BROWNTOWN — More than 25 years ago, LaVerne Gordee watched as Helen Ellingson, his Sunday school teacher from childhood, became too elderly to navigate the stairs that led to the basement of Jordan Lutheran Church in rural Browntown.

It was heartbreaking for Gordee to see her lose out on joining in the place where the Norwegian church’s fellowship was most commonly held, and brings a tear to his eye as he recalls the pain it brought her as everyone else congregated there. 

“I desperately wanted to find a way to resolve that issue,” Gordee said.

The church has two sets of stairs, but neither were wide enough to pass regulations for a chairlift to be approved to install. The way the church was built in 1860 didn’t allow for an elevator. 

Although Gordee hasn’t been consistently working on it since that time, that is how long the issue has weighed on his mind. And as the church council president for the last three years, Gordee has made it his mission to make it right — and he did.

“As church president I decided that’s one of the things I’m going to get done,” Gordee said.

Gordee received word from Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) Jan. 21 to let him know the Church Stairway Chairlift Bill passed the senate. All that’s left now is for Gov. Tony Evers to sign it. 

“It seems simple but it takes a lot of work,” Gordee said. “The bill is extremely well written and I know it’ll be a huge thing to have for our congregation.”

The bill 445 makes a very narrow change to state law to allow historic churches to install chairlifts for parishioners to access basement fellowship halls. As long as there are two stairways and the local governing fire chief approved it was not a safety hazard, any church built before 1919 would be exempt from the stairway code. 

Marklein visited the church last year to see the situation himself.

“This is a good example of where a local constituent had a problem with state government and fortunately brought it to our attention,” Marklein said. “LaVerne was pretty instrumental.”

The process began with Gordee writing a letter to Marklein about a year and a half ago, who sent him to the state office that deals with building regulations. He realized then that churches, even older ones, were held to the same standards as commercial buildings. 

From there, hoping to still move forward, he contacted his local fire department.  He was connected with John Walters, a fire inspector, who didn’t see any safety issues or concerns with adding a chairlift to one of the stairways. He would then receive a visit from the fire marshal, who agreed. 

Eventually, Gordee testified in Madison, having the opportunity to see first-hand how government works.

“It was a pleasure to work with him,” Marklein said. “He made the time to make it a priority.”

Gordee hopes the bill will also benefit other churches who find themselves in the same situation; several Norwegian churches were built similarly, he said. The basement is home to a large kitchen and seating, and is where meals and potlucks are often held for a special parishioner connection.

“That’s where the fellowship has always been and that’s a big thing for our congregation,” Gordee said. “The ladies are fabulous cooks.” 

There are also quilting groups who gather there and last year made 150 quilts for the Lutheran World Relief; that number has increased this year.

The church’s annual event is the Harvest Picnic and, although the plan is to hold it outside, the weather doesn’t always cooperate, another reminder for the need for a chairlift. 

“I had to take the bull by the horns,” Gordee said, noting he’s also Norwegian, who he said are often characterized as being stubborn. “I don’t give up easily on things.”

Gordee, who now lives about a mile from the church, moved out of the area for a while but was back as a member again by 1957. The self-proclaimed farmer at heart grew up on a dairy farm about a mile from the church and is his family’s fifth generation church member. 

His great-grandfather, Ole Gordee, was a charter member of the church, and Gordee tells how he hauled the stone used to build the church by oxcart from several miles away. The church was built in 1860, but the congregation actually formed in 1859 and met in a barn about a mile away.

His father, grandfather and great-grandfather are buried in the cemetery yard that surrounds the church, adding to the importance to the place of worship. 

Jordan Lutheran Church is believed to be one of two oldest churches in Wisconsin that holds regular Sunday services and have about 40 active members. Like many churches, Gordee said they face some struggles, but their faith remains strong and the congregation is the same caring, giving group it has always been. 

“We have a very welcoming congregation,” he said. “We have concern for local people as well as the world and that’s always been the type of people that have attended the Jordan Church.”

A donation helped with the installation of new bathrooms in 2019 that are large enough for a family, are ADA compliant and also have changing tables. 

“A big concern of mine has always been for the elderly and I wanted to see these things get done,” he said.

He isn’t sure why he’s drawn to the elderly, but Gordee said it’s something that’s always been important to him, even in his youth.

“It’s just been one of the areas I try to help,” Gordee said, noting that he also helps with odd jobs for people in the congregation, hoping to provide some ease to their lives. 

“God has a plan and we’ll work to see if we can carry it out,” Gordee said.

The church is located at W9006 Smock Valley Rd., Browntown.