Rev. Socrates Henkel, D.D. preached a sermon, the first by a Lutheran minister, on the 5th Sunday of July 1889 at 3 o’clock in the grove a few yards north of the church. When the weather would not allow the exercises out in the grove, they were held in what was then, J. D. Mills’ maintenance shop, in a room above the store. Rev. J. P. Stirewalt’s first sermon was here on the same ground on the 3rd Sunday of September 1890. There had been a Sunday School conducted here during the summer months by Jas. M. Huffman. The Sunday School also used the shop when the weather would not permit outdoor exercises.
Pursuant to previous notice, a few of the citizens of this neighborhood, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and others, met in the maintenance shop on the 10th of October, 1890 to organize a Lutheran congregation and the devising of means for the purpose of building a church. This church was being built due to the distance that had to be traveled to the “mother church,” Rader Lutheran Church, located 5 miles northwest of the community of Hupp, Virginia.
The building committee, composed of Jesse Moyers, Jacob Beam, J. Luther Zirkle, J. P. Foltz and J. D. Mills were authorized to select a site of one or more locations for the church. It was suggested that one acre of ground be procured for the church and burying ground. Also suggested, a house of worship to be 30 x 45 feet and put up in a “plain through workman-like manner.”
J. D. Mills donated 15 poles on the northwest corner of his lot and 67 poles were contracted from Noah Holsinger on the south side of this farm for the sum of $25.12. J. Luther Zirkle selected the marble cornerstone, and work was started on the building on November 17, 1890. Trees were cut and hauled to the church lot and sawed by D. C. Holsinger and sons. Wm. A. Welch contracted for building of the house for $183.96, donating $7.50 of this amount.
Some of the labor costs were as follows: survey of the lot – $1.50, labor – $310.26, hardware – $23.08, lumber – $115.95, plasters and material – $32.46, paint – $20.42, bell – $36.00. Individuals donated their labor, material, and money in the amounts of 25 cents to $55 dollars, to which all were recorded as such. The church cost $851.51.
The first sermon was preached in the new house by Rev. J. P. Stirewalt on the 3rd Sunday of June, 1891 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
The House was dedicated to the services of God on September 20, 1891 with the first communion. Twenty-five members communed on that day and seven children were baptized. Communion was held once every 3 to 9 months for a period of years. A preparatory sermon was preached, usually on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, with regular worship service on Sunday mornings at 10 o’clock. A harvest meeting was held once a year on a Saturday in November after most of the harvest work was done. According to one, everyone stopped what they were doing to attend this special service.
Over the years, the church has seen some changes. From pump organ to piano, to electric organ; from coal stoves to gas heaters to an oil furnace.
The original building featured two front doors, and men entered through the right door and women through the left.
In 1975 an addition was added and a single, center entrance installed. Stained glass windows were installed in the 1940s and 50s, and members celebrated the 100th anniversary in 1990.
Events and Additional Information
- 1940’s Memorial Stain Glass Windows Installed
- 1953 “Jesus the Shepherd” stain glass window installed over the altar.
- 1975 New addition to the front of church provided a central entrance with a Nave, 2 classrooms and a basement.
- 1980s Newly cushioned pews, carpeting, ceiling fans, exterior siding
- 1990 100th anniversary was celebrated throughout the year. On July 15th an outdoor service was held commemorating the congregation’s first gathering. On September 19th Bishop Richard Bansemer preached to 120 worshipers.
- 1990 A book about the church history was published: “Celebrating Our First 100 Years of Memories.”
1994–1995 A major addition, which included the Fellowship Hall, kitchen, a classroom, restrooms and an inside ramp were added to the south side of the church building. The remodeling continued over the next couple of years with the purchase of new altar paraments, exterior siding, paving the parking area, drilling a well, installing central air and ceiling fans, updating the sanctuary with a new floor and carpeting.
- 1997 Funds provided to Carolina Furnace to renovate a cabin which they named “St. Paul.”
- 2007 The land behind the cemetery was purchased to build a pavilion that has water and electricity for fellowship gatherings. The pavilion overlooks the church and St. Paul’s Ark, the children’s play area.