 |
| | | |
|
| WELCOME TO SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST LUTHERAN CHURCH |
|
|
It is interesting in this cyber world
that the term “Home” is used to designate the starting place on a Web site.
The word “home” suggests hospitality,
the activity of inviting and welcoming.
So we take this moment to speak a word of Welcome to you and
invite you to make yourself at home as you become familiar with
the life and ministry of our parish.We are eager to share with you
the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
and how this Good News
informs and forms our common mission, ministry and spiritual life at Saint John. |
|
|
| | | |
|
MISSION STATEMENTIn order to glorify God
Saint John the Baptist Lutheran Church
exists to grow in faith in Christ
through God's Word
and to joyfully serve all people
through our words and deeds. |
The Baptism of Jesus by John |
|
|
|
| | | |
| |
We are an active parish dedicated to nurturing our spiritual growth and Christian witness.
We invite you
to come with us on the journey. |
| 
St. John Ladies League - LWML | 
Confirmands serve at the Altar as acolytes and crucifers. | |
| 
Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study. |
| |
| 
Annual Easter Egg Hunt | 
Ladies League making "Kolacky" for the Bake Sale | 
Confirmand having just recited the Second Article and Meaning perfectly!!!!!! |
| | |
Everythings ready for the Fall Bake Sale! | | 
Bake Sale is over, and so are we!!!!! |
| 
| About the SELC District Historical Background
The Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1902 in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, with ten pastors and fifteen congregations. The first President was Rev. Daniel Laucek. The Slovak Synod was accepted into the Synodical Conference in 1908 under President Jan Pelikan.
In 1959, due to the diminishing use of the Slovak language and identity, the Synod changed its name to the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. The Synod merged with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, becoming a non-geographical district, now known as the SELC District.
The SELC Today
Today the SELC spans the eastern half of the continent, with congregations in the United States and Canada. The SELC focuses much of its attention on mission outreach here in the US and abroad. It has no full-time officers; all pastoral officers of the District remain in the parish, where they continue to serve the Lord as ministers of Word and Sacrament to His people. | 
|
| |
| Life was not easy for the Slovak Lutherans who settled in southside Virginia at the beginning of the 20th century. Having only recently crossed the ocean from their native land, which was under the domination of the Austria-Hungarian Empire, the Slovak
immigrants were different from the people who had already settled and lived around Emporia, Virginia.
They spoke a different language
The wore different clothing.
The ate food that was different.
Their religious practices were different from the people in this area. They encountered redicule and were know as “greenhorns.” They lived about 5 miles north of the towns of Emporia and North Emporia on the Purdy Road. But these folks were industrious. They were resourceful. They were religious. They learned quickly from their neighbors how to clear the land, what crops to plant, how to harvests what they produced and where to sell peanuts, corn,tobacco and cotton. Soon their clothing began to resemble the clothing of their neighbors. Gradually they learned the language their neighbors spoke. They found themselves eating foods that were different from what they were accustomed to in the past. But even as this was happening they retained their precious heritage.
The unique dress of their native land was worn on special occasions. They became bilingual, using the English language to conduct affairs with the community and maintaining the Slovak language in their homes and among themselves. And they never put aside their food specialties,klobasy,
hallusky,kolacky,bandurky, and their traditional Christmas oplatky and kapustova polievka. | 
|
| Their devotion to God and their evangelical faith and convictions led them to gather in homes with an elder leading young and old in Scripture reading, prayer and hymn singing. A desire to erect a house of worship prompted George Fajna to donate a 2 and a half acre piece of land to the congregation so that they might build a church in which to hold formal worship and where their children could come for instruction in the
Lutheran faith. During the congregations early years Slovak Lutheran Pastors periodically came from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to perform Baptisms, Confirmations and Marriages. Seminary students followed until the church grew large enough to support its own shepherd.
Rev. John Vajda was the first Called Pastor of the congregation. He was followed by Rev.Michael Havlir, Rev.John Ondov, Rev.John Kovac,Rev.Joseph D.Kurchark, Rev.Adam Valencik,Rev.George Plvan, Rev. John Baur, Rev. John Hartwig, Rev.Kevin Wackett, Rev.Jeffrey Marquardt, and Rev.Richard Hill. Vicars (seminary interns) who served the church during this period included Rev. Paul Rafaj, Rev.John Daniel, Rev. Joseph D. Kurcharik and Rev. Michael Brondos. A gradual transition in language took place in the 1940s and 1950s and slowly the English language began to dominate.
However, as late as the 1990s it was still possible to gather a large enough group of Slovak-speaking people to conduct a viable Worship Service in the language of their forefathers. |
The “Modern Era” of the parish began with the church’s relocation form its original site on the Purdy Road to a 9.03 acre site on US Highway 58 west of Emporia near the intersection of Interstate 95 and US 58.
It was here that contemporary house of worship was erected in 1961-1962.It included a sanctuary, a fellowship hall and a wing with Sunday School rooms,a study for the Pastor and a meeting room. Additional rooms were added in 1992.
The new structure was recognized in a number of architectural journals and was identified by a free standing cross reaching high above its surroundings indicating that what was essential to this group an in its early days was just as important to it as it moved into the 21st century - namely the Gospel that Christ came to save the world and accomplished that by His suffering on the Cross and by His glorious resurrection. SOLI DEO GLORIA! GDP |
| | Site maintained by: Trina Taylor hillrichl@aol.com 1351 West Atlantic Street Emporia Virginia 23847-2863 United States of America Phone: 1-434-634-4515 |
|
| |
| |
