Bethlehem Lutheran Church history

In 1853, when a pastor arrived from Sweden to serve both Chicago and St Charles congregations, he found that the church had been stolen on Easter eve.

Since 1866, The Chicago Pastors Bener and Döderlein were already preaching in this area.

And, finally, on the 3rd day of Christmas, the 27th of December 1874, they founded the Evangelical Lutheran Bethlehem Congregation.

The new church and school building, which the congregation had chosen to build, was finished, and it was dedicated on the 13th of may, 1875.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church was founded in 1879 by group of Swedish Immigrants who, during a time in which most people walked to church, found the 8 mile trek to Baillytown (now located in the town limits of Porter, IN) too far.

In 1880, the first Lutheran services were held in Wahoo in the N.J. Anderson Photo Studio.

In 1882, the St Charles families sought and received permission to purchase another church, and the Swedish Evangelical Bethlehem Lutheran Church of the Augustana Synod was born.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church was formally organized on December 25, 1883 with 17 charter members and 9 children.

One year after that, the congregation called the teaching candidate, A. F. Ahner, from Addison, as teacher, and, in 1884, the congregation erected a second classroom.

In the year 1885, a female teacher was placed in the second school classroom, which the pastor had managed until this time.

The same was dedicated on the third Sunday after Epiphany, 1886, by Pastor Eißfeld.

Expanding our Ministry Through Facility Development The first church was dedicated on September 2, 1888.

In January of 1890, he took up his office.

In the afternoon hours, on the 28th of June 1891, the 15th Sunday after Trinity, the foundation stone of the church was laid by Pastor Engelbrecht and Pastor Feiertag.

In 1893 the first parsonage was obtained and renovated.

A meeting was held at the Lockrem home on March 4, 1894, the men who met and became the charter members were: A. S. Lockrem, J. G. Moe, Christ Knutson, Olaf Estwick, O. J. Sletten, Ole Monson, Herman Anderson, Jorgen Fossum, Herman Hanson, and Andrew Lee.

At the close of the year 1895, the previous teacher Ahner gave up his office.

In 1900, at a meeting, a decision was made to start Bible school and hire a teacher for six weeks at $25.00.

On the first day of the new year - 1901 - Rev.

On March 16, 1903, it was decided to erect a church and to purchase three lots from Wm.

The first organ was purchased in 1904.

The second church building was built in 1906 and remains the main worship center for the congregation.

1908 - School Building Dedicated Our school (at the rear of the church) had become to small to hold all of the pupils! Our congregation dedicated the new building, and a second permanent teacher was added to the teaching staff.

In 1917 with the merger of the three Norwegian Synods, the congregation became affiliated with synod which was later called the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Though the small school was closed in 1918, the early years of the congregation were ones of growth and strengthening.

1920 - 50th Anniversary Highlights At this time, the congregation numbered 572 souls and 135 families.

Property was purchased on the corner of South Second and Liberty Streets, and a new sanctuary was built and dedicated on December 7, 1924.

At Bethlehem’s Golden Anniversary Celebration in 1932, the baptized membership totaled 825.

He accepted and served both congregations. It was thought that this was the beginning of the Langford-Pierpont Parish which continued until 1945.

In 1954, Pastor J. David Ekstrom, Bethlehem’s seventh pastor, initiated plans for a new building.

In 1955, groundbreaking took place and construction began.

The five-acre tract of land on which the current Bethlehem building is built was given to Bethlehem in 1956 by the Norris family.

Pastor Arthur Holmer was called to be Bethlehem’s eighth pastor in 1962.

Walter Moll of Omaha, Neb., accepted Bethlehem's call in the spring of 1965 and was installed on June 20.

1970 - 100th Anniversary (Centennial) The congregation numbered 893 souls and 686 communicants.

1977 - New Gym Added to School The congregation dedicated their new fym/multi-purpose room!

On April 7, 1978, the former church building burned.

The first yearly meeting was held on March 11, 1985.

1990 - Preschool Started Preschool opened to 4-year-olds and soon expanded to include 3-year old children.

Richard Voswinkel came to the congregation in 1991.

In 1993, Pastor Robert Schumm joined the Bethlehem staff as Visitation Pastor.

The current building of Bethlehem Lutheran, on the south side of Chesterton, became our home in 1999 with the construction, by Lutheran Mission Builders, of what is now the Fellowship Hall and offices.

Finally, that position evolved into a call for a second pastor in 2001.

In the Fall of 2002, a third service was begun on Saturday evenings at 6:00 PM. It was designed to be a spoken service (no music) with Holy Communion offered each week.

In 2003 the new wing was remodeled to provide space for a day care center and an updated youth room.

Paul Lidtke was installed as the next Senior Pastor of Bethlehem congregation.Pastor Moll retired on May 31, 2006, after serving nearly 41 years at Bethlehem congregation.Bethlehem's congregation has begun to change in recent years.

On February 4, 2007, Bethlehem celebrated its 125th anniversary.

2011 - Tender Shoots (later called the Early Learning Center) Begins Our team of volunteers quickly found that parents welcomed our service!

Bethlehem called Heather Feltman to serve as Deacon in the role of Director of Church Operations in May 2018.

Profits from the sale were used on our significant building renovations in 2019.