Hanover Lutheran Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hanover Lutheran Church |
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Hanover's current church building in February 2011
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod |
| District | Missouri District |
| Leadership | Rev. Rod Benkendorf |
| Location | |
| Location | 2949 Perryville Road Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 63701, U.S.A. |
| Website | |
| Hanover Lutheran Church | |
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Old Hanover Lutheran Church
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Hanover's second church building
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | Regenhardt, William; Savers, Will |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001575 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1987 |
Hanover Lutheran Church is a Lutheran church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It is part of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. The church started in 1846 because many Germans moved to Missouri. Most of these families came from a place called Hanover, Germany. So, they named their new church "Hanover" to remember their home.
Hanover's first church was a log-cabin building. It was used from 1846 until 1887. Then, a second church was built on land given by Henry Krueger. This second church was used from 1887 until the current building was finished in 1969. The old church building is still standing today. Next to it is a schoolhouse built in 1923. On September 14, 1987, both buildings became part of the National Register of Historic Places. They are known as Historic Hanover Lutheran Church and School.
Today, about 579 people are members of Hanover Lutheran Church. Rev. Rod Benkendorf is the current pastor. Hanover is often called the "mother church" for other Lutheran churches nearby. These include Eisleben Lutheran Church in Scott City, Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills, and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. The church is located on Perryville Road in Cape Girardeau.
Contents
The Church's Story
German Families Settle in Missouri
In the 1800s, many German families moved to Missouri. They settled in areas along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. St. Louis became a big German city. Smaller towns like Hermann, Washington, and Cape Girardeau also became known for their German culture.
Before 1846, several Lutheran families came from Germany. They settled north of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Many came from cities like Hanover and Braunschweig. These families met for worship in their homes. Later, Daniel Bertling, a carpenter, let them use his carpentry shop for services.
First Church Building: 1846-1887
In 1846, the first Lutheran church was officially started. It was named "Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, Hannover, Cape Girardeau County, Missouri." This long name showed where many members came from in Europe. It also showed their new community northwest of Cape Girardeau.
Daniel Bertling gave land for the first log-cabin church. It was near where Melrose and Delwin streets are now. Church members cleared the land and prepared the logs. Many German settlers were skilled builders. They knew how to build with logs, as it was common in Germany.
The finished church building was about 25 feet by 40 feet. Inside, there was a pump organ, an altar, and a high pulpit. There was also a stove and benches without backs. The walls were whitewashed logs, and the floor was made of smoothed split logs. Men sat on the right side, and women sat on the left. This building was also used for Hanover's first day school. Christian August Lehmann, the first pastor, taught the classes.
In 1848, a small parsonage (pastor's house) was built. It was about 30 feet from the church. This building was also made of logs. In 1850, the first burial happened in the cemetery next to the church. By the mid-1870s, the church needed to move. Many members lived further north. In 1875, the church chose a new spot about 2 miles north on Perryville Road. They bought the land from the Christian Niemeier family. The next year, a new parsonage and a school building were finished.
Second Church Building: 1887-1969
In 1887, Henry Krueger, a church member, gave land for a new church. This land was across the road from the new parsonage and school. The new church was built in a pretty, wooded area on a gentle hill. This was typical for German churches in rural Missouri. The church was built with great care and skill.
William Regenhardt, a local builder, finished the church in 1887. It was made of red brick, which Germans often used for building. The walls were very strong, three bricks thick. This showed the German love for good craftsmanship and lasting buildings. The church design was simple. It had round or pointed-arch windows, like Romanesque and Gothic styles. Sandstone from a local quarry was used for parts of the church. Above the front door, a stone shows the church's name and the year it was built. The tall bell tower was covered with metal. Inside, the ceiling was vaulted and covered with decorative tin. Stairs led to a balcony at the back.
In 1923, a new one-room school building was built next to the church. It taught students from kindergarten to eighth grade. After finishing, students could go to any public high school in Missouri. Between 1924 and 1955, the school had up to 42 students. Will Savers, a local contractor, built the school. Church members dug the basement by hand. The red brick school also showed high-quality work, like the church. The school's design was simple and common for schools of that time. It had a rounded doorway with a date stone, similar to the church. The windows on the sides were also arched. In 1935, a 20-foot addition was built for the Hanover Dramatic Club.
Over the years, Hanover Lutheran became known as the "mother church." It helped start other churches in the county. These include Eisleben Lutheran (1851), Trinity Lutheran (1854), Egypt Mills Lutheran (1867), and St. Paul Lutheran (1893). All the original buildings of these other churches have been torn down. This makes Hanover Lutheran the only historic German Lutheran church building left in Cape Girardeau. Because of its importance, the church decided to keep the old brick church and school. This happened after a new, larger church was built in 1969.
Third Church Building: 1969-Present
Hanover Lutheran Church needed a new building again. The 1887 church was no longer big enough. Cape Girardeau was growing, and Hanover was changing from a rural area to a suburb. A committee planned a new, modern church building. The plan was approved by everyone in 1968. To build the new church, the old parsonage had to be taken down. On October 14, 1968, the church approved the cost of $162,290 for the new building.
The new church building was finished in 1969. It was dedicated on November 30 of that year. Between 1700 and 1800 people came to the dedication services. Special speakers included Rev. E. H. Koerber, Rev. Walter H. Schwaub, and Rev. Herman C. Scherer. Rev. Ellis Rottman was the pastor at this time.
Since then, other buildings have been added. In 1991, an addition to the church provided space for meetings, offices, and classrooms. Hanover's Men's Club built a place to prepare for their Sausage Supper. The church's Dartball team also uses this building. A pavilion was built nearby for outdoor events. Finally, in 2008, Hanover finished its newest building, the Activity Center. It has a full-size gymnasium, a modern kitchen, and extra classrooms for youth activities.
Church Leaders and Activities
Pastors of Hanover Lutheran Church
The most recent pastor of Hanover Lutheran Church is Rod Benkendorf. He started in February 2021. He studied at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
Hanover Lutheran Church has a staff of six people. This includes a secretary, a housekeeper, a music director, and a youth director. The church is part of the Cape Girardeau circuit of the Missouri District. Besides Sunday morning worship, the church offers Sunday school classes. There are also Bible study classes for adults and activities for youth. The music program includes an adult choir and handbell ringers.
Here are the pastors who have served Hanover Lutheran Church:
- Christian August Lehmann (1846-1854)
- Robert Knoll (1855-1857)
- Frederick R. Daries (1857-1865)
- E. Veerhoff (1865-1866)
- T. Schwab (1866-1868)
- Wilhelm Gottfried Weissinger (1869-1870)
- William Gustav Polack (1870-1877)
- H. Guemmer (1877-1886)
- O. R. Heuschen (1886-1892)
- Charles Rehahn (1892-1903)
- H. H. Kellermann (1903-1906)
- George Kirschke (1907-1908)
- Albert Bernthal (1908-1916)
- E. C. Schutt (1917-1922)
- Alexander Wagner (1923-1928)
- William Wittrock (1928-1955)
- Robert J. Mueller (1956-1957)
- William Opitz (1958-1960)
- David Loesch (1962-1966)
- Ellis T. Rottmann (1968-1973)
- Robert J. Daniel (1974-1989)
- Jeffrey E. Sippy (1990-2002)
- Daniel Hackney (2004-2008)
- Roger Henning (2008-2009)
- Anthony Kobak (2009-2019)
- Rod Benkendorf (2021-present)
