Through These Doors and Beyond is a history of First Evangelical Lutheran Church taken from early records and stories shared by members of the church. The history answers questions about the beginning of traditions and describes changes that have taken place over the past 150 years. It tells the story of a church established in 1860 by German immigrants who came to a new country and settled in Wisconsin shortly after it became a state. These settlers in the Beaver Dam area brought skills and talents important to the development of a new land. They also brought strong religious beliefs resulting in the formation of the Lutheran Society in the community. As the history of the church reveals there is a long tradition of keeping pace with the needs on the local scene as well as reaching out beyond its doors.