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Home : Quarterly Archives : Volume 12 |
Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society |
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Source: October 1963 Volume 12 Number 4, Pages 78–81 St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Devon In the October, 1956, Quarterly of the Tredyffrin-Easttown History Club there appeared an article describing the early history of St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Devon, Pennsylvania. The following information will bring the history of the congregation up to date. What had been a hope of the Church Council and Building Committee in 1956 rapidly became a reality in 1957. "Sometime in 1957" had been set as the target for ground-breaking services for one start of construction of the congregation's permanent home. Plans and specifications were completed by October, 1957. By December contractors had submitted bids, financing had been arranged through the then Berwyn National Bank, and the entire program had been submitted to and approved by the membership of the Church. On December 22, 1957, ground-breaking services were held at the site at Conestoga and Valley Forge Roads, Devon. The Reverend Orval C. Hartman represented the synodical Board of Home Missions and the Church's Board of American Missions. Other participants were the architect, Mr. Charles A. Scheuringer; Building Committee Chairman, Benjamin F. Custer; congregational Vice-President, Roy G. Foltz; The Women of St. Luke's, Mrs. Edward Lohse; The Men of St. Luke's, Robert G. Rowe; the Luther Leagues, Paul L. Milligan; and the Sunday School, Barbara Ruch. As soon as supplies could be ordered and the weather broke favorably, the general contractors, Edward Boekenkamp and Son, began work on the building. Cornerstone laying services were held on August 3, 1958. After the usual delays and frustrations which attend any building project, the structure was finally completed. Following the last session of Sunday School at the Red Cross building and the Berwyn Fire Hall on December 7, 1958, the congregation moved to the new building, for the dedication service. Four hundred and sixty persons were on hand to see Dr. Charles M. Cooper, Synod president, officiate at the dedication. What had been set apart for Christian service to the community was a $120,000 structure composed of a chapel and an educational wing. Total floor area was approximately 8,500 square feet. Seating capacity of the chapel was 180 in the nave, 20 in the choir, and 75 in an overflow section which was to double as Sunday School classroom space. The education wing contained the church office, a nursery-kindergarten suite, a large assembly area divisible into five classrooms by folding partitions, and washrooms. It was designed to accommodate 175 children. Adult church school groups would use the chapel. Total cost of the entire project including land, furnishings, professional fees, and building was $166,000. Indebtedness at dedication was $69,000.
Education wing During this two-year period in which the building program reached its logical conclusion, the congregation had continued to use the facilities of the Red Cross building and the Berwyn Fire Company. As extensive a program as possible with limited facilities was maintained. Growth continued at a very rapid rate with the result that the membership of the congregation at the time of dedication included 412 adults and 271 children. All of the programs which had been initiated were expanded as much as possible and strengthened. In this period one step was taken to move the Church from mission to self-supporting status. The Board of American Missions of the United Lutheran Church assisted new congregations in two ways. It assumed a share of the pastor's salary and it also loaned funds at favorable interest rates for building programs. In 1958 the congregation voted to assume full responsibility for the pastor's salary. This action was taken six years in advance of the schedule established by the Mission Board. New facilities gave the Church new opportunities. These came particularly in the area of expanded program and ability to offer facilities for community use. Civic associations, garden clubs, Red Cross bloodmobile, and several Girl Scout groups quickly made use of the building. At this same time our Scout Troop #114, which had been chartered in October, 1958, was able to begin much more active work. This troop is now the second largest in the district. Increased activity and program brought with it new problems. By the fall of 1959 it became obvious that facilities for the Sunday School would be crowded. An immediate solution was provided when the Church voted to move the pastor's family from the six-room house on the property so that the first floor of that building would be available for church school use. This transition was completed by November, 1959. The solution proved to be temporary. Within another year it was evident that something had to be done. Therefore at the annual meeting of the congregation in January,1961, it was decided to investigate the possibility of a building program. The first trial balloon was a fund drive in the spring of that year. A building committee under the chairmanship of Harry K. Heyl had been appointed earlier to establish definite outlines of needs and the approximate costs of meeting them. On the basis of congregational response to the fund drive, the planning for additional building was pushed right along. The result was that ground-breaking services on October 15, 1961, initiated construction of the second phase of St. Luke's building program. John T. Brugger, Jr., was architect for the project, Lloyd F. Kershner, Inc., the general contractor. Dedication of the educational wing was held on September 30, 1962. The new facilities more than doubled the floor area of the first unit and provided excellent classroom space for the church school as well as a much needed fellowship hall. In conjunction with this building project the Church paid off its loans from the Board of American Missions and thus became a self-supporting congregation. As was the case in the previous building program, the Church continued to experience constant growth. To provide assistance in the face of this growth a part-time secretary was employed. In the spring of 1962 this position became full time. In the fall of 1961 St. Luke's was invited to participate in a program which would assist the Board of Parish Education of the Lutheran Church in America in the preparation of a new curriculum for the total educational work of the Church. At this time the congregation became one of 62 congregations out of the 6,000 in the L. C. A. to test the materials before they were approved for publication. This has proved to be a most exciting experience and has given the Church an opportunity to serve beyond the local parish boundaries. As a result of the increased interest in the educational work of the congregation, Mrs. Catherine K. Brown was added to the staff as a part-time worker in Christian education. Thus the Church has continued to grow. At the end of 1962 the membership was 660 adults and 412 children. Already preliminary planning and thought have been given to the next phase of the building program. This is scheduled to be the sanctuary. It will probably become a reality within five years. We continue to be overwhelmed with the blessings that have been ours and trust that we may increasingly serve and influence the community of which we are a part.
Education building |
