BLANCHARDVILLE -
"He is the Rock!' is the theme for Blanchardville Lutheran Church when it will celebrate its 125th anniversary on Sunday, April 26. ELCA South Central Synod Bishop Bruce Burnside will deliver the anniversary sermon during the 10 a.m. worship service at the church. Holy Communion will be celebrated and special confirmation classes will be recognized. Following worship, a dinner will be served in the Church Fellowship Hall. A special anniversary program has been planned and will be presented following dinner. Music will be provided by the Kittlesons, Rick Fredrickson and the church choir. Refreshments will be served following the program, allowing time for guests to visit and catch up on old times and celebrate God's love and the memories of our heritage.
Many former clergy and interns, along with their spouses and families, are planning to return for this event: Pastors Ed Swanson, Wayne Henderson, Kurt Handrich, and Jeff Miller; and former interns Chris Staley, David Brandfass, Laurie Veenendaal, and Tim Koester.
The history of Blanchardville Lutheran began a decade or so prior to the Civil War, when there was a steady influx of pioneers from Norway into the Blanchardville area. Several churches were built in the countryside, among them being York, Adams, Perry and Yellowstone. This was almost a generation before any thought was given to establishing a church in the little village nestled in the valley of the Pecatonica River.
On the evening of March 13, 1884, a group of businessmen met at the Methodist Episcopal Church to discuss the possibility of organizing a Lutheran church in Blanchardville. A second meeting was formally called on March 24, 1884, and, after holding a worship service, the Blanchardville Lutheran Church was duly organized. The first pastor called was Rev. Theodore Reimstad, who conducted the first worship service on April 15, 1884.
For eight years after the congregation was organized, it continued to worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church with whom it had established an agreement to help with the upkeep of the church, pay their own fuel and paint the exterior of the church. In 1892, the congregation decided to build its own church. The building was completed in 1892 at a cost of $1,486.82. It was a simple structure built with a great deal of unselfish effort.
In 1916, a decision was made to build a new church rather than remodel the old structure. Completed at a cost of $12,0000 and all paid for within three years, the new church was dedicated in 1917.
The congregation continued to grow over the years. A building committee was assembled in 1955 to guide the erection of a long-awaited education unit. This new addition to the church was dedicated at the Blanchardville Lutheran Diamond Anniversary celebration in September of 1958.
The cooperative ministry of four congregations, known as the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish, had its embryonic beginnings in the late '70's. This joint effort, first dubbed as the "Blanchardville Area Ministry," came into being due to the need of pastors and people to cooperate rather than compete. When the Hollandale-Trinity Lutheran Parish experienced a pastoral change, members of the call committee consulted with the pastor of the Blanchardville-York Memorial Parish expressing a desire to further develop the area ministry. Their new pastor accepted the call with the understanding of further developing this cooperative ministry, which was then only in its infancy. A unanimous request was made that both pastors work towards development of the most cooperative and effective ministry possible, and the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish was established in 1988. This joint effort of Blanchardville Lutheran, Hollandale Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran and York Memorial Lutheran Churches remains bonded and continues in the work of the church.
So much has transpired over the past 125 years. Come, join the members of Blanchardville Lutheran as they celebrate 125 years of mission and ministry.
"He is the Rock!' is the theme for Blanchardville Lutheran Church when it will celebrate its 125th anniversary on Sunday, April 26. ELCA South Central Synod Bishop Bruce Burnside will deliver the anniversary sermon during the 10 a.m. worship service at the church. Holy Communion will be celebrated and special confirmation classes will be recognized. Following worship, a dinner will be served in the Church Fellowship Hall. A special anniversary program has been planned and will be presented following dinner. Music will be provided by the Kittlesons, Rick Fredrickson and the church choir. Refreshments will be served following the program, allowing time for guests to visit and catch up on old times and celebrate God's love and the memories of our heritage.
Many former clergy and interns, along with their spouses and families, are planning to return for this event: Pastors Ed Swanson, Wayne Henderson, Kurt Handrich, and Jeff Miller; and former interns Chris Staley, David Brandfass, Laurie Veenendaal, and Tim Koester.
The history of Blanchardville Lutheran began a decade or so prior to the Civil War, when there was a steady influx of pioneers from Norway into the Blanchardville area. Several churches were built in the countryside, among them being York, Adams, Perry and Yellowstone. This was almost a generation before any thought was given to establishing a church in the little village nestled in the valley of the Pecatonica River.
On the evening of March 13, 1884, a group of businessmen met at the Methodist Episcopal Church to discuss the possibility of organizing a Lutheran church in Blanchardville. A second meeting was formally called on March 24, 1884, and, after holding a worship service, the Blanchardville Lutheran Church was duly organized. The first pastor called was Rev. Theodore Reimstad, who conducted the first worship service on April 15, 1884.
For eight years after the congregation was organized, it continued to worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church with whom it had established an agreement to help with the upkeep of the church, pay their own fuel and paint the exterior of the church. In 1892, the congregation decided to build its own church. The building was completed in 1892 at a cost of $1,486.82. It was a simple structure built with a great deal of unselfish effort.
In 1916, a decision was made to build a new church rather than remodel the old structure. Completed at a cost of $12,0000 and all paid for within three years, the new church was dedicated in 1917.
The congregation continued to grow over the years. A building committee was assembled in 1955 to guide the erection of a long-awaited education unit. This new addition to the church was dedicated at the Blanchardville Lutheran Diamond Anniversary celebration in September of 1958.
The cooperative ministry of four congregations, known as the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish, had its embryonic beginnings in the late '70's. This joint effort, first dubbed as the "Blanchardville Area Ministry," came into being due to the need of pastors and people to cooperate rather than compete. When the Hollandale-Trinity Lutheran Parish experienced a pastoral change, members of the call committee consulted with the pastor of the Blanchardville-York Memorial Parish expressing a desire to further develop the area ministry. Their new pastor accepted the call with the understanding of further developing this cooperative ministry, which was then only in its infancy. A unanimous request was made that both pastors work towards development of the most cooperative and effective ministry possible, and the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish was established in 1988. This joint effort of Blanchardville Lutheran, Hollandale Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran and York Memorial Lutheran Churches remains bonded and continues in the work of the church.
So much has transpired over the past 125 years. Come, join the members of Blanchardville Lutheran as they celebrate 125 years of mission and ministry.
