Reflecting on the past, preserving the future

Since its construction in the mid-1920s, the inside of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, on the corner of Grand Avenue and Edna Court, hasn’t changed much.

Courtesy St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

The parish expanded its property in the 1960s and built a pre-school, which now has about 80 students.

Courtesy St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Rev. Edward Barnett, left, has been pastor since 1999. Longtime parishioner Brit Birkelund and renovation committee member Tom Brady said they would be sad to see the current building change, but look forward to what’s next for the parish.

Brian Croce/Herald

The interior will undergo the first phase of renovations this summer.

Brian Croce/Herald

Courtesy St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

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The inside of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church hasn’t changed much in its 90-plus years — original pews and altar included.

But the small church on Grand Avenue, between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road, is about to begin the first stage of a planned two-summer facelift to commemorate the parish’s 100th anniversary in October 2016.

In the coming weeks, work will begin on updating the church’s altar — because of its setup, the Rev. Edward Barnett currently celebrates mass each week with his back to the congregants. New carpet will be installed and the walls will be treated to a fresh coat of paint, among other projects. “We’ve got to get it into the ’80s,” joked Tom Brady, a parishioner for 11 years and a member of the renovation committee.

There is no air conditioning in the church, so services are held in a meeting hall below in the summer months. This will give workers enough time to finish their work over the summer so parishioners can return to the church in early fall.

There was some trepidation among parishioners, Barnett said, when talk of renovations began more than a year ago. Since the church has such a long history, some wanted to keep it the same, he added.

A parishioner since 1970, Brit Birkelund, said there was a difference of opinion on how best to move forward, but most agreed that upgrades were necessary. “I like it like this way, too,” she said. “I’ve been here a long time. But I realize that at some point you need to change things.”

“My sense,” Barnett said of the renovations, “is that people, even the ones who are emotional, are realistic that something needs to be done.”

“We’ll miss it right away,” Birkelund added, “but we’ll get used to it.”

A long history

The parish was established in 1916, and residents first met in a wood firehouse on Grand Avenue. A wood chapel opened in 1918 on the corner of Edna Court and Haig Street, and in 1924 the church that currently stands on Grand and Edna held its first service, three years after land had been purchased for the building for $5,500.