Karl Knauff ordination

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

Black and white photograph of four clergymen standing outdoors following Karl Knauff's ordination at St. Matthew's Church in Kitchener, Ontario on August 29, 1937.

Left to right: Karl Knauff; John Reble, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Canada; John Schmieder; W. H. Knauff, father of Karl. All of the men are wearing dark suits and clerical collars.

Notes

John H. Reble (1887-1975) was a Lutheran pastor who served as President of the Canada Synod from 1945 to 1953.

John Reble was born in Kropp, Germany on December 14, 1887. He was educated at Kropp Seminary. He moved to Canada and was ordained in Hamilton, Ontario in 1909.

Reble served as pastor of Denbigh-Raglan from 1909 to 1912; Linwood-Hessen from 1912-1925; and St. Paul in Hamilton from 1925-1945. He became the president of the Canadian Synod in 1925, and was elected as full-time president in 1945. Reble maintained this position until 1953 when he retired. Following retirement he continued to lead supply services in Walkerton, Arnprior, Kitchener, and Germany.

He married Gertrud Butze on May 26, 1909 at Arnpoir, Ontario. The couple had four children: Elsie, Kurt, Otto, Eric and John.

Reble passed away on April 7, 1975 at 87 years old in his home in Kitchener. A funeral service was held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Kitchener.

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