Lutheran museum opens in Kirkwood - STLtoday.com
KIRKWOOD The second-largest Lutheran denomination in North America opened a museum Sunday at its international headquarters on Kirkwood Road, telling the story of its growth since being founded in 1847 in the St. Louis area by Saxon and German immigrants seeking religious freedom.
One can see editions of some of Martin Luther's books from the mid-1500s; a model of a ship that brought Lutherans to America in 1838; and the carriage that carried the synod's first president. One can also hear radio broadcasts from the 1940s played on KFUO, the nation's longest continually running Christian radio station.
"It's the first time we've had a place to go and get one good overview of our church," said Sally Krueger, 53, of the Affton area. "We learn about it and talk about it, but it's so nice to see it come alive in photographs and visuals."
The Saxons arrived in the St Louis area in 1839 and bought more than 4,000 acres in Perry County. The museum describes their early struggles and tells of the leaders who stepped in to establish and grow the synod. The synod founded the Concordia Seminary and Concordia Publishing House in the St. Louis area in the late 1800s.
Today, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, has more than 6,000 congregations, 9,000 clergy members and 800 missionaries across the world. The synod has two seminaries, 10 colleges and universities and operates one of the largest Protestant school systems. About 600 people work out of the headquarters just north of Intestate 44.
More than 200 people attended Sunday's dedication. The Rev. Raymond Hartwig told the crowd the museum offers "great encouragement, reminding each one of what is important in this world, and reminding each one to be strong."
The museum is run by the Concordia Historical Institute, founded in 1927 to collect historical items and records of the synod. Its holdings stored at the institute's headquarters at Concordia Seminary in Clayton include more than 2.5 million documents and 7,500 artifacts. For the past three years, researchers have worked to summarize the information for the museum.
"It's nice that someone else gleaned that out for us," Krueger said. "It's nice to come away with a little nugget."
By Michele Munz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/27/2009ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
KIRKWOOD The second-largest Lutheran denomination in North America opened a museum Sunday at its international headquarters on Kirkwood Road, telling the story of its growth since being founded in 1847 in the St. Louis area by Saxon and German immigrants seeking religious freedom.
One can see editions of some of Martin Luther's books from the mid-1500s; a model of a ship that brought Lutherans to America in 1838; and the carriage that carried the synod's first president. One can also hear radio broadcasts from the 1940s played on KFUO, the nation's longest continually running Christian radio station.
"It's the first time we've had a place to go and get one good overview of our church," said Sally Krueger, 53, of the Affton area. "We learn about it and talk about it, but it's so nice to see it come alive in photographs and visuals."
The Saxons arrived in the St Louis area in 1839 and bought more than 4,000 acres in Perry County. The museum describes their early struggles and tells of the leaders who stepped in to establish and grow the synod. The synod founded the Concordia Seminary and Concordia Publishing House in the St. Louis area in the late 1800s.
Today, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, has more than 6,000 congregations, 9,000 clergy members and 800 missionaries across the world. The synod has two seminaries, 10 colleges and universities and operates one of the largest Protestant school systems. About 600 people work out of the headquarters just north of Intestate 44.
More than 200 people attended Sunday's dedication. The Rev. Raymond Hartwig told the crowd the museum offers "great encouragement, reminding each one of what is important in this world, and reminding each one to be strong."
The museum is run by the Concordia Historical Institute, founded in 1927 to collect historical items and records of the synod. Its holdings stored at the institute's headquarters at Concordia Seminary in Clayton include more than 2.5 million documents and 7,500 artifacts. For the past three years, researchers have worked to summarize the information for the museum.
"It's nice that someone else gleaned that out for us," Krueger said. "It's nice to come away with a little nugget."
