation elected Heinrich Steen, deacon, and Claus Neveln, clerk. A week later a Sunday School was started with C.H.F. Bohstedt, superintendent. That winter, on New Year's Eve, a "Love Feast" or "Watch Night" began. It was a time of testimony, singing and Christian fellowship followed by lunch and concluding with prayers as the new year came in. This service has continued throughout many years, kindling the flame of enthusiasm to go forward with Christ each succeeding year. At one period in Sunday School history, John C. Mueller served as Sunday School treasurer for 42 years for which he was given a Bible.
In 1877 the congregation met in the Farrell rural school, or Lincoln Town ship No. 2. It is still being used as a machine shed on the Oliver Calvert farm. In 1880 prayer meetings started. Also that year each member was to pay five cents per month dues, unless unable to do so. Special needs were still met by individual collection. In 1881 as more people settled in and around Victor, Hartford No. 3 School was used as a meeting place. It was located three miles southeast of Victor on the H. Art Schwiebert farm.
The Sunday School picnic held July 4, 1881, was the beginning of a tradition still carried on today, being held on members' farms or on school lawns. In later years Lake Iowa or the present church grounds were used. In very early times occasional joint picnics were held with the German Methodist people living near by. The abundance of good food to eat, the reunion with friends, relatives and former members, the short patriotic program, the rivalry in sports and contests, and the ever-important baseball game still bring young and old together for a time of fun and fellowship.
The "church of the future", the young people, is a very important segment of any church. In 1891 the young people began having their own meetings once a month, changed later to once a week. The group was financed by paying five or ten cents each month. Most of the money was used for mission projects. Special collections were made if money was needed for social activities. The present youth group meets each Sunday before the evening service. They also conduct the opening service on the last Sunday evening of the month and receive the offering taken at that time.
Early meetings were conducted by members. Some of the topics discussed were -- Church Privileges, Church Obligations, How to Support a Local Church, and Bible Verses that Help. Today's youth are presently studying Campus Cru sade's "Ten Basic Steps Toward Christian Maturity". The young people also have a youth choir which meets on Thursday evening. Once a month, follow ing the evening service, they are involved in a "singspiration" with several other churches in the area. The singspiration group also sponsors a "Watch Night"
service on New Year's Eve.
