Monday, September 08, 2008
Celebrating 125 years of grace
Ask any member of Grafton’s Emmanuel Lutheran Church what they think about first when considering their building and they’re likely to mention the intricate hand-carved woodwork behind the church altar — the reredos.
It was carved in 1936 by Alois Lang, a German woodcarver, when the distinctive stone structure was built.
The Emmanuel Lutheran congregation will celebrate its 125th anniversary today and Sunday.
The ecclesiastical woodcarving, believed to be in oak, depicts the Last Supper. Below it are the words, “This do in remembrance of me.”
“We know there’s three or four (similar reredos) in the United States,” the Rev. Wayne Ellingson, church pastor, said.
But Emmanuel Lutheran’s is special.
Whereas Lang based other similar woodcarvings on the famous painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, the Grafton reredos differs in that the Christ figure is standing, rather than sitting.
“It’s an extremely special piece,” Ellingson said.
Lang, who died in 1954, came to the United States from Oberammergau, Bavaria, a village noted as a woodcarving center as early as the 11th century.
Although the type of wood he used has not been documented, it is known that Lang preferred to work in chestnut, which is more difficult to find, and oak, including white Appalachian oak, Ellingson said.
Lang also carved the church’s decorative pulpit, lectern, communion rails and small altar tables.
In recent years, the woodcarving has gained more attention from outside the congregation, Ellingson said.
“We’ve had two or three bus tours since I’ve been here. We’ve had other people stop in and ask to see it.”
Irmgard Hein Ellingson, associate in ministry, said the woodcarving has made “a profound impact” on church members.
“Perhaps because of it, they got in the habit of doing live re-enactments of the Last Supper,” she said. “You have a sense of being a participant in an ongoing event.”
About the weekend celebration:
Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, will celebrate its 125th anniversary today and Sunday.
Events begin this evening at the Grafton Community Center and City Park.
The 130th birthday of Grafton will be celebrated at a 5 p.m. picnic with a free-will offering to defray expenses. Historical displays will be on exhibit through Sunday at the center.
At 6 p.m., a PowerPoint program entitled “Heimatkirchen: Emmanuel’s Ancestral Churches in Germany and Poland” will be presented at the Community Center by Irmgard Ellingson, associate in ministry at Emmanuel.
Sunday events begin with 9 a.m. coffee and fellowship at the church. Festival worship with Holy Communion begins at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Steven Ullestad, bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the ELCA, as guest preacher and the Rev. Wayne T. Ellingson as officiant. Ryan Hulshizer of Northwood will be the guest organist and special music will be provided by 7th generation, the congregation’s contemporary Christian band.
A catered noon meal will be served at the Grafton Community Center. There is no charge for the meal, but a free will offering of $10 per person to defray expenses would be appreciated.
At 2 p.m., an organ recital will be presented at the church followed at 2:30 p.m. by a community choir concert. A reception will follow.
“Stories of Emmanuel — God with Us,” the congregation’s 125th anniversary book, will be available today and Sunday. Donations of $5 per copy would be welcome to defray printing costs.
The book “Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, Iowa: 1895 Family History Register,” also will be available. It was compiled by the Rev. C. Ide and translated and edited by Ellingson in 2003.
Proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to help with repair and renovation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Schwennenz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, one of Emmanuel’s ancestral churches.
More about Emmanuel
The present clerestory-style building is the second Emmanuel Church. Built of Kasota stone in 1936 in the depths of the Great Depression, it seats 500 and measures 110 feet by 48 feet.
The sanctuary interior features a stunning hand-carved reredos and matching pulpit, lectern and pews and richly colored antique glass windows.
Emmanuel is a partner in the Mission Unity Lutheran Parish with St. John’s Lutheran Church-Rock Township and Faith Lutheran in Mitchell, both located in rural Osage. All are members of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The Grafton Community Center and Emmanuel Lutheran Church are both air conditioned and handicap accessible.
It was carved in 1936 by Alois Lang, a German woodcarver, when the distinctive stone structure was built.
The Emmanuel Lutheran congregation will celebrate its 125th anniversary today and Sunday.
The ecclesiastical woodcarving, believed to be in oak, depicts the Last Supper. Below it are the words, “This do in remembrance of me.”
“We know there’s three or four (similar reredos) in the United States,” the Rev. Wayne Ellingson, church pastor, said.
But Emmanuel Lutheran’s is special.
Whereas Lang based other similar woodcarvings on the famous painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, the Grafton reredos differs in that the Christ figure is standing, rather than sitting.
“It’s an extremely special piece,” Ellingson said.
Lang, who died in 1954, came to the United States from Oberammergau, Bavaria, a village noted as a woodcarving center as early as the 11th century.
Although the type of wood he used has not been documented, it is known that Lang preferred to work in chestnut, which is more difficult to find, and oak, including white Appalachian oak, Ellingson said.
Lang also carved the church’s decorative pulpit, lectern, communion rails and small altar tables.
In recent years, the woodcarving has gained more attention from outside the congregation, Ellingson said.
“We’ve had two or three bus tours since I’ve been here. We’ve had other people stop in and ask to see it.”
Irmgard Hein Ellingson, associate in ministry, said the woodcarving has made “a profound impact” on church members.
“Perhaps because of it, they got in the habit of doing live re-enactments of the Last Supper,” she said. “You have a sense of being a participant in an ongoing event.”
About the weekend celebration:
Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, will celebrate its 125th anniversary today and Sunday.
Events begin this evening at the Grafton Community Center and City Park.
The 130th birthday of Grafton will be celebrated at a 5 p.m. picnic with a free-will offering to defray expenses. Historical displays will be on exhibit through Sunday at the center.
At 6 p.m., a PowerPoint program entitled “Heimatkirchen: Emmanuel’s Ancestral Churches in Germany and Poland” will be presented at the Community Center by Irmgard Ellingson, associate in ministry at Emmanuel.
Sunday events begin with 9 a.m. coffee and fellowship at the church. Festival worship with Holy Communion begins at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Steven Ullestad, bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the ELCA, as guest preacher and the Rev. Wayne T. Ellingson as officiant. Ryan Hulshizer of Northwood will be the guest organist and special music will be provided by 7th generation, the congregation’s contemporary Christian band.
A catered noon meal will be served at the Grafton Community Center. There is no charge for the meal, but a free will offering of $10 per person to defray expenses would be appreciated.
At 2 p.m., an organ recital will be presented at the church followed at 2:30 p.m. by a community choir concert. A reception will follow.
“Stories of Emmanuel — God with Us,” the congregation’s 125th anniversary book, will be available today and Sunday. Donations of $5 per copy would be welcome to defray printing costs.
The book “Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Grafton, Iowa: 1895 Family History Register,” also will be available. It was compiled by the Rev. C. Ide and translated and edited by Ellingson in 2003.
Proceeds from the sale of this book will be used to help with repair and renovation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Schwennenz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, one of Emmanuel’s ancestral churches.
More about Emmanuel
The present clerestory-style building is the second Emmanuel Church. Built of Kasota stone in 1936 in the depths of the Great Depression, it seats 500 and measures 110 feet by 48 feet.
The sanctuary interior features a stunning hand-carved reredos and matching pulpit, lectern and pews and richly colored antique glass windows.
Emmanuel is a partner in the Mission Unity Lutheran Parish with St. John’s Lutheran Church-Rock Township and Faith Lutheran in Mitchell, both located in rural Osage. All are members of the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The Grafton Community Center and Emmanuel Lutheran Church are both air conditioned and handicap accessible.
