1932. Walt Disney adopted a three-color Technicolor process for cartoons. Kodak introduced eight millimeter film for home movies. The "Times" of London first used its new Times Roman typeface. NBC and CBS first allowed prices to be mentioned in commercials. Fannie May was selling its chocolates for 51 cents per pound. Ballard was selling its Oven-Ready biscuits for 10 cents a can. Walgreens had a full-page ad in the Chicago Tribune, and mixed in with the Pepsodent (29 cents) and Vick's Vapo-Rub (21 cents) was an Electromix Electric Mixer for 98 cents and a jar of Ovaltine for 64 cents. Jewel (begun as a tea company in 1901), became a grocery store chain.
At Bethlehem, the voters decided in January that Christmas services should be set up permanently as 6:15 pm and 8:00 pm Christmas Eve and 6:00 am Christmas morning. The congregation resolved to change English liturgy they used to harmonize with that of neighboring congregations.
The voters noted that money collected for Willow Springs in 1924 had not been delivered there by Pastor Luecke. At the March voters' meeting, Pastor Luecke read a paper and then asked to be excused from the rest of the meeting. The vote was 35 to 29 for him to stay at the meeting, but the chairman excused him from the meeting on the grounds that the voters had no right to compel him to remain. Pastor Luecke said he would be at home and could be called at any time. The congregation was asked to disregard the theft and a motion was made to ask for his resignation on the grounds that many of the congregation have lost confidence in him. The motion passed with the unanimous vote of the 77 members present. Pastor Luecke was called back to the meeting and told the results of the vote. A motion was passed to ask for Pastor Luecke's resignation by the end of the week but to have him serve the congregation for three months. Officials from Synod present at the April meeting stated that not enough evidence had been brought to ask Pastor Luecke to resign and suggested that they wait until he received a call to another congregation but Pastor Luecke resigned effective in two months. The voters accepted his resignation with two opposing votes of the 94 members present. A meeting was scheduled for April 11 but canceled and held on April 14 at which time it was noted that a paper was circulating in the congregation asking members if they wanted to start a new church. On April 24, 117 members asked to be released from Bethlehem to start an English congregation in Evanston. It was stated that these people had no right to have services outside of Bethlehem and the 117 were asked to apologize and refused release. Nevertheless, these people left Bethlehem and started St. James English Lutheran Church. Pastor Luecke served the new congregation for a time. Pastor Luecke was then suspended by the District.
A Music committee was appointed to arrange the music for Sunday services. The congregation resolved to have a weekly bulletin announcing all the meetings, etc. The 60th anniversary celebration had English and German services in the morning, plus an afternoon and an evening service. A Cantata was sung on Christmas Monday. Miss Kohn left as teacher. Rev. Karl Kurth of Joliet, Illinois, became the shepherd of Bethlehem Church, being installed on July 31. The congregation voted to continue giving the pastor the money collected in the communion envelopes. It was decided to replace the old art glass church windows with an amber glass, since it was too expensive to repair them.
1933. Franklin Delano Roosevelt became President. The New Deal was launched. The 21st Amendment ended Prohibition and the Berghoff Restaurant was the first in Chicago to receive a liquor license. The Century of Progress World's Fair opened in Chicago and introduced many products, including Miracle Whip. Singing telegrams were invented. Frances Perkins became Secretary of Labor and the first woman named to a presidential cabinet. Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor in Germany and granted dictatorial powers.
At Bethlehem, the voters considered dropping charges against Mr. Luecke, but then asked their lawyer to press charges most vigorously. Mrs. Kurth had charge of a Treble Choir from 1933 to 1936. Evanston's Bach Chorus gave a concert in church in March. Wednesday Lenten services were in German at 7:15 pm and in English at 8:15 pm. The school bowling alley was closed during services and all day on Good Friday. The Rev. P. W. Luecke resigned from Missouri Synod (The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States). Two dozen English hymnbooks were purchased by the Ladies Aid. Postcard announcements of voters meeting were discontinued because meetings were announced in bulletin. A proposal for a 10% salary cut for all employees resulted in a resolution that salaries stay the same but that employees return 10% of their wages to the congregation. A vesper service for young people was held on May 21. The use of individual communion cups was sanctioned and a set of cups was purchased. German and English communion were to be held on the second Sunday of each month. Changes in constitution, not yet accepted by Synod changed the name of the school board to Board of Christian Education, increased elders to ten and reduced trustees to three, had a president instead of the pastor as chairman. The Von Bora Society included an altar guild that put flowers on altar on Sundays. A Junior Choir was started. The Men's Club was affiliated with the Lutheran Laymen's League, which sent out a topic paper for each meeting. It was resolved to pay gas, oil, and upkeep of the Pastor's car, since he used it in the interest of the congregation.
