The “old” Ladbergen church building had it’s beginning before 1750, possibly even in the 12th and 13th centuries.  The church shown in the photo above is really the second church building.  It is thought that prior to this time there has been a wooden chapel.  The “old” church was replaced by the large Gothic Church in the 1854-56 period.  Later in 1892 the church tower was added with bells.  Today the church building is regarded as one of the historical landmarks and state monuments in this part of Germany.

                 It is from this church and community that the early immigrants came to settle the new Knoxville community beginning with the 1830’s and continuing to the 1850’s with some coming later in the 1870’s.  They brought with them their heritage of church, culture and community which led them to give two congregations to the New Knoxville community, First United Church of Christ (1838) and the United Methodist Church (1843).

First United Church of Christ with the “Friedli Addition” on the West side and “Kunst Addition on the East side.

                 First Church, as a congregation, reaching back to 1838, has it’s own unique history.  Her roots as a church and congregation originate out of the Evangelical-Reformed Church congregation in Ladgergen.

                 Although the beginnings of this congregation had a real mother-daughter relationship with the congregation in Ladbergen, Germany and began with a strong feeling for the Reformed and Lutheran church traditions, it remained an “independent”  congregation with no formal relationship with any denomination in the United States in it’s early years.  In 1874 it affiliated with the Reformed Church, which was the “German-Branch” of the Reformed Church in the U.S.A.  This was a natural affiliation considering her heritage. 

                 In in 1934 First Reformed Church became the First Evangelical and Reformed Church. This was a result of the Reformed Church in the U.S. and the Evangelical Synod of North America uniting to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church.  Later in 1957, the Evangelical and Reformed church merged with the congregational Christian Churches to form the United Church of Christ which then gave to the New Knoxville congregation the name of First United church of Christ.

 

                 The people of New Knoxville in the early days gathered and worshipped in various homes in the community.  By 1838 the time had come to think of having a church building.  In 1840, the congregation purchased 15 acres of land on West South street. They  built a log cabin parsonage and also provided space for the first cemetery which is still there today but has been unused since 1896.  A log church was also built that year and served the community for over 12 years.

                 Our early church was a growing congregation, so in 1853 the congregation purchased the major portion of land where our present church is located.  On this property a simple, plain frame church was built.  In the beginning the building had no steeple, so a small bell was hung between two posts outside the church building to call people to worship.  Over the years the frame church was expanded and eventually in 1893—1894, it was moved westward on the property to make way for a new church building.

                 The third church building, built on the site of the frame church, was known as the “Noll-Church” for it was build during the ministry of Moritz Noll (1892-1898).  It was built during the years of 1893—1894 and is the “heart” of the present church building.  The building was dedicated on Sunday, August 26, 1894.

                 Later in 1912 & 1913 a large addition was added on the west side to serve Sunday school, Christian education, and social purposes.  This section of the church became known as the “Friedli Addition” as it was built while Josias Friedli was the pastor (1910-1915) and was dedicated on April 27, 1913.

                 As the church continued to grow there was need for another addition during the pastorate of Louis H. Kunst (1915-1933).  In 1922 , on the east side of the church, a basement, first floor, and second “balcony” floor was added which accommodated 400 additional worshippers.  This addition was dedicated on November 11, 1923.

                 Since the “Kunst Addition” in 1922 the church as been well maintained with various improvements made to the kitchen and west parking lot entrance, new doors, and a new organ to assist in worship through music.

 

First United Church of Christ

First Church Heritage

                                  First Church here in New Knoxville looks to the Evangelical-Reformed church in Ladbergen, West Germany as her mother-church as it was from this church that immigrants came to make their new homes here beginning in the 1930’s.

                 According to the earliest available documents, the church in Ladbergen began  in the year 950 A.D.  In 1149 the Ladbergen church was formed into an independent parish church.  The year 1517 brought  the Protestant Reformation and in 1527 the county of Tecklenburg (where Ladbergen is located) became the first county in Westphalia to become Protestant.  For some years the church was Lutheran in character.  In 1587 Count Arnold of Tecklenburg converted from the Lutheran to the Reformed Church and all churches in Tecklenburg became part of the Reformed Church.

 

 

The Evangelical-Reformed Church in Ladbergen, West Germany.

Information here taken from the First UCC book “Celebrating 150 Years, 1838-1988” and photos provided by Larry Niemeyer & Diane Fledderjohann