Mount Calvary Lutheran Church facts for kids
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Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 279 Somers Rd., Luray, Virginia |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1848 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001068 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 3, 2008 |
Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, also known as Hawksbill Church, is a historic Lutheran church. It has an old cemetery next to it. The church is located near the town of Luray in Page County, Virginia, United States.
Contents
Church History
It is not known exactly when this church group first started. In 1765, a person named John Schwarbach gave 3 acres of land for the church. Peter Painter and Jacob Shaffer were trustees for the church at that time.
Early Names and Changes
The church was first called "Hoxbiehl" or "Hacksbill," which means Hawksbill. Later, it was called "Comer's Church" because many members had the last name Comer. Finally, it became known as "Mount Calvary."
The church was first served by the Pennsylvania Ministerium. In 1813, it joined with the Evangelical Lutheran North Carolina Synod. Then, in 1820, it became part of the Evangelical Lutheran Tennessee Synod.
Mount Calvary was originally a "union church." This means it was shared by both Lutheran and Reformed church members. However, the church insisted on using only the German language for all services. Because of this, the Reformed members decided to form their own separate church in 1832.
The church was very active for many years. Regular services continued until 1959, when they stopped.
Mother Church to Others
Mount Calvary was like a "mother church" to five other churches in Page County. These churches were started directly or indirectly from its members. They include:
- Morning Star (started November 29, 1873)
- Grace (started March 10, 1877)
- St. Mark’s (started 1876)
- St. James’ (Rileyville, started 1884)
- Beth Eden (started December 31, 1896)
Church Leaders: Pastors
A pastor is a leader in a Christian church. They guide the congregation and lead services. The following pastors have served Mount Calvary Church over the years:
- Johannes Schwarbach (1765-1775)
- Paul Henkel (1784-1823)
- James Hoffman (Reformed) (1796-1806)
- Wilhelm G. Forster (1798-1806)
- Johann Voltz (John Foltz) (1806-1810)
- Peter Schmucker (1813-1820)
- Paul Henkel (1821-1822)
- George Leidy (Reformed) (1822-1823)
- Ambrose Henkel (1823-1837)
- Jacob Stirewalt (1837-1860)
- Socrates Henkel (1860-1869)
- John Nathaniel Stirewalt (1869-1906)
- D.L. Miller (1907-1909)
- Philip Loy Snapp (1910–1921)
- Carroll Irving Morgan (1921-1925)
- Abner Lafayette Boliek (1927-1933)
- B.D. Castor (1934-1944)
- H.B. Arehart (1945-1954)
- R.H. Ebert (1956-1959)
Guest Pastors
Besides the main pastors, Peter Muhlenberg and Christian Streit also helped with services sometimes. They were from Madison County, Virginia.
Church Buildings Over Time
It is not known exactly when the first church building was put on this land. However, in 1765, Johannes Schwarbach gave 3 acres of land for the church.
The First Log Church
The very first church building was made of logs. It stood in front of and to the right of the building you see today. Even in 1937, people could still see where its foundation had been. This log church was shaped like a rectangle and had two front doors. It was used as both a church and a school.
Near this old log church, there was another two-story log building. This building was also used as a school.
The Current Building
The building that stands today is the third church on this spot. It was built in 1848. This church is a two-story building made of brick. It has a metal gable roof, which means the roof slopes down on two sides.
Since it was built, the church has not had any big additions. Only small changes have been made to the inside and outside. The church property also includes a small cemetery. There is also a wooden outhouse nearby. In 2008, the church was being restored. There was a chance it might be used for services again.
Historic Recognition
The Mount Calvary Lutheran Church is recognized as an important historic place. It was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register on June 17, 1998. Later, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 2008. These lists help protect important historical sites.
Church Records: The Register
A church register is like a special book that keeps records of important events. These include baptisms, marriages, and deaths.
The only existing church register for Mount Calvary was obtained in 1817. The first entries in the book are written in German. The book is about 32 centimeters long and 19 centimeters wide. It has two parts and two title pages. In 1979, the book was owned by Harry L. Comer, who lived in Page County, Virginia.
There are at least two English translations of the pages from this register:
- Finck, William J., translator. Early Records of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Page County, Virginia.
- Wust, Klaus, translator. The Record of Hawksbill Church 1788-1850 Page County, VA.
People say that an even older church register was lost during the American Civil War.
