Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church
Encyclopedia
Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church is located north of Waterville, Iowa
, United States
. The church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1983.
settlers to the Paint Creek area of Allamakee County, Iowa
. The school was organized in March the following year with Ole Larson as the first teacher. The first church services were held in July in the home of Thomas Anderson by Pastor C.L. Clausen from Rock Prairie, Wisconsin. The schoolhouse was completed by November 1851 and was used for church services as well.
The congregation sent a Letter of Call to Norway
for their own pastor. It was answered by the Rev. Ulrik Velhelm Koren who arrived in late 1853 and stayed until 1862. In July 1855 it was decided to build a church and it was completed in 1857. The congregation grew in size and divided into two separate churches, East Paint Creek Church and West Paint Creek Church.
The cornerstone
for the present church was laid on May 24, 1869 and the church was dedicated on August 24, 1870. It is constructed of stone in the Gothic Revival style. The Rev. Ove Jacob Hjort was pastor at the time.
In 1880 a controversy over predestination
erupted among Norwegian Lutherans and affected the congregations in the Paint Creek area. A small group broke away from the original churches and became known as the East and West Synod Lutheran Churches. To distinguish between the two original churches they were renamed Old East Paint Creek Church and Old West Paint Creek Church.
On January 15, 1886 the Lady’s Aid Society, or Kvindeforening, was organized in the parsonage. Mrs. Aagot Hartmann and Miss Tonning were initially in charge of the organization.
Waterville, Iowa
Waterville is a city in Paint Creek Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 145 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Waterville is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The church building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983.
History
In the autumn of 1850 the first meeting was held to organize a Christian School and a place for worship by the first NorwegianNorwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
settlers to the Paint Creek area of Allamakee County, Iowa
Allamakee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 14,330 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,617 housing units, of which 5,845 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. The school was organized in March the following year with Ole Larson as the first teacher. The first church services were held in July in the home of Thomas Anderson by Pastor C.L. Clausen from Rock Prairie, Wisconsin. The schoolhouse was completed by November 1851 and was used for church services as well.
The congregation sent a Letter of Call to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for their own pastor. It was answered by the Rev. Ulrik Velhelm Koren who arrived in late 1853 and stayed until 1862. In July 1855 it was decided to build a church and it was completed in 1857. The congregation grew in size and divided into two separate churches, East Paint Creek Church and West Paint Creek Church.
The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the present church was laid on May 24, 1869 and the church was dedicated on August 24, 1870. It is constructed of stone in the Gothic Revival style. The Rev. Ove Jacob Hjort was pastor at the time.
In 1880 a controversy over predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
erupted among Norwegian Lutherans and affected the congregations in the Paint Creek area. A small group broke away from the original churches and became known as the East and West Synod Lutheran Churches. To distinguish between the two original churches they were renamed Old East Paint Creek Church and Old West Paint Creek Church.
On January 15, 1886 the Lady’s Aid Society, or Kvindeforening, was organized in the parsonage. Mrs. Aagot Hartmann and Miss Tonning were initially in charge of the organization.