225th Anniversary Scrapbook

442 West Hill Road
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826
(908)537-4824

Rev. Gary V. Ettlemyer, Pastor

Beginning in September 1999, we launched our year-long celebration of the 225^th anniversary of the Spruce Run Lutheran Church. This web page contains some of the events and highlights.

What was happening in history around the time the Spruce Run Lutheran Church was founded?

Year	Event
1764	British inventor James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny used in textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution.
1769	Scottish inventor and engineer James Watt patented the steam engine (Watt's was the first practical design).
1770	Ludwig van Beethoven was born.
1775	There were only about 20 British colonies in North America (counting Canadian and Caribbean provinces).
1775	Spruce Run Lutheran Church founded.
1776	Spanish officer Juan Bautista de Anza founded San Francisco (consisted of a mission and a fort).
1776	The Continental Congress voted in favor of separation and signed the Declaration of Independence.
1783	Michel and Montgolfier became the first humans to fly. They flew in a hot-air balloon.
1784	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed one of his famous operas, The Marriage of Figaro.
1789	Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin used to separate raw cotton fibers from seeds and other foreign materials prior to baling and marketing.
1804	Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the territory west of the Mississippi River acquired by the USA from France in the Louisiana Purchase.

Commemorative Medal

Spruce Run Lutheran Church has released a beautiful commemorative medal to mark its 225^th anniversary of the congregation. Emphasizing the congregation's local historical roots and its long Lutheran heritage, the medal features an image of the church building from a very early photograph. On the other side of the medal is an image of Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon distributing Holy Communion.

Annual Congregational Picnic

As part of our 225^th Anniversary Celebration, the Annual Congregational Picnic was held at the new Lebanon Township Memorial Recreation Park. It was a day of good food, fellowship, and fun and games.

Pentecost Sunday

On Pentecost Sunday, Bishop E. Roy Riley joined us in worship and festivities. Ten young people who completed the Confirmation Program at Spruce Run Lutheran Church were confirmed and there were dedications and blessings of the new chancel cross, the new church sign, communion vessels and linens. The new church steps were completed for the occasion.

This day was the highlight of our 225^th Anniversary Celebration.

Church Cornerstone Time Capsule Opened

The contents of the time capsule were displayed after our worship service in July. The tin box containing church books, documents and a few coins was placed in the cornerstone when the church was built in 1870.

Time Capsule Contents

A Year 2000 Time Capsule will be placed in the cornerstone before the cornerstone is put back in the church building foundation.

ELCA Youth Gathering 2000

LYO Members Attend ELCA Youth Gathering 2000
in St. Louis

During the summer of our 225^th Anniversary Celebration, members of the Spruce Run Lutheran Church LYO attended the ELCA Youth Gathering 2000 held in St. Louis, Missouri. A continental style brunch was hosted by the LYO in September to share their trip with the congregation and to thank the congregation for its support.

Anniversary Cookbook

To celebrate our 225^th Anniversary, recipes were compiled by the Spruce Run Women of the ELCA into a cookbook.

New Members

We welcomed new members who joined Spruce Run Lutheran Church during the summer of our 225^th Anniversary Celebration.

Worshipping Together

During our 225^th Anniversary Celebration, we were one of the first ELCA congregations in our area to hold a joint worship service with our brothers and sisters from the Reformed Church in America.

On Ash Wednesday, our congregation and the congregation from the Lebanon Reformed Church in Lebanon, NJ, worshipped together at the Spruce Run Lutheran Church. Rev. Janet Johnston, Pastor of the Lebanon Reformed Church, presented the sermon and we jointly celebrated the Holy Eucharist. The choirs of both churches participated in the service.

The joint service was based on A Formula of Agreement through which the ELCA has full pulpit and altar fellowship with the Reformed Church in America.

Traditional Pork & Oyster Dinner

In October, as a 225^th Anniversary Celebration community event, we prepared our Traditional Pork & Oyster Dinner. This dinner had been an annual event for many years in the history of the church.

Historical Display of
Spruce Run Lutheran Church Memorabilia

During our 225^th Anniversary Celebration, memorabilia from the Spruce Run Lutheran Church past was on display at the Township of Lebanon Museum in New Hampton.

In September, the descendants of the Fritts family held their annual family reunion at the church. The Fritts family was a charter member of the Spruce Run Lutheran Church in 1775.

On a Friday night in October, members of the church gathered in the Fellowship Hall for an old time Family Night Covered Dish Supper. Photos, slides and movies were shown of past church events and activities from as long ago as the 1940s. A good time was had by all.

On All Saints Sunday, the congregation walked to the cemetery across from the church on West Hill Road for a special prayer. Many of the charter members (from 1775) of the Spruce Run Lutheran Church are buried there.

The Last 225^th Anniversary Event

On November 26, 2000, a luncheon was held at the church after the 11:00 A.M. service to mark the end of the 225^th Anniversary Celebration. The Year 2000 Time Capsule was prepared to include current information and important documents of the church as well as the information found in the cornerstone from 1870.

We would like to thank the people who were on the 225^th Anniversary Celebration Committee for their effort in making this year-long celebration special for the church and its members.

Back to the Spruce Run Lutheran Church Home Page.

Webmaster: Vic Sainz
Medal and Church Sign photos: Sam Lannigan
New Member Picture: William Pugh
Time capsule photo: Sam Smith
Border Art: Claire Bull
Visit the ELCA home page.