Tweet

Grand View University has a deep-rooted bond to Luther Memorial Church spiritually, but this bond is also physical. Many students do not know that GV’s Lutheran roots come from a building on the campus that is almost as old as the university itself. Built by the same people who founded GV, Luther Memorial Church served as a place of worship for both those attending the college as well as the community around it. Both the church and school were considered one entity. In fact, the church owned the college up until sometime in the mid-1940s, according to Pastor Russell Lackey.

Many students on campus do not fully understand the importance of this landmark on campus. But, Pastor Russell Lackey (Pastor Russ) does. Pastor Russ is the current pastor on the GV campus and the head pastor of the Luther Memorial Church. He spoke on the history of the church.

“The church was built in 1917 for the 400th anniversary of the Reformation,” Lackey said.

With this age come a variety of problems: Leaky roofs, no handicap-accessible bathrooms and many other inconveniences. Pastor Russ and others on campus wanted to see this historic, important location thriving again, so talks began of a full restoration of the entire building.

“In 2017, a committee was started up to say, ‘what could we do for the 100th anniversary of the church building?’ and that began conversations, and from that, it led to the committee wanting to restore the building,” Lackey said. “We also wanted to build new space for the campus ministry team as well as a community center so that we can engage the community.”

With these new plans, not only is the original church undergoing a complete facelift, but it is also gaining add-ons that will benefit campus life and community around it. These additions are meant to speak to the original purpose of the church: to show the love of God to everyone around it. Pastor Russ also discussed the importance of each of the three parts of the renovation.

“It is a restoration of the original {church}, that’s the sanctuary… is a {renovation} of the past,” Lackey said. “The next part is for the present. The doors were kind of heavy, we didn’t have a functioning elevator, the bathrooms were not handicap-accessible. So, this moves us to the present. On the other side is for the future {in the community center} which will be a way to engage the community.”

The restoration is much deeper than just an old landmark in need of some TLC. It is a restoration of the mind, body and soul of GV, as well. The mind is referring to the educational value of GV, the body is a reference to the body of the church, which will be shown through the community center in growing the church, and the soul is talking about the church itself.

Students need to be more aware of the role that the church has played in GV campus life throughout its long life, according to Pastor Russ, the church has been a cornerstone and provision for the college through thick and thin, he said.

“From its history, (the church and school) have never been apart,” Lackey said. “Now, they are two different institutions. But it’s as much Grand View as Grand View is the church.”

He went on to explain that many members of the church are GV alumni and at one point, the president of the university was the head pastor of the church as well. Through these connections, it goes to show that the church cares deeply for the college.

The groundbreaking for the renovation was October 1, 2019. They hope to be completely done and have the church body moved back into the church sometime before Christmas of 2020.