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 early German Catholics of the Butler County area were served by the Franciscans of Columbus, Nebraska intermittently from about 1877 to 1883. Construction of a permanent church in Center, Nebraska (rural David City) began in the summer of 1879 and St. Francis was chosen as the parish patron. As the parish grew, plans were made for larger, brick church which was dedicated in 1900. Only five years later, a fire of unknown origin destroyed this church on April 16, 1905. The present church, designed by H.W. Brinkman of Emporia, Kansas was dedicated in 1916. It's worth noting that this church bears much resemblance to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Colon, Nebraska. Colon was dedicated in 1919 and is much larger, but given the many similarities in design, it's likely the same architect was utilized.
The interior of this Romanesque Revival church has undergone many renovations throughout its 94-year history. The photo above was taken in approximately 1931 and depicts the interior as it likely appeared near the time of its dedication in 1916. All of the furnishings are in place, but no decorative painting yet.
Around 2004, plans were drawn up to renovate the interior of the church in order to recapture many of the architectural and artistic features that had faded or disappeared over time. A sketch of the proposed interior....
... and as it was actually executed. A new mural of the Ascension was commissioned for the apse to replace a fading 1952 mural of Christ the Priest.
The sanctuary as it appeared cira-1940. Note especially the stunning painting in the apse. Painted in the Beuronese style, the mural is replete with imagery; angels hold symbols of six Sacraments, with Christ himself as the seventh Sacrament of the Eucharist. There are also images of the Trinity, the Vine and Branches, and the feeding of the sheep. This mural was covered in 1952 with an image of Christ the Priest.
By contrast, the sanctuary as it currently appears.
The nave in approximately 1965. Much of the interior decoration in this photo can be traced to the renovation of 1952. Note the mural of Christ the Priest as well as the simplified paint scheme.
Again, contrasted with the present interior.
The interior underwent further renovations in approximately 1978 and again in the mid-1990s. The ornate altars have been removed and the paint scheme further simplified. Depicted above is the interior in 2000.
The interior finally reached its present state in about 2004. This renovation effectively renewed the color and design of the space, while completely respecting its architectural integrity.
The barrel vaulted ceiling is a distinctive design element of St. Francis.
Christ sacrificed, ascended, and dwelling among us.
A side devotional area featuring statues of Our Lady of Grace, the church's patron St. Francis of Assisi, and the Baptismal Font.
The stations of the cross harmonize well with the church's architectural elements. Note especially the detail of the pilaster featuring the head of a cherub.
An original confessional graces the rear of the church, near the entry. The all-seeing eye of God watches over the main doors.
Two different stained glass window designs are found within the nave. The parish's patron, St. Francis is a full figural representation...
...while his sister, St. Claire is depicted in a portrait-like fashion.
The windows in the façade date from 1944 and replaced clear glass windows.
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" (Matthew 4:8-10)
Behind the church lies the parish's neatly-kept cemetery.
A small, peaceful shrine to Mary occupies a corner of the cemetery grounds.
The names of many early German settlers can be found on the older headstones. This particular one reads:
We cannot tell who next may fall
Beneath thy chastening rod,
One must be first but let us all
Prepare to meet our God
St. Francis of Assisi church and rectory as viewed from the back corner of the cemetery.
The parish hall, which also serves as the township hall, was constructed in 1930. Several scenes from the 1992 made-for-TV movie "O Pioneers!" were filmed at this hall.
