Paul H. and Vercile Strege Papers 1933-2004; 1949-1993

ArchivalResource

Strege, Paul H., 1924-. Paul H. and Vercile Strege Papers 1933-2004; 1949-1993

Paul H. and Vercile Strege Papers 1933-2004; 1949-1993

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/70413328

This series comprises the personal papers of the Rev. Paul H. Strege and his wife Vercile Schmidt Strege, dating between 1933 and 2004. Pastor Strege and his wife served as missionaries in Japan and Pastor Strege later served as a mission executive with Partners in Mission, the mission agency of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). Record types include correspondence, sermon notes, reports, agendas, minutes, and newsletters. Frequent correspondents include Beata Strege and Frieda Petzoldt, mothers of Paul and Vercile Strege, respectively; also Paul's brother Arthur Strege and Vercile's sister Melba Fanger; and Lydia Kanamitsu, a Japanese Christian. The series is arranged into four subseries: correspondence; memorabilia; sermons, speeches, and public writings; and career documentation. The correspondence dates primarily from 1949-1996 when Paul and Vercile Strege were serving in Japan and were receiving weekly letters from both their mothers, as well as frequent letters from their siblings. Paul and Vercile also wrote "home" on a weekly basis, providing not only domestic news but also a review of Paul's activities. Many of the over two thousand letters involved are written on "air letter" stationary, thin paper that was folded over and addressed on one side, eliminating the need for an envelope. The letters are separated by authors, and within those groupings are arranged chronologically. The memorabilia subseries consists of miscellaneous personal documents, such as report cards, greeting cards, vaccination records, flight schedules, mailing lists, bills, receipts, and a single file of photographs. The subseries is generally arranged chronologically. The sermons, speeches, and public writings subseries contains the notes for, and transcripts of, public pronouncements made by Paul and Vercile Strege while either preaching the Gospel, conducting Bible classes, or describing their mission work before church groups. Also present are the Streges' missionary newsletters and Paul's theses for the bachelors and masters degrees. This subseries is generally arranged chronologically. The career documentation subseries contains documents and files that contain information of a semi-public nature; that is, information that was gathered and shared within the organizations (church and mission bodies; social service agencies) with which the Streges worked. This includes Paul's correspondence with the LC-MS Board for Missions; his mission reports; agendas, minutes and reports of the Board for Missions of the LC-MS; and correspondence and documents relating to the Contact and Resource Center of Beirut, Lebanon, a Christians Linked in Mission-related program. The copies of LC-MS Board for Mission agendas, minutes, reports, which are housed together in colored "Duo-Tang" folders (by board meeting dates), were distributed to Paul Strege and his name is affixed (by typed label) on the front of most of the folders. They are included in the series as they document developments within the Board for Missions that led directly to Strege's resignation as Area Secretary for East Asia effective May 15, 1974. This subseries is generally arranged chronologically.

12 boxes (5.0 cubic ft.)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library, ELCA Library