Feast of Julius Ewald Kockritz (March 29)

Above:  The Logo of the Evangelical Synod of North America

Image Source = The Yearbook and Almanac of the Evangelical and Reformed Church 1938 (1939), 2

Available at archive.org

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

JULIUS EWALD KOCKRITZ (JANUARY 3, 1876-MARCH 28, 1931)

German Evangelical Minister, Hymn Writer, and Christian Educator

Also known as Ewald Kockritz

Julius Ewald Kockritz comes to this, A Great Cloud of Witnesses:  An Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days, via The Hymnal (1941), of the old Evangelical and Reformed Church.

In this context, “Evangelical” means Protestant–specifically, the union of the Prussian Lutheran and Reformed traditions.

Kockritz was a minister in the old Evangelical Synod of North America (ESNA), founded by Prussian immigrants to the United States.  The ESNA (1877-1934) had organizational roots dating to 1840.  The founders of the ESNA’s American predecessors, in the old country, had belonged to the Prussian Union of Churches (1817-2003), the result of the marriage of the Lutheran and Reformed churches that King Frederick William III (1770-1740; r. 1797-1840) had forced.  The heritage of the ESNA passed first to the old Evangelical and Reformed Church (a union with the old German Reformed Church in the United States) then to the United Church of Christ (a union with the old Congregational Christian Churches).

Kockritz, born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, on January 3, 1876, came from a large family.  He was one of ten children of Herman Kockritz and Emma (Winkler) Kockritz.  Our saint, who grew up in Henderson, Kentucky, went to work as the private secretary to John Young Brown (1835-1904), the Governor of Kentucky (1891-1895) in 1892.  Three years later, Kockritz left that position.  He worked for a grain company, as a newspaper reporter, and as a telegram operator for several years before deciding to become a minister in the ESNA.  He matriculated at Eden Theological Seminary in 1898.

Kockritz graduated in 1901 and embarked on his life’s work.  The newly ordained minister married Clare Elizabeth Hartmann (1879-1955) on November 6, 1901.  The couple had five children, three of whom survived our saint.  Kockritz’s first pastorate was in Clarington, Ohio (1901-1905).

Kockritz served at St. Luke’s Evangelical Church, Cincinnati, Ohio (1905-1910).  During this tenure, he began to edit Sunday School publications for the ESNA, a role he filled through 1915.

Kockritz served at Salem Evangelical Church (now United Church of Christ), New Orleans, Louisiana (1910-1917); then at Bethel Evangelical Church (now United Church of Christ), Evansville, Indiana (1917-1931).  Denominational roles during these years included:

1. service on the Board of Religious Education (1913-1929), with a tenure as the Chairman;
2. service on the War Welfare Commission (1917-1918);
3. service translating the ESNA constitution into English;
4. service writing a brief history of the ESNA;
5. service as the ESNA Moderator (1929); and
6. service as the ESNA General Secretary (1930-1931).

In Evansville our saint found time to serve on the local Interracial Commission and on the Board of Trustees of the Protestant Deaconess Hospital.

Kockritz wrote three hymns included in The Evangelical Hymnal (1917):

1. In Thy Service, Lord of Mercy;
2. Lord, I Would Praise Thee; and
3. As Fades the Daylight Splendor.

Kockritz, aged 55 years, died in Evansville, Indiana, on March 28, 1931.  One of his hymns summarized our saint’s life:

In Thy service, Lord of mercy,

We would find our chief delight;

Show us then some place to labor

In Thy kingdom, Lord of light.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 30, 2022 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT JEANNE JUGAN, FOUNDER OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR

THE FEAST OF CARLTON C. BUCK, U.S. DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MINISTER, MUSICIAN, AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF EDMOND L. BUDRY, SWISS REFORMED MINISTER, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR

THE FEAST OF GERALD KENNEDY, U.S. METHODIST BISHOP AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF JOHN LEARY, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL ACTIVIST AND ADVOCATE FOR THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED

THE FEAST OF KARL OTTO EBERHARDT, GERMAN MORAVIAN ORGANIST, MUSIC EDUCATOR, AND COMPOSER

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear God of beauty,

you have granted literary ability and spiritual sensitivity to

Julius Ewald Kockritz and others, who have composed hymn texts.

May we, as you guide us,

find worthy hymn texts to be icons,

through which we see you.

In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 44:1-3a, 5-15

Psalm 147

Revelation 5:11-14

Luke 2:8-20

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 20, 2013 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINTS AMATOR OF AUXERRE AND GERMANUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT MAMERTINUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT MARCIAN OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK

THE FEAST OF JOHANNES BUGENHAGEN, GERMAN LUTHERAN PASTOR

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARCELLINUS OF EMBRUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP

THE FEAST OF OLAVUS AND LAURENTIUS PETRI, RENEWERS OF THE CHURCH

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++