August 2, 2017 — Devotions: Lutherans in North America: Colonists in Church and Society

When Lutherans in Colonial America first gathered for worship, they gathered initially in barns, private homes, even vacant shops. As time marched forward, churches would be built, usually designed and constructed by the parishioners. Most were constructed of logs, few of stone or brick. But the log churches would not last long before the ground timbers began to rot and the roof would begin to leak. Amazingly, the average life of a log church was about 20 to 30 years – and it was usually easier to build a new one than try to fix the one that was rotting. Within a century a congregation might build four log churches. It is no surprise that as soon as a congregation could afford it, they would build a church made of stone or brick. The minister was often the person overseeing the entire building process. Members of the congregation might donate labor, but the pastor would be responsible to contract with masons and carpenters for the major parts of construction. The churches were usually constructed with balconies on three sides and an elevated pulpit so the pastor could be seen from all levels of the building. Pews were made of plain boards, usually with straight backs, and often enclosed. Most churches were not heated. Most had bells hung in belfries to be rung to summon people to worship, funerals, and other special events.

Often the cost of constructing a church could be reduced by erecting union churches. A union church, which we still encounter today, involves two congregations of different denominations (like Lutheran and German Reformed) sharing ownership and use of the property. The practice of building union churches was popular in the Upper Rhine Valley in Germany, and was imported along with emigrants from these parts. Some statistics from the 18th century suggest that as many as fifty percent of churches built in the colonial period were union churches. (Adapted and adopted from The Lutherans in North America, revised edition, E. Clifford Nelson)

Between Fisherville and Elizabethville in Upper Dauphin County stands a union church among the cornfields and back roads. It is a Reformed/Lutheran Union Church where the ancestors of my Paternal Grandmother are interred in their cemetery. It is a reminder of a past history of these union churches. Services are no longer held in this building, but it reminds us of our history, as Lutherans, and possibly how our Lutheran roots were established in this area. Interestingly enough, there are Lutheran churches in Elizabethville and in Fisherville. It gets me thinking that perhaps the union church predates the others, allowing the local Lutherans and the German Reformed members to build one church, save some money, and eventually build their own church building years later. It also reminds me that the Lutherans began in this country sharing resources and pastors. And in the near future, we may be in the same need – in fact many of our Lutheran brothers and sisters have reached that reality today. We are in need of a paradigm shift rather than regressing three hundred years.

Pastor Dave

Please bring bars of soap for Trinity’s Table.