ARGYLE — When Apple Grove Lutheran Church, 14501 Apple Grove Church Road, Argyle was leveled by an EF-2 tornado on June 22, 2024, it was a lot for the parishioners and community to process. News reports echoed the devastation as the community came together to pick up the pieces the following day, and the days that followed.

Not only was the building destroyed, but several headstones were damaged as a result of the strong winds and relentless storm that came up the valley and directly altered the landscape. For a while, having church services outside at its former location came with a lot of emotion as the faith-based community remembered the weddings, funerals, church services and events that took place there.

After 131 years of hymns and scripture readings, the Apple Grove is rising from the rubble, and not only as a building, but as a place for its parishioners to come together to restore their faith.

The rebuilding of the Apple Grove Lutheran Church is a collaborative accomplishment, even before the building is complete. Where destruction once lay, building supplies, equipment, and local contractors are bringing it anew. On February 2, 2025 it was unanimously decided that the new building would be built, located in the former location, although a bit smaller than the first. As plans and finances came together, the new Apple Grove Lutheran Church is now beginning to take shape.

Jeff Wilhelmson is the General Contractor overseeing the new Apple Grove Lutheran Church building project. He said it was most important to hire contractors who are part of the parish or already part of the community.

“All of the contractors who are working on the new church are local or have connections in the area,” he said. “We are keeping the business local as much as possible. Everyone we have been working with has been enthusiastic about the project. It’s all coming together nicely, and we honestly couldn’t be happier.”

Wilhelmson is the great-grandson of the parishioner who poured the foundation for the church when it was built in the summer of 1893. At the time, the entire church cost $2,000 to construct, which also included the labor. As prices may have skyrocketed since that time, the value of a hard day’s work with good intentions remains the same.

Three building contractors are currently building the new Apple Grove church. They include Byron and Casey Krahenbuhl of Krahenbuhl Construction in Blanchardville; and Bryan Ritschard and his crew at BSR Construction Services of Argyle. Working on the roof is Clinton Stietz of Stietz Construction in Argyle, who is looking forward to attaching the steeple and putting on the finishing touches later this year.

Bob Davis of Studio Architects is also working on the new church. Davis, who gets phoned-in for building meetings, grew up in the area. His work is a labor of love as he has family buried in the Apple Grove cemetery.

Other contractors who worked on the new build include Caleb Harris and Ray Harris, who professionally installed the cement work. Joel Nall of Nall Excavating Company has taken care of all the excavation work.

Once construction is complete, blacktop and landscape projects can be planned. The work inside the new church is expected to begin as soon as the overall construction comes together.

Mark “Magic” Johnson from Norse Electric will be taking care of all the electrical work. John Olson will be taking care of plumbing and HVAC to install the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Al Black from Black’s Floor Covering in Darlington will be installing the flooring. Weckerly Drywall out of Monroe will put up drywall once the structure is complete. Contracted for the sound system is Geek Powered Technology Solutions of Argyle. Jeremiah Kleiber, who grew up in the area, is building the altar, lectern, and pulpit. K.T. Millin created the cross which will soon find a home at the altar.

There are three window spaces where the altar will be located. Those spaces now share the view of the Apple Grove cemetery, and the Argyle valley. Those window spaces will soon hold stained glass windows, which are being processed. The middle window, which will be cut slightly larger than the two on either side, will hold a clear window which will serve as a backdrop for a restored stained glass window, being constructed from fragments which originated over one-hundred years ago from the former church. The majority of the pieces of vintage glass are from several windows, but overall will become its own work of art.

The new building comes with much excitement, but moving forward also comes with looking back into the church’s history. The stained glass window is just one of the elements that are being placed inside the new building. The two windows on either side will be colored glass installs which will permanently be the backdrop for the altar area.

The building committee continues to meet regularly as the project remains on time. In addition to Wilhelmson, other committee members include Stan Bigelow, Peg Soehnlein, Tim Rucker, Jay Newman, and Beth Fransen. Meetings and dinners have been hosted by Stan and Marjorie Bigelow.

The Apple Grove Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, as it was named at the time of its original build, was constructed by first-generation Norwegian immigrants. Miners and farmers made up the majority of people that came to the area. They traveled to church services by horse and oxen. Most of them are buried in the church cemetery.

Among the headstones and near the new building, stands the miniature church which replicates the original Apple Grove church. The artwork was created by Rudy Gebhardt, a lifelong resident and a member of the church since his baptism. He used materials from the original church including wood boards, busted lead windows, and shards of stained glass. Whether visiting during the day or while lit at night, the miniature stands as a symbol of inspiration. In addition, he has worked to restore the landscape as much as possible, while planting new trees in the apple grove.

One day, the Apple Grove Lutheran Church will reopen its doors, which will help to restore the faith in the area, serving as a reminder that the most important part of any parish is the community that holds it together.