Saint Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) at Soap Creek (Rural De Witt), Nebraska can track its roots back to December of 1883, when a meeting was held to call the congregation's first pastor. At this time, services were held in a public schoolhouse near Soap Creek. The congregation was officially established in the spring of 1884.
According to the congregation's website:
In 1891 a committee was elected to plan a larger church. This building was to be 32’ X 56’ X 18’ with a 10’ X 14’ hall and a 70’ tower. In the summer of 1896 this church was struck by lighting and burned to the ground. Later that year the building was replaced with another of similar dimensions. In 1923 the church was raised three feet and a basement was dug for a schoolroom and furnace. They also added a room to each side of the tower. In 1924 the chancel was carpeted. Electric lights were installed in 1926. In 1930 a twelve-foot addition was added to the west end to make room for the installation of a new Hinners pipe organ. By ballot vote in 1942, they chose to dig out the whole basement and purchase a new furnace. The inside of the church was redecorated in 1943-1944.
By 1952, the congregation had outgrown its former house of worship and the decision was made to construct a new church. The cornerstone of the present church building was laid on November 20, 1955 with dedication being held on November 4, 1956.
The present church is full of fantastic Mid-Century details and has changed very little since the time of its construction. The angular bell tower houses both the original church's bell and a typically 1950s electronic bell system.
The original narthex doors feature wonderfully detailed pulls. The reflection of a brass sculpture of the Trinity can be seen as well.
In the narthex, an ornate statue of the Risen Christ from the original church building stands in sharp contrast to the sleek Mid-Century features of the overall space.
The interior of St. Paul's is characterized by a sweeping, uplifting feeling - largely due to the intensely vertical nature of the structure. One does not readily apprehend this verticality from the church's exterior.
As with the rest of the building, the church proper is replete with Mid-Century details including the fantastic light fixtures, exposed wood trusses, and bare brick and concrete block walls. It really is somewhat of a rarity to find such a well-preserved Mid-Century church.
The simple altar table is covered with a stunning needlepoint altar cloth featuring stalks of wheat and a Greek Cross.
A wonderfully angular pulpit stands to the right of the sanctuary. Note the matching needlepoint parament.
The baptismal font is probably the church's most interesting piece of liturgical furniture. The simple base joins together to create a cross on each of the four sides that holds aloft an elegant cylindrical basin.
The church's nave windows are of colored plate glass, ranging from deep, rich colors nearest the chancel and fading to lighter pastels toward the back to the church.
Crammed into the corner of the choir loft is a 1930 Hinners pipe organ, transplanted from the congregation's original church building. Further details on this organ are available from the OHS Database.
On one of my several trips back and forth between Nebraska and St. John's, I noticed a steeple on the horizon just outside of Hector, Minnesota. I had the time, so I decided to investigate. I found that this steeple belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA) of Brookfield Township.
Unfortunately, I know very little about the history of this congregation or its church. From what I've gathered, the congregation was founded in 1897 with the current church dating from 1901 and renovated in 1948. The above photo was hanging in the back of the church and likely dates from the early 1970s. If any readers have information on the history of this church, please feel free to email me.
Another photo hanging in the back of Trinity Church depicts the structure in the context of its native surroundings. The adjacent parsonage is no longer standing.
A well-worn set of double doors greeted me upon entering the church along with the requisite bulletin board and pamphlet rack.
I found in the interior of Trinity Church the quintessential prairie Lutheran church: a well-proportioned Gothic Revival structure clad in wainscot and acoustic fiber board (likely from the 1948 renovation), small pipe organ left of the sanctuary, locally-crafted banners on the side walls, and wood-stained altar, pulpit, and baptismal font in the sanctuary.
A view from the altar facing the church entrance. The church does have a small balcony, but it appears that it's mostly used for storage now.
A closer look at the sanctuary better shows the church's furnishings in relation to each other. The structural protrusion behind the pulpit is actually a very small vesting room for the pastor.
Light glances off of the ornate details of the pulpit. While the church's furnishing are not overly elaborate, they are very nice pieces that represent the era of construction very well.
The altar of Trinity Church features plaster reproductions of two famous pieces of artwork: Michelangelo's Last Supper and the Christus statue by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The altar itself has been very well preserved and compliments the architecture of the structure itself.
A closer look at the baptismal font and very fine presider's chair featuring Prairie-style detailing.
An attendance board hangs on the side wall, near the pipe organ. Hopefully, these numbers don't reflect the actual status of the congregation. The ELCA website reports healthier statistics for Trinity.
The windows are comprised of very simple colored glass set into wooden frames.
A closer look at the clear glass planes reveal an elaborate etched design.
The Alma Lutheran Congregation of Mead, Nebraska was founded in 1870 by Swedish immigrants. The first church and parsonage stood where the current Alma cemetery is located. The word "Alma" is Latin for "nourishing one" - which is generally used in a mothering sense.
The current Gothic Revival church, in the town of Mead, was dedicated on September 18, 1886. A significant renovation took place in 1920. The church's website recounts this interesting story:
On Thanksgiving Day, 1919, $3,000 was placed in the offering plate specifically dedicated to remodeling the church. At a special meeting in January 1920, it was decided that the church would be lifted and a basement would be dug. While the church was standing on its wooden blocks on Easter morning, a terrible storm approached. The steeple swayed between 12-18 feet. There was great fear the building would fall, but "the Lord was with us," and everyone was relieved to see the building still standing after the worship service in Flodman Hall.
The interior of Alma is painted in subdued colors with an interesting stencil pattern on the ceiling which runs the length of the church.
The church's website also notes that a pipe organ was installed in 1920, but unfortunately it has dissapeared.
The church was again renovated in 1966, which likely resulted in the removal of the reredos and the addition of the large dossal curtain. The above photo depicts the interior as it appeared until 2009.
The sanctuary was renovated and entire church painted and refurbished in March of 2009 in celebration of the congregation's 140th anniversary.
A closeup of the unique stencil pattern which runs the length of the ceiling.
The sanctuary retains its original altar and altar rail.
A view of the pulpit and font.
The windows depict various scenes from the life of Christ.
A statue of Jesus in the narthax. This statue likely resided in the original reredos.
A more detailed history of the parish is available here and here.
