Though St. John's Evangelical Lutheran was the first of the three to be built on the shore, it is only the second oldest of the trio. Trinity United Church (originally a Presbyterian Church) was built in 1861 some distance from the shore and moved to its present location in 1885. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran was built in 1869 and the last of the three, St. James’ Anglican, was consecrated in 1887.
Today the "Three Churches" are the most photographed buildings in the town, though among them are other, if less spectacular, heritage buildings to be found along the shore, as well.
Mahone Bay was settled around 1754 and had no house of worship until 1833, when Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians banded together to build the Union and Harmony Church.
The first church erected in Mahone Bay according to M.B. DesBrisay’s “History of the County of Lunenburg”, was a Union building commenced July 17, 1833. Four denominations worshipped here in turn - Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists. The Lutheran trustee was Peter Strum.
The Rev. W.W. Bowers, of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Maryland, was called in 1863 and served the large body of Lutherans, most of them in the Mahone Bay area. He began his duties on December 1, 1863.
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Mahone Bay was first fully organized as a District Congregation on June 6, 1864, when the following persons were chosen as officers of the church: Nathan Kedy, Thomas Ernst (my great-great grandfather), Phillip Aulenbach, Frederick Ernst, and James Hiltz.
On October 20, 1866, a motion was made, quoting from the minutes, “to proceed to erect a new Lutheran Church building in Mahone Bay”. The motion was carried unanimously and it was noted that “money already collected for such an endeavour was $1,263.00"...
...The original church building was erected “near to the water’s edge and was 38 feet by 50 feet with a 20 foot post, a gallery, and a graceful spire, furnished with a bell"...
...On January 1, 1903, the annual congregational meeting voted $4,000.00 for renovating and improving the church and building a Sunday School area in connection with it.
The following August, the cornerstone was laid. The cornerstone contained the elements of the Lord’s Supper, coins - all bearing the image of King Edward VII (1902), the Constitution and Charter of the Congregation, Church Almanac of 1903, a Church Book, The Lutheran (a magazine of the church), the Signal, and the Progress-Enterprise.
By December 26, 1912, the mortgage was paid off and a month later St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church held Jubilee Services.
On January 3, 1926, the pipe organ was purchased for $5,000.00 and was dedicated with Miss Gladys Conrad at the console. Sermons were by the Rev. F.L. Wartzell, the Rev. George P. Endy, and the Rev. George Innis.
From St. John's Lutheran
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is situated at 89 Edgewater Street, Mahone Bay, NS. It is set centrally in the group of eight heritage properties that line the shore road at the head of the harbour. It is a wood frame structure built in simple Gothic Revival style and painted white with minimal black trim. Completed in 1869, then expanded and renovated in 1903, St. John’s Lutheran Church was the first of Mahone Bay’s famous “Three Churches” to be built at the shore. Municipal Heritage Designation applies to the land and building.
HERITAGE VALUE
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is valued as a community landmark; for its contribution to the group of heritage properties on Edgewater Street; for its age and association with the history of religious and community life of Mahone Bay; and, as a good example of Gothic Revival architecture.
Built in 1869, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church was the first church to be located in the commanding position on the main road from the east at the head of Mahone Bay harbour. Within two decades it was joined by the Anglican and Presbyterian churches. With St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in the middle, these churches are collectively well-recognized and known as Mahone Bay’s “Three Churches.” Their prominence and visibility enabled mariners to line up the three steeples for direction. Together with five other historic places, including the “Old Burying Ground at Mush-a-Mush” (now Bayview Cemetery) on Edgewater Street, the three churches comprise a significant representation of Mahone Bay’s history during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
In the early years of settlement starting in 1754, the foreign Protestants worshipped in nearby communities, local halls or in homes. In 1833, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians built the Union and Harmony Church near the Old Burying Ground with trustees from all four denominations, with Peter Strum as the Lutheran trustee. The growing population in the late 1800’s led to construction of individual churches. By 1864, the Lutherans had formally organized as a congregation and in 1866 voted unanimously to call Rev. W.W. Bowers and also to build their own church. St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church was ready by 1869 and was reported to be the site of the first decorated Christmas tree in any church in the province. The earliest ministers spoke German. In 1876, the Reverend J.A. Scheffer was the first English speaking minister and ministered in both languages.
In 1903 the church was widened, retaining its original structural features, and renovated in a simpler version of Gothic Revival style with almost no embellishment. The pointed window arches were replaced with rounded arches. The original slender, graceful spire was retained. Sunday school additions were made at the rear in 1965 and 1970.
For the past 140 years, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church has played a continuous role in community and religious life. The congregation is active in worship and social outreach, and collaborates with other Mahone Bay churches in ecumenical services and projects such as the food bank. It has a strong music program and is also one of the venues for the “Music at the Three Churches” series each summer.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
Character-defining elements of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church relate to its function as a place of worship, contribution to the grouping of heritage properties, and simple Gothic Revival architecture and include:
- location within a group of eight heritage properties at the head of the harbour;
- arched transoms over main entrance in the front steeple tower and over the side entrance to church hall;
- central main entry flanked on each side by two tall, slender double-pane arched windows stepped down in height to fit under the roof line;
- simple label moldings over all doors and windows;
- slender steeple topped with cross atop bell tower with arched openings;
- simple scheme of white paint with black on label moldings;
- set of three triple-pane arched windows on each side;
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- interior elements including posts in the side aisles which are structural components of the original exterior walls; and original woodwork on ceiling and pews.
From Historic Places Canada