Good Hope Lutheran Church through the years

Good Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive, Boardman, will celebrate its 85th anniversary with the theme, “Building a Future,” during a service at 10 a.m. Sunday. There will be only one service that day instead of the usual three. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Amy Schifrin of North American Lutheran Seminary. A dinner will follow at the church.

The beginning: In September 1895, a small group of members from Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Youngstown, which was conducting services in German, formed an English-speaking Sunday School and met in the YMCA. In January, Trinity English Lutheran Church was organized with William Kibler as pastor. In 1903, the congregation bought its first building at the corner of Wilson and Shehy St. In 1927, a gathering of the Lutheran Mission League of Youngstown considered starting a Lutheran church in Boardman. The Rev. H.W. Eibling, Trinity pastor, suggested that Trinity relocate. The Sunday School of Good Hope Lutheran Church in Oil City, Pa., contributed money for the purchase of a “pre-fab” to be used as a chapel. On July 14, 1929, ground- breaking was at the new site on the corner of Southern Boulevard and Homestead Drive. The chapel was dedicated Oct. 20, 1929.

Merger: Evangelical Lutheran Good Hope Church of Youngstown was formed Nov. 16, 1929, and merged with Trinity on Dec. 3, 1929. Good Hope outgrew the chapel and broke ground Aug. 5, 1950. The first worship service was Dec. 23, 1951. Eight years later, the mortgage was burned and an education unit built. The congregation added a second worship service in 1967. Records show an average of 354 people attended worship and 200 were in Sunday School. Italian stained-glass windows were dedicated in January 1968. Good Hope Nursery School began operation in September 1969.

Improvements: A redesigned and refurbished sanctuary, remodeled entrances and new steeple were dedicated Jan. 11, 1976. The church faced a challenge with Black Monday, Sept. 19, 1977, regarded as the beginning of the demise of the steel industry in the Valley. Attendance was down as families relocated.

Changes: In the spring of 1980, member Al Rusnak designed, cast and hung the stainless steel Anchor Cross, symbol of Good Hope. The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton served as an interim pastor and later became presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The praise team, Leap of Faith, led a third service. Susan Wessner, associate in ministry, was hired in 1998 as youth director and director of lay ministry. Three sons of the congregation, Tim Philabaum, Carl Jacobson and Robert Ferro, entered the ordained ministry. A $924,000 building renovation was in 2000 with focus on the educational wing. Members made new stained-glass windows in the chapel.

In the 2000s: Stained- glass windows were refurbished and two adjacent properties acquired. Other updates were chancel lighting, a sound booth and a new microphone and sound system including aid to the hearing impaired. For the 80th anniversary, the congregation donated $8,000 to Iglesia Luterana “La Trinidad” in Canton. Organist Gladys Melnick was honored with an anniversary dinner in 2011 for her 50 years of service. Wessner resigned and was honored for 14 years of service. The congregation voted to join the North American Lutheran Church. In 2013, Good Hope Preschool & Childcare closed, and Youngstown Christian School began operating a separate preschool and child care in the building.

Information: Call 330-782-8109 or visit www.Goodhopeboardman.org.

Source: Church history