Whiterabbit Takes Indian Center Post

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon.  

The Rev. Mitchell Whiterabbit, who has served as pastor of the Winnebago Mission Church, south of Hatfield, and north-east of Black River Falls transferred Dec. 15, to St. Paul where he has accepted an appointment as executive director of the Minnesota American Indian Center.

In accepting the appointment, the Rev. Whiterabbit has asked for a year’s leave of absence from his Mission Church and if the new work meets with his satisfaction, he will permanently be assigned to the Center in St Paul.

The Rev. Jacob Grether, Neillsville, who is presently serving as interim pastor of St. John’s United Church of Christ in Wisconsin Rapids, will serve as interim coordinator of the Winnebago Mission Church in Jackson County, on a two-day each week basis.

Rev. Grether commutes daily to his duties in Wisconsin Rapids and will be making special trips to the Mission Church to take care of emergency service.

The Mission Church will be supplied on a Sunday to Sunday basis by ministers or laymen.

For the present the Rev. and Mrs. Whiterabbit will maintain their home in the parsonage at the Mission, and Mrs. Whiterabbit will remain with their family.  At a later date, the Whiterabbit’s hope to (re-)locate (to a) residence in Western Wisconsin, possibly at Hudson.

The Rev. Whiterabbit has served as pastor of the Mission Church 22 years and during a portion of that time he also served the United Church of Christ at Weyville.

Gerhardt Habenicht, a student of Hanover, Germany, has been assigned to duty at the Mission in Jackson County, by the Voluntary Service Projects of United Church of Christ in America.  He will provide youth and children’s leadership at the Mission.

The Rev. Jacob Grether was ordained a minister of the Evangelical and Reformed Church of America and served pastorates in Dakota.  He is now a minister of the United Church of Christ.

Mitchell Whiterabbit is a graduate of the old Winnebago Elementary School in Neillsville and a graduate of Neillsville High School, class of 1934.  He played on Neillsville High School basketball team, in 1933 that went to state tournament.

He served as chaplain in World War II and later attended seminary and was ordained a minister of Evangelical and Reformed Church of America.  He is now a minister of United Church of Christ (the union of Congregational and E & R Churches).

Source: Banner Journal (Black River Falls) December 17, 1969