Pastor Theodore Sieving
1876-1945

Service to God's People


Adapted from "They Shall Not Be Forgotten"
The Lutheran Witness, Central Illinois District Supplement, 1944

On March 4, 1876, the home of the Rev. and Mrs. E.A. Sieving in Lincoln, Missouri, was gladdened with the gift of a healthy baby boy in the person of Theodore, who, since 1907, has been the faithful, consecrated, and beloved pastor of our sister congregation in Manito, Illinois.


Fascinating, at times, is the pathway of life. When Pastor Sieving was installed at St. Paul's in Manito in 1907, he wasn't exactly a stranger in that community. He first saw the community, rather, we should say, the community first saw him, when he was a six-weeks-old baby. His father followed the call to St. Paul's of Manito in 1876, when his son Theodore was but six weeks old. He lived with his parents in Manito until 1883. In that year he moved with his parents to Corunna, Indiana, since his father had received and accepted the call to the Lutheran church of that community.


He was confirmed in his father's church in Corunna in 1890. The following year he entered Concordia College at Fort Wayne, and in 1896 he began his theological studies at Springfield. He graduated from the Springfield Seminary in 1900.

His first congregation, Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, was at Pocahontas, Missouri, a town near the cradle of the Missouri Synod, historic Perry County. He served his parish both as pastor and parochial school teacher for seven years.

Seminarian Theodore Sieving

Pastor Theodore Sieving

Theodore Sieving's First Pastoral Assignment, 1900

Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, Pocahontas, Mo.

In the name of the highly praised and Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Amen.


Since the Lord of the Church has seen fit to move our present shepherd (Seelsorger) to a different location, we, the Evangelical Lutheran Zion Congregation of Pocahontas, Cape Girardeau Co., Mo., herewith call the honorable ministerial candidate Th. Sieving as our pastor and shepherd, and with this writing issue the following call:

1. that the one who is called should correctly and boldly preach according to the Word of God, as it is attested and confessed without falsification in all the confessional writings of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Book of Concord of 1580, based on his vows at the time of his ordination and installation. 2 Tim 2,15.


2. that he hold in trust the holy sacraments according to the institution of Jesus Christ as it is the custom in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1 Cor 4,1.


3. that he teach, admonish, warn, discipline, and comfort those individiual souls with special needs as part of the private ministry, apart from public preaching. 1 Tim 5,1-3.


4. that in his conduct he serve as an example of godliness. 1 Tim 4,12.

5. and finally we ask that the one who is called accept and teach our children the Word of God as long as we are not in a position to call our own teacher. Joh. 21,15.


We in turn pledge to

1. accept with thanks and willingness (illegible) and to not refuse our shepherd a holy obedience in the Word of God. Heb. 13,17.

2. love our shepherd as befits his holy office, and not withhold from him the respect and honor due him. 1 Tim. 5, 17.

3. take care of his physical support and promise him a yearly salary of $275 in quarterly payments in addition to a place to live and free fire wood.

The Lord of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, direct the heart of the one who is called that he may accept the voice of our Lord and that we may soon have the joy to welcome him in our midst.

In the name and authority of the Evangelical Lutheran Zion Congregation, U.A.C., at Pocahontas, Cape Girardeau, Co., Mo.

The Board:
Theodore Vogel
Gottlieb Reisenbichler
Franz Ruehling

From Pocahontas to Manito


In 1907 Theodore followed the call to St. Paul's of Manito, Illinois, and St. Luke's of Allens Grove. He served these two congregations for the next 24 years.


In 1932 St. Luke's Church of Allens Grove, the smaller of the two congregations, had grown large enough to become a self-sustaining church. From 1932 until his retirement Pastor Sieving served only St. Paul's of Manito. (While in charge of St. Luke's Congregation at Allens Grove, Pastor Sieving preached over 900 sermons, baptized 83 persons, and confirmed 70).


While St. Luke's of Allens Grove was showing marked outward progress, St. Paul's Congregation at Manito was not standing still. In 1915 a new church building with a seating capacity of 350 was erected. From time to time other improvements were made on the church property. The last physical improvement under the pastorate of the Rev. Sieving at St. Paul's was the installation of a two-manual Moeller pipe organ in 1939.


The Theodore & Louise Sieving Family


In October, 1901, he married Miss Louise Flachsbart of St. Louis. To this union four daughters were born:


Thirty-Seven Years in One Parish


During the 37 years as pastor of St. Paul's, the Rev. Sieving took part in the celebration of two anniversaries, his 25th in the ministry, in 1925, and his 25th as pastor of St. Paul's, in 1932.


On Sept. 24, 1944, Pastor Sieving preached his farewell sermon at St. Paul's. His active ministry extended over 44 years, the last 37 of which were spent in Manito. By the grace of God he was blessed with good health throughout his active years and never once missed a Sunday service or any functions of his office because of ill health or sickness.


At the present time Pastor and Mrs. Sieving are living in their own home at New Minden, Ill. We join with their many friends throughout the Central Illinois District to wish them God's choicest blessings during their sunset years of life.

Telegram to Concordia Prange reporting her father's death

Grandpa Sieving's Death.mp3

Concordia Prange and Mitzi Prange-Preisinger recall the events surrounding the death of Theodore Sieving in 1945.



Obituary

On Saturday evening, March 31 [1945], the Rev. Theo. Sieving, former pastor of St. Paul's Congregation at Manito, Ill., was translated from the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant. Death struck suddenly while he was visiting his sister-in-law in St. Louis. Funeral services were conducted at Holy Cross Church, St. Louis. The Rev. P.F. Harre of New Minden, Ill., conducted the service.

Many members of St. Paul's of Manito journeyed to St. Louis to attend the funeral on Tuesday, April 3. From reports emanating from Manito, the congregation there is taking up a special offering for a memorial for their former pastor, who served them as a faithful shepherd for 37 years. He retired as pastor of St. Paul's in September, 1944.

May the promise of the Savior, confirmed by His resurrection, "Where I am, there shall also My servant be" comfort the bereaved.