LUCAS – When Shirley Kirkendall and her family began attending the Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church in Lucas in 1986, there was a man who’d say, “I don’t know how long the doors will stay open.”
But more than three decades later, Kirkendall and the rest of the congregation celebrated the church’s 150th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 15 with a special 2 p.m. service at the quaint, red brick building, located at 2769 Pleasant Valley Rd. in Lucas.
“I was thrilled to see so many folks here,” said Reverend Dr. David Aune, who’s been with the church since 2002. “It was nice to see people connected to the church who came for this.”
Aune says it’s already been a “big year” for Lutherans, as 2017 is the 500th anniversary of the reformation.
“All these celebrations are opportunities to reflect, but also to say, where are we in the mission we have,” the Reverend said.
Bishop Abraham Allende – who serves more than 160 Lutheran congregations across 20 counties in Northeastern Ohio – also attended the service.
“Normally, when congregations celebrate a significant anniversary like this, it’s a custom to invite the bishop to join and be a part of that celebration, so that’s why I’m here, but I enjoy this,” Allende said. “I draw strength from this. It keeps me connected to the people I serve, and I think it’s meaningful to the people, too, providing a connection to the wider church.”
The Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church’s building was dedicated on Oct. 6, 1967. The first pastor to serve the church was Rev. D.I. Foust.
But the idea of having a Lutheran church in Pleasant Valley came two years earlier with a suggestion made by Rev. William Gilbreth of Sonora, Ohio.
In August 1866, the church’s cornerstone was laid on ground donated by Charles Schrack. Construction was completed in 1987 at a cost of about $3,000.
The church now sees about 25 people at each Sunday service. Kirkendall, the church’s secretary and council president, says that in time “where small churches are struggling,” the Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church has “kept life going” through its programs and projects.
In honor of its 150th anniversary, for instance, the congregation collected soup for a food pantry and books for the United Way’s Big Red Book Shelf Program. The goal was to “collect 150” in honor of the anniversary, but that benchmark was surpassed in both collections.
To learn more about the Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church call (419) 892-3601. Weekly services are held at 9 a.m. Sundays at 2769 Pleasant Valley Rd.