1934. A drive-in movie theater opened in New Jersey. The Associated Press started wirephoto service. The Communications Act of 1934 created the Federal Communications Commission. Half of the homes in the U.S. had radios.The Tydings-McDuffie Act restricted immigration from the Philippines to 50 people annually. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) was created to provide $200 million for loans to prospective home builders and renovators. Bethlehem's annual church budget was $12,100. Teacher salary was raised to $85. a month. Reports of what each communicant member has donated toward the church were sent out every six months. A ten year reunion was held on Palm Sunday evening. Those who left when P. Luecke resigned and started St. James English Lutheran Church wanted to call a pastor of The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States and wished to make peace with Bethlehem. Bethlehem sent them a letter urging them to come back to Bethlehem. The Wisconsin Synod gave the group a temporary pastor. The bank refused to loan the congregation money because they had not met their budget for the last few years. On resolution of the voters, congregation members tried to be more friendly to strangers. German Lenten services were held on Wednesday evening and English on Thursday. The Bethlehem Parent Teacher Association was organized in March. A special Open Bible Thankoffering was gathered for Synod in commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the translation of the Bible. Members were urged to be more faithful in attending congregational meetings.
1935. The Works Progress Administration was established. The Wagner Act created the National Labor Relations Board. Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was formed inside the American Federation of Labor. IBM's electric typewriter came off the assembly line. Penguin paperback books sold for the price of 10 cigarettes. Eastman-Kodak developed Kodachrome color film. Roosevelt signed the U.S. Social Security Act. Germany introduced "Nuremberg Laws" against Jews. Will Rogers died in a plane crash. Oakton Community Church was organized as Oakton United Church in Evanston.
At Bethlehem, it was decided that things that had previously been sent out by mail would be delivered by the elders to save postage and allow elders to visit people. Parents and sponsors of children being confirmed were given cards to assure that there would be room for them in church on Palm Sunday. The first black ("colored") children enrolled in Bethlehem School. Bethlehem protested the installation of a Wisconsin Synod pastor at St. James English Lutheran Church because the founders of that congregation have not yet been forgiven by Bethlehem. The installation does not take place. Advent services were set as an English service, a German service and another English service. German communion was held on Sylvester Eve. All communicants, men and women, were to be invited to the January and September congregational meetings each year. The School had 132 pupils taught by three full- time and one part-time (kindergarten) teacher. The Sunday School had 186 pupils and eleven teachers and some classes were too large. Mr. A. Armborst was added as teacher for one year.
The altar rail was installed in church and the pulpit was remodeled. The Ladies' Aid cancelled a $400 note held against the congregation. A Bethlehem societies union was formed to promote cooperation among organizations. Teacher salaries were raised to $100. per month. Two weeks' celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the church building was to be held at the school hall and include entertainment, supper, sale or social, plus extra services in church separately for ladies, men, young people, and children. Services for older people were to be in German. An altar cover with embroidered names of members was made, with a charge for each name. On November 24, 1935, being Anniversary Sunday, the congregation observed also Mr. C. E. Kasten's 25th anniversary at Bethlehem. A special service was held in the afternoon, followed by a social evening at the school. Resolved that no person shall succeed himself on the church council board but must remain out of office for at least a year before running again. Mr. Otto Schmidt took charge of the Junior Choir for three years. The P. T. A. sponsored its annual May Festival.
1936. The Spanish Civil War began. Kodachrome film sharpened color photography. The Ravinia Festival was started again as the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The Evanston Meeting of Friends was established. At Bethlehem, Pastor Kurth accepted a call to Grace Church in St. Louis. The P. T. A. sponsored a sewing class for girls from the 6th to 8th grades as well as art craft and cooking classes. Miss Hulda Heerwagen was hired as teacher for two years. Bethlehem reported 1187 communicants, 132 pupils in Bethlehem School and 4 teachers. 186 children in Sunday School. No count of souls (all baptized members) was reported. Rev. Theo. Andres was called and accepted. He was installed on Sept. 13th.
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