Luther Memorial Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luther Memorial Church |
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| Location | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Synod | South Central Wisconsin Synod, ELCA |
Luther Memorial Church is a big Lutheran church in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The church is known for its worship services, music, and community programs. Its beautiful building looks like an old cathedral. It was built in 1923 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
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Church History
Luther Memorial Church started in 1905. It began as a ministry for students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was the first Lutheran church in Madison to offer all its services in English.
In 1907, the group officially formed Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. They first held worship services in the Gates of Heaven Synagogue. Most members were university students and staff. In the same year, they also started the Lutheran Campus Center.
Early Buildings
In 1915, the church built a chapel at 626 University Avenue. It could seat 300 people. Local architects Claude & Starck designed it. The church planned for this building to become a Sunday school later. They wanted to build a much larger church next door.
The congregation moved their worship services to this new chapel. They were the first Lutheran church in Madison to hold services only in English. In 1918, they changed the church's name to Luther Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Designing the Main Church
In 1920, the church asked Claude & Starck to design a bigger building. They wanted it to look like the grand cathedrals in Europe. The architects designed a Neogothic-style building. This style has a strong vertical look, pointing towards the sky.
The front of the church is 100 feet tall. It has tall columns and buttresses around the main entrance. Above the entrance is a large stained glass window. A stone cross sits at the very top. The walls are made of light-colored limestone.
Inside, the main area, called the nave, is 150 feet long. It was designed to seat 1650 people. The beautiful stained glass windows were made by Gaytee Stained Glass Company. The roof is supported by steel beams. These beams are covered to look like wood. The pulpit, lectern, and baptismal font are carved from limestone. The altar was also carved from limestone.
Construction began in May 1921. The new church was officially opened on October 28, 1923. An education building was added later, between 1957 and 1959. The church building was named a Madison Landmark in 2011. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
Worship Services
Luther Memorial has traditional worship services. They include Holy Communion every Sunday and on other special days. A morning prayer service is also held each weekday. Services feature hymns and classical music.
Music Programs
Music is a very important part of Luther Memorial Church. Andrew Schaeffer has been the director of music since 2018. The church uses three different pipe organs during worship.
The church often hosts concerts. UW-Madison's choirs perform their winter concerts here. The famous St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig, a boys' choir from Germany, has performed here twice. Choirs from Luther College and St. Olaf College also perform regularly.
The church has several music groups:
- Adult choir: About 50 members sing sacred music. They perform on Sunday mornings.
- Chant choir: This group performs a monthly evening service called compline.
- Training choir: For children in kindergarten to second grade.
- Children's choir: For children aged 3 to 6.
- Youth choir: For young people aged 7 to 12.
- Recorder ensemble: Open to all ages.
- Bell choir: Plays music using handbells.
Helping the Community
Luther Memorial Church helps people in need. Here are some examples of their social ministry programs:
The Road Home
Since 1999, the church has helped homeless families. They were part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). This group, now called The Road Home, provides temporary housing for homeless people. Churches take turns hosting families. Luther Memorial hosted families until 2018.
Habitat for Humanity
Luther Memorial was the first church to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. In 1993, they raised money and provided volunteers. They helped build a house for a family in need.
University Campus Ministry
The church is located right next to the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. They welcome students to join all church activities. Luther Memorial also works with the Lutheran Campus Center (LCC). The LCC is next door and holds worship services at the church. The LCC pastor often preaches at Luther Memorial.
Preschool Program
The church ran a Christian-based preschool on site. It started in 1997. The preschool closed in 2015. This happened after the city school district began offering free kindergarten for four-year-old children.
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Luther Memorial Church
