ARGYLE — The congregation of Apple Grove Lutheran Church nearly unanimously voted to rebuild — albeit on a smaller scale. The decision was made on Feb. 2 and the new structure will go on the same sight as the former 131 year old church.

The house of worship was destroyed on June 22, 2024 by a strong F2 tornado. No one was hurt in the storm, but the church and its cemetery took a direct hit. Large gravestones were moved in the heavy winds, and the church was obliterated, with debris stretching for miles. Some items, like archived receipts and letters, were located nearly 100 miles away in Waukesha County.

The day after the tornado hit, parishioners joined pastor Dan Bohlman on site for an outdoor worship service, followed by some cleanup.

At the time, Bohlman said he would have to find out from the insurance company what all the options were and if the church would be rebuilt or not. In the meantime, worship services were held jointly with other area network congregations in Argyle and Darlington.

When the insurance pay out came in, it was less than the cost to do a complete rebuilt, so the decision was made to scale down in size. Formal plans for new building’s architectural design and time line for completion haven’t been decided yet. Bohlman said it could be a year or more before construction even begins.