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.

Handouts 1-15

1

C.F.W. Walther

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

2

F.C.D Wyneken

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

3

Gotthold H. Löber

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4

Friedrich August Crämer

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5

Wilhelm Sihler

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6

Johann F. Bünger

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7

J. Adam Ernst & J. Georg Burger

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8

Friedrich Lochner

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9

Eduard R. Baierlein

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10

Dorothea Benthien Crämer

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11

Susanna Sihler

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12

Christiane Bünger

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13

Georg Albert Schieferdecker

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14

Wilhelm Löhe

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15

Philipp Wambsganss Jr.

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Handouts 16-30

16

Georg Ernst Ferdinand Sievers

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17

Jan Kilian

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18

Friedrich Pfotenhauer

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Picture

19

John W. Behnken

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Picture

20

H.C. Schwan

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21

Walter A. Maier 

Handout: Part 1Part 2

22

Theodore Graebner

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Picture

23

Rosa Young

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24

Nils Bakke

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25

Martin Scharlemann

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26

Carl Manthey-Zorn

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27

J.A.O. Preus II

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28

Robert D. Preus

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29

Herman W. Gockel

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30

Eduard L. Arndt

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Handouts 31-49

31

Heinrich Nau

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32

Oswald Hoffmann

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33

August Crull

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34

J.W.C. Lindemann

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35

Emilie Bünger Walther

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36

Jean Garton

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37

Andrés Melendez

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38

Theodor Naether

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39

Louise Elisabeth Ellermann

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40

Franz Pieper

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41

Arthur Carl Piepkorn

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42

Henry F. Gerecke

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43

Olive Gruen

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44

Franz Julius Biltz

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45

Ernst Ottomar Cloeter

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46

Andrew Schulze

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47

Won-Yong Ji

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48

Ralph Bohlmann

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49

Friedrich Wilhelm Richmann 

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