In 1946 a small
group of faithful people sought to begin a Lutheran
mission congregation in Ashland, Nebraska. The first
service of American Lutheran Church was held in the
local American Legion Hall on Sunday evening, September
19, 1946, with 37 people in attendance. Rev. Vernon
Strempke was installed as the first pastor on December
8th. Beginning in December that year the new congregation
began worshiping at St. Stephen’s
Episcopal Church in Ashland.
1947 saw a number of firsts for the growing congregation.
In January the first Sunday School was organized with thirteen
children present. The congregation organized and adopted
a constitution, March 30, with 22 adults and 17 children
as charter members. Formal signing of incorporation took
place in June. The first communion service was held on
April 6, and the first church council meeting was held
on April 13th. Luther League, Women's Aid, choir and Bible
School all started in 1947 as well.
In the fall of 1949 a building committee
was organized and land was purchased at 20th & Silver
Street. In 1950 the congregation decided to build its
own building where the current church now stands. The
new building was dedicated on Sunday, February 25,
1951. At that time there were 62 members of the congregation.
The next 14 years saw the active congregation
continue to grow. In August of 1966, plans were made
to expand the church building and a note for construction
was taken out, with members of the congregation
agreeing to do the finishing the work. Dedication of
the addition was held on May 14, 1967.
In 1992, a pledge
drive was started to build a new 240-seat sanctuary,
seven new Sunday school rooms, new offices, and an expanded
narthex. The former sanctuary became the congregation's
new fellowship hall. The new church building was dedicated
on August 28, 1994.
The American Lutheran Church mission
statement, updated in 2002, states: American Lutheran
Church is a family committed to bringing all people
to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior; to grow
in the Word, and to prayerfully encompass our community
with compassion and love. |
