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The Apache Lutheran Mission Collection

 Collection
Identifier: S018

Scope and Contents

Records consist of documents pertaining to WELS “world mission” work among the Apache nation. The information is in the form of letters to and from the called workers, as well as reports from meetings, advertisements and publications, as well as a number of photographs.

Dates

  • Majority of material found within 1893

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Biographical / Historical

The Apache Lutheran Mission field is located in eastern Arizona on the White Mountain Apache Reservation and the San Carlos Reservation. Between the two reservations there are eight churches, one preaching station, and two Lutheran elementary schools. WELS has been serving the Apache nation in Arizona since 1893 and holds the honor of being the first world mission of WELS. Currently, the mission field includes four missionaries, one full-time native pastor, a director for the Apache Christian Training School program, two native elementary teachers, six non-native teachers, and one part-time volunteer evangelist. The Apache Lutheran churches are currently training future leaders for work as evangelists, teachers, and pastors through the Apache Christian Training School located at the East Fork Mission. Congregations at East Fork, Canyon Day, Whiteriver, Peridot, San Carlos, Bylas, Cibecue, and McNary continue to be served by two WELS missionaries and one evangelist on the northern reservation and two WELS missionaries on the southern reservation. Each location continues to focus on building Christian leaders for the future long-term stability of the church. East Fork and Peridot schools both have dedicated staffs of teachers who are sharing God's Word with about 80 students on the northern reservation and about 65 students on the southern reservation. The Apache Christian training school currently has about 100 students enrolled, with a handful of men enrolled in the pre-seminary program. Dan Rautenberg is serving as the director and professor.

Extent

5 Box : 5 record boxes containing 111 file folders.

Language of Materials

English

Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the TestR1 Repository

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