Reverend George J. Bruening
George John Carl Bruening was born on June 12, 1916 in Elgin, Illinois. He is the first son of Mr. & Mrs. George F. Bruening. His father owned and operated Dundee Sanitary, Plumbing & Heating Co.
He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Elgin. He attended St. John Parochial School for 8 years. He graduated from Concordia, Milwaukee in 1937 and from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1941. He served his vicarage at Paola, Kansas under Rev. E. C. Rodehorst. At that time there was a surplus of candidates and he was assigned as a student pastor in the Georgia – Florida area. He worked out of Albany, Georgia and started missions at Albany, Thomasville, Tallahassee, Panama City and DeFuniak Springs.
After a little more than a year in this area he accepted a call to First Lutheran in Crowley, Louisiana. He was ordained there on June 28, 1942 by Rev. E. T. Schultz. He served there for 6˝ years, starting missions at Lafayette and Morgan City and a preaching place at Houma. During this time he was “Service Pastor” for the German war prisoners who were stationed there, embarking from Houston and New Orleans. He also served as the preacher for the International Rice Festival that is held every year at Crowley.
George married Lourine Imbusch on September 6, 1942 in Paola, Kansas.
In 1948 he accepted a call to Christ Lutheran in Augusta, Kansas where he served for 10 years. The church, parsonage and parish hall were all built during his pastorate there. He also served as president of the library board in Augusta. George and Lourine’s daughter, Delores, was born March 28, 1949.
In 1958 he accepted a call to serve Redeemer Lutheran in Salt Lake City, Utah. While there he became involved with the Veterans Administration Hospital and served as contact pastor for them.
In 1960 George accepted a call to Grace Lutheran in Larned, Kansas and also served St. Paul Lutheran in Albert, Kansas. During his pastorate at Grace, the congregation undertook an extensive building program and today has a fine edifice. During his 18 years at Grace, he served as interim pastor in many of the congregations in the area. He served on a number of city committees and was Chairman of the Housing Authority for the city of Larned for 12 years. He served as Chaplain at the Larned State Hospital, receiving his CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) training there, and was a member of several committees for the State Hospital in relationship to the State Legislature.
George served the Kansas District in various capacities: Editor of the Kansas Edition of the Lutheran Witness for 12 years; LLL Pastoral Advisor for 4 years; Vice President for 12 years; Circuit Counselor; Evangelism Chairman; Public Relations Chairman; Chairman of the Constitution Committee; and various other committees. In 1978 he was elected President of the Kansas District and in 1982 he was re-elected for another term.
In 1984, Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas bestowed on him the Doctor of Divinity Degree.
George retired in 1985. In his retirement, he served as Visitation Pastor for Faith Lutheran in Topeka; as Development Chairman for Lutheran Social Services for Kansas and Oklahoma; as Archivist for the Kansas District; as District Chaplain for the Topeka area. Additionally, he has continued to assist the Evangelism Ministry at Faith, make calls on shut-ins, makes hospital calls on members as well as persons across the state when they are hospitalized in Topeka at the request of the local pastors. He regularly teaches adult bible classes on Sundays.