“The biggest challenge for pastors today is to bring souls to Jesus Christ. Also, that everybody has to stand up for the Truth. All the Pastors need to stand up for the Truth.”

Pastor Ruth Tetzlaff

The Remnant Church of God has served the Stanley community for 23 years. Beginning in 1974 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Remnant Church of God is a non-denominational Sabbath observing Bible believing Church. They believe in the Holy Trinity, consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe the Holy Bible, the Word of God, is the only rule and practice for the believer.  They also believe that by Grace a believer is saved through Faith, it is the Gift of God, not of works so no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9) They believe that everyone has to be born from above in the Spirit and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be operative in the Church. Concerning Baptism, they believe in baptism by immersion at the age of accountability. The Remnant Church of GOD believes that Jesus Christ is our only Way to God, and HE is coming again.

Pastor Ruth Tetzlaff has been the Pastor of the Remnant Church of God for fifty years this upcoming year. Pastor Tetzlaff was born in Manheim, Germany where she met and married her late husband, Russell Tetzlaff, Sr., an army sergeant in the United States Army, stationed in Germany. From there they moved back to the United States and lived on numerous army bases in many states including, Texas, California, and Massachusetts. Finally, they settled in Kenosha, Wisconsin where they built a home and continued to raise their four children. In 1974 Pastor Tetzlaff was ordained and began The Remnant Church of God where she served in pastoral ministry for many years. “I had a Divine Calling,” Pastor Tetzlaff explains on why she became a Pastor. “And I followed the Calling,” she continues. Her favorite Bible Verse is Ephesians 3:20,21, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the Power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” It is her favorite because “that was the Scripture that the Lord used to heal me from cancer.”

During her 50 years of Church ministry, Pastor Tetzlaff has been involved in many areas of service with the Church congregation. The Remnant Church of God was involved in prison ministry for approximately fourteen years at many Wisconsin Prisons including, Green Bay, Kettle Moraine, and Waupun. “We had Bible studies in the prisons,” she explains. “And a couple of the inmates became pastors.”  Pastor Tetzlaff also broadcast her sermons and many Church plays and programs for 8 ½ years on “Something Different,” a television show on Kenosha’s local cable channel. For many years, Pastor Tetzlaff also broadcast her sermons on local radio stations in Wisconsin and short-wave radio to many countries across the world.  Pastor Tetzlaff learned to play piano from her father when she was five years old, and she used that knowledge and the anointing of the Lord to play the synthesizer in the Church band. For many years, the Remnant Church of God had a Church band called The Repairers of the Breach that helped to lead the hearts of the congregation in worship. They performed in the Stanley community at Chapman Park and also in many festivals, prisons, and other outreaches where many people were led to give their lives to Jesus. The Church band played an assortment of contemporary and traditional music along with instrumental worship.

In 1999, Pastor Tetzlaff moved to Stanley and started a branch of the Church in the Stanley community where she has continued to serve for the past twenty-three years along with Pastor Diana Clausi, the Associate Pastor for fourteen years.  Pastor Tetzlaff loves spending time with her family including her children, many grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren.  Pastor Tetzlaff says the friendliness of the people is what she likes about the Stanley community. When asked what she enjoys the most about being a Pastor, Pastor Tetzlaff answers, “The joy, if a soul comes to their Maker.” She goes on, “Because that is why the believer was sent to gather in souls and to finish Christ’s Work.” “The biggest challenge for pastors today is to bring souls to Jesus Christ,” Pastor Tetzlaff explains. “Also, that everybody has to stand up for the Truth. All the Pastors need to stand up for the Truth,” she continues. Pastor Tetzlaff recommends that new Believers first receive the Lord Jesus Christ and then start with the New Testament, the Book of Matthew, when they first begin reading the Bible. “You have to have a beginning. When you take Matthew, you get the genealogy of Jesus Christ. You get the beginning because he goes all the way back to Abraham and goes all the way back to Genesis, to the garden,” Pastor Tetzlaff explains.

The Remnant Church of God has services on Saturday at 10:30 AM and Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM. Youth Sabbath School classes are held during the Church services. The Remnant Church of God also hosts Vacation Bible School every summer where area children are welcome to learn about the great love Jesus has for them with songs, games, crafts, and puppet shows. The Remnant Church congregation performs yearly plays and performances. The Remnant Church believes it is important to help those in need around us as it says in Matthew 25: 35, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison, and you came to me. For as much as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me.” Because of this, the Remnant Church gives to many area organizations, including local food pantries, the Stanley Police Department, the Stanley Fire Department, and to various missions around the globe. They hosted a thrift sale where all items were given freely to those in need. They also donate to local community groups as needed, including the Stanley Relief Fund after the tornado.

For more information on The Remnant Church of God and the Church services, you can call 715-644-4858 or 715-644-8806. You can also follow them on Facebook at Remnant Church of God.