First English Lutheran Church celebrated its 75th Anniversary on Sunday May 19, 2013 with a special morning worship service, catered dinner and a special program.
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| Commemorative Ornament. |
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| Happy 75th Anniversary FElC 1938 - 2013 |
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| Marilyn Moeller Olson's wedding dress worn in 1963 and Erin Edgar Bicknese's wedding dress worn August 29, 2011. |
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November 20, 2011 was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the sanctuary of First English Lutheran Church. There was a pot luck following the Sunday service and a presentation of many wonderful memories and pictures from over the past 50 years was enjoyed. Ice cream and cake was be provided.
We'd love to have your thoughts and memories to share...just one memory or as many as you can offer. You can contact Pastor Wessel.
First English celebrated 50th anniversary on Grant Street
Glimpses of Yesteryear by Mary Jo Dathe
The first ‘Cottage-Chapel’ of First English Lutheran Church on Hudson Avenue. Built in 1937, it is now a residence.
The congregation of First English Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, is celebrating the 50th anniversary in their "new'" building, constructed on West Grant Street in 1961. However, their history goes back much further.
As early as 1929, the Rev. Julius Stein of St. John's Lutheran in Wykoff suggested a mission church be started in Spring Valley. It took time, but in 1935 the Rev. Stein was able to rent the former E.U.B. (Evangelical United Brethren) church, then vacant, on South Section. During 1936 the small congregation was invited to meet in the Baptist church when they weren't using it, plus they often rented space at Mlinar's State Theatre.
Late that year the Minnesota District of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, purchased a large lot two blocks west of the hotel at 109 South Hudson Avenue. Here the building committee directed construction of a 24' x 30' story and a half brick "cottage chapel." The first service was held Dec. 6, conducted by Vicar Victor Lemke, assistant to the pastor. The original altar was crafted by William J. Krueger, a cabinetmaker in Wykoff and member of St. John's Lutheran. On the altar front is a sculpted depiction of the Last Supper, a gift from the St. John's Aid Society. The venerable altar may now be seen in the chancel of the Methodist Church Museum on West Courtland.
It was decided to formally organize the new congregation in 1938 and the 17 members vowed to support their new place of worship. A constitution was drawn up, adopted and the name First English Lutheran became official. Up to this time, Pastor J.A. Stein served as pastor, assisted by vicars Walter Biel, Victor Lemke, Martin Stein, Robert Rolf and Norbert Roschke. Emil Lemke, janitor, received his first salary that year, $l5. The upstairs of the chapel was converted to living quarters and the congregation decided to call a resident pastor. Candidate Armin Deye was ordained and installed in September 1940. He lived in the three-room apartment and was paid $35 a month.
It was decided in 1939 to let the public school hold kindergarten classes in the basement. I was one of the lucky ones, although my grandfather Harry Steffens, who brought me to class, remembered I was so shy he could not leave until I was safely in the custody of the teacher. I recall many things about kindergarten - we folded paper circles into cones to use as drinking cups, water was dispensed from the cooler with a push button. There might have been a sandbox on legs where we could hang over the side to play with toys; we learned songs like "Bobby Shaftoe's Gone to Sea" and "Little Yellow Dandelion," both of which I can still sing today. No doubt we also learned to print the alphabet and other useful skills for 5 year olds.
By 1941 the church had a one-car garage, built for $l25, and about that time the Rev. Deye married and planned to move to Minneapolis. During Lent the church offered "Noon-day Lenten Meditations" at the State Theatre from l2 to l2:30, with choir music and "everyone welcome." By 1945 the debt on the chapel was paid in full and the pianist received $50 per year. The pastor's salary by 1947 was upped to $l,720 in the annual budget of $2,l50. The congregation adopted a family in Germany and sent "care packages."
Also in 1941 the newly formed building committee started pondering options for their growing membership - buy or build? At length, they bought two lots on Grant Street for $2,750. Plans developed in 1949-50. A firm in Forest City, Iowa, drew up plans and it was decided to build the new church of native quarry stone from the Lloyd Bly quarry north of town.
Thanks to a negotiated loan of $20,000 from Osterud Agency at 4 percent interest, the new church basement was dedicated in September 1952. The former chapel was remodeled into a parsonage. Improvements to the basement were made over the years - dehumidifiers, lights, phones, then crushed rock in the parking lot, and much more. I've not touched on the growth of the congregation in its service to its members, the community, and its mission at large.
March 21, 1961, saw five contractors submitting bids to complete the church and a low bid of $56,789 was accepted from Martin Schlottach. The 32' x 93' building is of Neo-gothic design; trim around the windows is Indiana cut stone. The cornerstone was placed in July and the completed church was dedicated Nov. 19, 1961.
Other notes: The former cottage chapel, then a parsonage, was sold in 1971, and a new home purchased at 305 Pearl Street. The latter was remodeled in 1984. In 1982 Head Start began to rent the basement for their classes, reminiscent of the old kindergarten days at the chapel. Beginning in 1975 the first of the 12 beautiful stained glass windows was dedicated. The windows, designed by Richard Caemmerer, depict the life of Christ, Pentecost, the Sacraments, the Gospels and the Church. Bells in the tower were dedicated in 1981. Read more about the anniversary celebration in coming Tribune issues.
