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Celebration at Bethel Lutheran Church, Morris, Minnesota–

Fifty Years In The Public Ministry

This past summer marked fifty years in our Lord’s service for Pastor Elton A. Hallauer, pastor of Bethel Ev. Lutheran Church, Morris, and Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Parkers Prairie, Minnesota. A special service celebrating the anniversary was held on June 18, 2000 at the church in Morris. Retired Pastor Paul F. Nolting officiated at the service with a dinner and program held afterwards at the Morris Senior Citizens Center.

Elton Hallauer was born on a farm near Hazel, South Dakota on April 20, 1924. His elementary education was completed in a one-room rural school near his home. He was confirmed on July 26, 1938 at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Grover, South Dakota.

From the fall of 1938 until his graduation in the spring of 1942, Pastor Hallauer attended high school at Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. In the fall of 1943 he entered Concordia Junior College in Milwaukee, Wis. Due to an accelerated course system during the war years by which students studying for the ministry were expected to attend classes full-time, he was graduated from this school in January 1945. He completed his last two college years at Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis., graduating in June 1947.

Pastor Hallauer received his seminary training at Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Seminary, Thiensville (now Mequon), Wis., graduating in June 1950. On July 23 he was ordained and installed as pastor of Courtland and Zion Ev. Lutheran Churches of Courtland and Brighton Township, rural New Ulm. In March 1955 he accepted the call to St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church of Hancock, Minn. where he served until June 5, 1960, when his call was terminated due to doctrinal differences between him and the Wisconsin Synod.

When several of his former members asked him to continue to serve them, Bethel Ev. Lutheran Church was formed, and he was installed as pastor by the Rev. H. C. Duehlmeier. Soon thereafter several families in Parkers Prairie, Minn., who had separated from the local Missouri Synod congregation, formed Peace Ev. Lutheran Church and requested that Pastor Hallauer serve them also.

Pastor Hallauer has served the Lord in various capacities within the Church of the Lutheran Confession. From 1978-84 he was chairman of the Board of Regents for the synod’s school, Immanuel Lutheran College, Eau Claire, Wis. He has served as chairman of the Minnesota Pastoral Conference since 1984. From 1986 to the present, he has helped spread the Word as Assistant Editor of the Journal of Theology. He filled the office of Vice President of the CLC from 1990-2000.

On June 17, 1950 Elton Hallauer was married to Doris Just in Milwaukee. Their fiftieth wedding anniversary was also celebrated this past summer with family members. The Lord has blessed their fifty years of marriage with seven daughters (all of whom graduated from Immanuel Lutheran High School in Eau Claire) and sixteen grandchildren.

Pastor Hallauer continues to serve both Bethel and Peace congregations today.

(Adapted from the June 18, 2000 anniversary service bulletin.)