The Fellowship Hall: A Gathering Space for Generations

Luther League (1950s) in the Fellowship Hall. The golden eagle lectern, the 1899 Pastor’s chair, and 1927 altar were located in the fellowship hall.

By Susan Shinn Turner

The fellowship hall has served a multitude of purposes over the years: receptions, Sunday School, Luther League meetings, community meetings, funeral meals, and Wednesday night meals.

It was also one of the locations that homeless men stayed before Rowan Helping Ministries was built.

“I went to Sunday School over there,” Chris Agner says. “There are those sectional doors that you could slide down. And sometimes, between Sunday School and church, we’d play shuffleboard.”

The shuffleboard courts in the fellowship hall have long since been painted over, however.

Most of his time, however, was spent at the service station that sat where the Chapel is now. That’s where Luther League and Boy Scout meetings took place.

“We used to call it St. John’s by the Service Station,” Chris remembers.

John Heilig was in the group of youth who fixed up the service station in the 1960s.

“The Council told us if we made this thing a success, they would put money for a new youth center in the education building,” he says. “And we did. It was the place to be for teenagers. We had ping-pong tables and a jukebox. We worked hard to fix it up.”

Carolyn Hood remembers that her Luther League meetings were in the fellowship hall. There may have been a state convention there, but she won’t swear to it. (There was.)

“When we went to Luther League on Sunday nights, we’d wear our Sunday clothes,” she says. “My how times have changed.”

Her daughter was born in 1967, the same year the Chapel and education building opened.

“Those were the good ol’ days,” she remembers.

Phase 2 of our G2G campaign will celebrate our ministry of Christian fellowship. We will provide a complete renovation of the fellowship hall and kitchen, adding a small dining room and handicap accessible restrooms. Thank you for your support!