Bethel Lutheran Church | Through the years

Bethel Lutheran Church, 425 Crestview Drive, Boardman, is marking its 125th year. A special service is planned at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 21 with speaker Pastor Jonathan Weaver, a son of the congregation who went to seminary. Also participating will be Bishop Abraham Allende of Northeast Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and former pastors Bret Rizzo, Chuck Lundquist and Paul Burgeson. A reception by reservation will be at the Holiday Inn Boardman. The celebration will feature a slide show of the church history, its pastors and activities.

The beginning: The early history of the church is linked to Scandanavian settlers who lived in the Haselton area in 1875. The Augustana Synod in March 1883 reported J.S. Carlson, a seminary student, was called “to work during the summer in Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown, Ohio.” Others continued this missionary work, including Dr. Gustaf A. Nelsenius, who led the formal organization of Bethel Lutheran Church on March 2, 1889. The original name was Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Bethel Church, and it belonged to Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America.

Move: The congregation bought a lot on Ridge Avenue for a new church. The cornerstone was laid in October 1912. The first service was May 30, 1915, in the new church. A pipe organ, built by the A.J. Schantz Sons & Co. of Orrville, Ohio, was installed. Services were all in Swedish from the time of Bethel’s organization until 1908. The last service in Swedish was Oct. 7, 1945. The name was changed to Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1925.

Other changes: 1939 marked the golden anniversary. The final traditional 6 a.m. Julotta service on Christmas morning was in 1945. It was replaced in 1946 by the Christmas Eve midnight service. In 1955 the congregation bought the present lot on Crestview Drive in Boardman. The cornerstone of the educational unit was laid Nov. 27, 1955. The congregation had services in West Boulevard Elementary School. The first service in fellowship hall was April 14, 1957, Palm Sunday. Pastor Emil Westlund, who had served Bethel for 45 years, retired in 1958. In 1963, Augustana Lutheran Church merged with the United Lutheran Church in America, American Evangelical Lutheran Church and Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church to form the Lutheran Church in America. Bethel also was part of the Ohio Synod of the LCA. The name was changed to Bethel Lutheran Church. Ground was broken May 5, 1963, and the cornerstone laid Sept. 15, 1963. The current church was completed in February of 1964, and the first service of dedication and the 75th anniversary were celebrated March 1, 1964.

Social ministry plan: The congregation also approved a social ministry plan and borrowed $27,000 to give to Steel Valley Homes, Samaritan House, FISH, Lutheran Services and Meals on Wheels. The church also bought and rebuilt the Schantz pipe organ. Bethel Endowment Fund was established in 1974 to support Christian projects and outreach. The congregation borrowed $10,000 to give to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Home as an extension of the congregation’s benevolence program.

Activities: Bethel Bible Series, a comprehensive Bible survey, was initiated in January 1976. The Lutheran Book of Worship was used in January 1979 with a new form of liturgy and music. “The Elderberries,” a group of senior citizens of the congregation, began meeting. Stephen Ministry was begun in 1986 and provides an expanded caring ministry. The centennial was marked in 1988. The church developed bell choirs, drama group, Boy Scouts, a softball team and quilt group. The catechism program was revised.

Merger: On Feb. 27, 2000, the Bethel merged with Honterus Lutheran Church.

Other activities: The first car show was in 2007. The Endowment Fund paid the seminary tuition for Jon Weaver, who was enrolled at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus. Catechism Cluster with other area Lutheran churches sponsored a vacation Bible school. The church constitution and bylaws were rewritten.

Source: Bethel Lutheran Church