On October 27, 2011, the church facility of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Martensdale, Iowa was consumed by fire. The building and its contents were a total loss.
The faith community held worship at Martensdale/St. Mary’s School on Sunday, October 30. Under the care of Pastors Keith Lingwall and Ron Mohr, the congregation stood as a witness that the church is not a building but rather a community of believers. Bishop Michael Burk joined the congregation for worship, bringing greetings from congregations and synods across the ELCA, assuring the assembly that they were not alone in the midst of this devastation.
The congregation holds worship services at the Church of the Assumption in Churchville, Iowa and are in prayerful conversations regarding future building plans. In the meantime, the leadership of St. Paul Lutheran has provided a list of needs, printed below.
In-Kind Donations
Those who are willing to donate the following items are asked to contact Pastor Eric Carlson, Assistant to the Bishop, at [email protected] with the items you are willing to provide. When items are donated, the information will be updates on this webpage. Please contact Pastor Carlson prior to purchasing or donating the items below, to make sure those items haven’t already been donated.
Needs
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Pew Edition) – 6
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Accompaniment Edition: Service Music and Hymns, 2-volume edition
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Accompaniment Edition: Liturgies
- Pouring Chalice
Longer Term Needs
- White board and stand with dry erase markers
Financial Donations
Financial donations are also welcome. An account for St. Paul Lutheran Church has been established at the Center for Synod Ministry in Iowa City. Please send checks payable to The Southeastern Iowa Synod, with “St. Paul, Martensdale” on the memo line. Checks can be sent to:
Kathy Smith
Southeastern Iowa Synod
2635 Northgate Drive
Iowa City, IA 52245
