Salem and Grace Lutheran churches have now ‘united’ And the two shall become one.
Much like a marriage of a civil union, two Wood County Lutheran congregations have consolidated to form one congregation on January 29, 2012.
Grace Lutheran Church, 216 Main Street, Luckey, and Salem Lutheran Church, 20144 Bradner Road, Pemberville, have now merged as Salem Grace United Lutheran Church.
According to Don Brewer, the two storied congregations have been discussing the merger since last September. The merger vote was held in February with the merger becoming effective this month.
Brewer has served as the “interim” pastor at Salem for roughly five years; while Steven Bull has been the interim pastor at Grace. Both pastors will continue to serve the combined congregation with Bull being the “weekday pastor” and Brewer serving as the “Sunday supply” pastor. The combined worship is currently being held at the Salem location, 20144 Bradner Road. According to Brewer, current plans are to worship at Salem in the spring and fall; and hold the worship at Grace during the summer and winter months. The congregation will move its worship to Grace in June.
Grace has served the Luckey area since the early 1900’s; while Salem was established in rural Pemberville in 1840. It has been the “mother church” to many other area congregations.
Brewer said the two churches will be better able to manage finances and be a more vibrant congregation thanks to the merger. Both original churches have been affiliated with Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, as will the combined. The ELCA synod is expected to accept the new congregation in May. Grace houses a “give-away” store call Grace’s Place and is also home to “The Loft”, a meeting place for youth of the area. Scout troops will also continue to use the Luckey facility.
“We are one congregation with two buildings”, Brewer said. “Final decisions about the buildings will be made down the road”.
He also indicated the congregation is hoping to call a seminarian to become its pastor later this year. Worship time for the congregation is 10:15 a.m. with Sunday School preceding at 9 a.m. The upcoming Easter worship will be at the Bradner Road church. Brewer said the combined worship is averaging about 70 worshippers.
One of the upcoming projects for the newly-merged congregation is to supply 75 Easter baskets to an inner-city congregation (Salem Church) in Toledo.
Mission statement: Salem Grace United Lutheran Church is a faith community empowered by the Holy Spirit to minister to all the love of Christ.