1964

Pastor Norman C. Krapf, pictured here, conducting services. (To enlarge the picture, just click it.)

During this year, Pastor Krapf was married to Gwen ??.

Pastor Krapf later had these reminiscences of his ministry:(1)

I remember my nearly eight years as Pastor of Christ's Church as a time of beginnings. It was my first parish. I was married during my ministry there.… It was a time of change. The LCA was born. A new parish education curriculum and Service Book and Hymnal was introduced. New members joined with existing members to maintain and advance our life and work.… It was a time when deep friendships were made.… I recall the many deep relationships with so many which remain among the richest treasures of my ministry at Christ's Church. Above all, I rejoice with you in Christ because he enabled us to come together, sharing joy and sorrow, as we sought to render service together, in His Name.…

It was good to know the many fine people who were members… and this is the most significant recollection I have of my ministry there. I recall an emphasis on fundamentals, Baptism, worship. education, support of our life and work, catechetics, weddings and funerals.… Christ's Church was the first parish I served following seminary graduation.… I remember hearing a world traveler saying: "the Woodstock area is one of the most beautiful areas of the world." Upon gazing at Overlook Mountain…, I felt a sense of awe at its majesty and beauty. It was always a joy to look out of the parsonage window and see the mountain. In making pastoral calls, it was always an inspiration to view the natural beauty of Woodstock and the surrounding area as I traveled to and from the homes of those I visited. Many of the members I knew are now with the Lord. I remember them with thanksgiving and their contribution to the life and work of Christ's Church. I recall a colleague once saying: "that among the parishes I served in my ministry, there is something special about my very first parish and my service there." He was right. I still see and inexperienced Pastor moving into an area of inspiring natural beauty called to serve a parish and learning that yes, the Pastor molds the congregation but likewise the congregation molds the Pastor.…

According to church historian Mark Anderson,

It seems likely that the unique oil paintings [of Paul Wesley Arndt] at the front of the church [see the 1956 sesquicentennial celebration picture] were not aesthetically pleasing to several of the pastors after the mid-century. Clearly, there were also differences of opinion regarding the music then common in the church. A number of changes were made by Pastor Norman Krapf and his wife, Gwen.(3)

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Quoted in Anderson, Mark J., For All the Saints: Christ's Lutheran Church, Woodstock, New York, 1806-2006 [Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006], p. 153. (Close)

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[Pastor Krapf], a tenor, wanted a [better]… type music, called ours [no good]… and threw his issue on the floor. That riled not only our bass Edgar Shultis but the rest of the choir.…(4)

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Quoted in ibid., pp. 151-52. (Close)

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The congregation voted to employ White Plains architects McCoy and Blair to prepare working plans and specifications for the construction of the Fellowship Hall in back of the church, and to authorize the church council to borrow money for the project, solicit bids, and select contractors. Three estimates were announced, ranging between $29,000 and $38,000 ($178,060 and $233,320 in 2006 dollars). Ultimately, a realistic contract was made with builder Karl Schroeder to build the hall for $49,780 ($305,649).

The congregation voted in December use the church property as collateral for a $30,000 ($184,200) mortgage to build the Fellowship Hall.

The council authorized the trustees to dispose of the privy at the rear of the church (since the Fellowship Hall would have flush toilets) and that part of the sheds, exclusive of the garage, provided that no expense would be incurred. Several weeks later the council moved to have the secretary respond to Mr. Shultis's letter, explaining to him why the privy had been removed. An architect suggested a separate bid to use the new boiler to also heat the church. He also suggested getting rid of the shed and replacing it with a prefabricated garage; the congregation decided to salvage one section of the shed and enclose it to form a garage and storage shed (click on either picture below to enlarge it).

The pastor's salary and benefits amounted to about $4,300 ($26,402 in 2006 dollars); organist $225 ($1,382); the sexton $200 ($1,228).

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Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) was President. The 88th Congress was in session. A dollar in that year would be worth $6.14 in 2006 for most consumable products.

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