Bethlehem Lutheran Church Sturbridge, MA

On March 3, 1985, sixty-six persons signed the Membership Charter of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The charter is quoted on our home page. It reads, in part:

"We believe that Bethlehem Lutheran Church shall go forth actively engaged in this mighty task empowered by the Holy Spirit in this place and all places, at this time and at all times".

The story of the cross ...

"Klaus Tittel, a long-time member and a constant volunteer crafted this cross out of the old pews from St. Anne's, where we worshipped for 12 years before we built our own building. We have the first ever covenant between a Catholic Church and a Lutheran Church in New England, signed by Father Donald and Pastor Mary. So this cross is a piece of a wonderful history taken with us. The stained glass window behind it was crafted by Klaus' neighbor and all labor was donated. We have such a wonderful family! In times of sadness and stress just staring at this cross brings comfort and peace." ... Ginger Piehl

The story of the "Bobbyvator" ...

Bob Piehl, a charter member of Bethlehem, became chairman of the building committee in 1999. When Bethlehem had a pastoral vacancy, the Mission Investment Fund put a stop order on any funding for building. Bob was determined to get the building erected so he and the committee, Wolf Fuchs, Mike Shocik, Paul Merritt, Kitty Cline, Bill MacDonald, pushed ahead and secured enough private funding to continue. When the vacancy ended and Rev. Marcoux became our Pastor, MIF reinstated our funding.

Through many set backs and discouragements, rising and additional costs, they persevered. With Pastor Marcoux’s guidance our building was ready for its first service on Easter 2002 (complete with porta potties).

The dedication was held on November 1, 2002 with our friends from St. Patrick’s/St. Anne’s Catholic Church staffing the parking, reception, and anything else we needed help with. The building committee at the time of dedication included Bob, Wolf, Mike, Paul, Kitty, Klaus Tittel, Pastor Marcoux and Ron Smeltzer. Without their perseverence we would not have our building today.

We were granted a temporary occupancy permit pending the installation of an elevator. Bob Piehl died in November of 2003, and with the memorial funds in his name and a very generous gift the “Bobbyvator” was installed. At the disbandment of the building committee, Bob became Property Chairman and his main objective was the elevator, which Bill Laub, the succeeding property chair, and his committee finished with significant hard work and perseverance of their own.

This mission church started June 1,1984

with a grant from AELC/NE. Later a grant was obtained from Lutheran Brotherhood tor $40000 over a three year period. Originally there were no members, no place to meet, and no money. Advertising, help from various individuals, and the work of the Mission Developer made it possible to apply for a charter as a congregation of AELC-ECS in June 1985.





Initially services were held in "The Barn", located on W. Main St. in Sturbridge. Pastor lived in a small apartment above the sanctuary. Financially all expenses were met with the help of the grant from the Lutheran Brotherhood.

Excerpts from a September 1, 1989 letter to Mission Partners:

Five years ago a group of seventeen worshipers gathered in a conference room of a local reataraunt (Crabapple's) and opened the Lutheran Book of Worship to the Second Setting. Upon concluding the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness, a portable tape deck containing organ music was engaged and the first chords of "Crown Him With Many Crowns" ushered forth from the speakers. Hence began an extraordinary odyssey of struggle, toil, tears, fears, celebration, joy, and faith that has lasted to this day. Within a year an organized Lutheran congregation existed where there was none. It was officially named Bethlehem Lutheran Church -- a name befitting a new home for Christ in a Central New England town nestled on the crossroads connecting Worcester, Boston, New York, Hartford, and Springfield.

Virinia Piehl -- "I remember meeting Pastor Mark 3 days before the first service at Crabapples Restaraunt on June 1, 1984. In 3 days, Bob, Wally Bischoff and I helped Pastor Mark prepare and present that first service. That included borrowing a cross and hymnals and getting Esther Kokocinski of Zion, Oxford, to tape record the liturgy and hymns to have music. We also borrowed Heidi's boom box to play the tape. It had to be started and stopped at the appropriate times. That first service had 37 people attending and Carbapples served us coffee at $.75 a cup--in 1984. Included in those 37 people was George Duqette who offered us "Bethlehem in Sturbridge" as a meeting placeand we started there the following week. For the next few weeks my mother, Millie Bischoff, was organist on a small suitcase organ until Barbara Haggerty's daughter, Heidi, took over. During those first few weeks the small Bethlehem community became a hard working group which evolved into what we are today, a growing congregation that intends to eventually build a church of our own."

Barbara Haggerty -- "I pray that Bethlehem will always be special, and never lose it's missionary spirit. When we build our church on the hill, may it be a beacon to the surrounding area to come to the waters of eternal life."

Esther Mednick -- " I rememebr when we met at the church in Brimfield and held our first coffee hour. I asked Pastor Mark if we could have coffee and he said "Sure". I was so excited I went home to get the coffee pot and coffee and brought them to church. I was sure to arrive early on Sunday to set up. When I arrived at church, however, I was in for a surprise: there was no water! I had to drive home to get some water and bring it back for the coffee. After that I brought water every week."

Susan Prunier -- "I remember when we moved to the little church in Brimfield. We had no organ, piano, or any music. (At Bethlehem we had used tapes). What I remember is trying to sing the hymns that most of us didn't know. The ones we knew were okay and I think we still had the tapes to do the songs in the regular service. But when we tried to do a different hymn, well, to say the least, we'd end up going back to one at least some of us knew."

Krisha Prunier (five years old when she signed the Charter) -- "I remember Mom trying to keep us quiet. I remember Sunday School with Mrs. Nelson."

Florence Ritzer -- "I remember the church building in Brimfield. It felt like "The Little House on the Prairie" and then the barn in Sturbridge with the pastor's appartment in the loft. And I thank God for the charter members and the "new" members whose continued devotion and perseverence have kept the church together. Without both we would not have made it. But now I feel like "the man who came to dinner" and never left the Catholic Church building."

Marilyn Schur -- "I remember being in the "Barn" one Christmas Eve for worship. People kept piling in. There were about 100 people. Fortunately we arrived early enough to get a chair. It was standing room only. It was incredible. Nobody expected that many people."

Viola Shepherd (in 1995, our oldest member at 90 years of age) -- "It's hard to believe it's been ten years. I didn't think it would work. My brother tried to build a Lutheran Church here before and it didn't work. What has made it work? God' s blessing."

The church filled a void for Lutherans in the Sturbridge area. With each challenge we have encountered, we became stronger in our faith.

We worshipped for many years at St. Anne's in Sturbridge and owe an immense debt of gratitude to our Catholic friends up the street. In 2002, our dreams of building our church were realized, and we moved into our own building.

Our church history page is a work in progerss, both as we catalog events in the past, and paint our future in Christ's service. We invite you to become a part of the church today and a piece of its history tomorrow.