Photo by The
Carolina Scoop's Jon Mayhew
Daniels Lutheran Church in Vale is
one of Lincoln County's most historic churches,
dating back to the 1780s.
HISTORIC
DANIELS LUTHERAN STILL ACTIVE CONGREGATION
By
Jon Mayhew
VALE -- Many
of it's 190-plus member congregation are in their
80s and 90s. And with a history
dating back to the 1780s, the casual observer
wouldn't think that Daniels Lutheran Church is an
active congregation.
Think again.
Under the
leadership of Pastor Ted Bost, the church is
currently enjoying a far-reaching period of
activity. The
church is also enjoying major growth in the face
of tough economic times.
And the church,
a part of the West Lincoln landscape on more than
65 acres of land since the 1770s, isn't slowing
down in the Vale community.
Bost, pastor of
the congregation since July 2002, hasn't slowed
down either.
Daniels Lutheran
was his first call, his first pastorate. A former
car repairman and even radio announcer,
Bost said he knows the importance of being
involved in the community.
"
Photo by
The Carolina Scoop's Jon Mayhew
Pastor Ted Bost looks over a sign
promoting the history and future of Daniels
Lutheran Church.
"Our kids are
greatly involved, having recently served
breakfast at Christian ministry," said
Bost. "We also had a cow milking booth at
the Relay for Life earlier this year and also had
the recent Blessing of the Animals."
Bost's church
also recently fed the West Lincoln High football
team and the church held an appreciation dinner
for
West Lincoln emergency service workers including
deputies, rescue workers and firefighters from
three departments.
Bost said his
congregation is progressive and involved while
remembering its historical roots.
Photo by The Carolina Scoop's Jon
Mayhew
The historical marker outside
Daniels Lutheran Church in Vale.
The current
congregational home of Daniels Lutheran is the
third building on site since the early 1770s.
Bost
said there is a church building next door that
was used as the reformed church until 1970.
"We've
owned the building since and part of our
agreement in ownership is that we maintain
the building," said Bost, adding the old
church is sometimes used for life events such as
weddings and funerals.
Bost said while
remembering its history and present, the church
also looks towards its future.
Part of that future holds in the new addition,
currently being built at the church.
Photo by The Carolina Scoop's Jon
Mayhew
Pastor Ted Bost stands in the new
addition of Daniels Lutheran Church.
The new addition
is 8,000 square feet and cost $925,000 according
to Bost.
The challenge,
said Bost, is to take on that level of debt with
a small congregation.
"We just
completed a capital campaign, where we raised
around $400,000," said Bost, adding the goal
of the campaign was $425,000.
To tie the
current building in with the new structure, Bost
had one of the stained glass windows removed from
the structure. It
was placed into the new addition.
"The reason
there are so many windows is to give the feeling
of openness," said Bost. "People
passing by on
Reepsville Road can see a busy congregation at
work."
The new addition
will primarily house classrooms and a new
fellowship hall.
"We've had
space needs for the church," said Bost.
"I knew that when I came here."
Bost said that
when the parish house is used as a fellowship
hall, the space is tight.
And for a church
that holds between five and eight major family
reunions per year, there needs to be
more space.
In the process
of planning the new addition, Bost said the
church discovered the need for a bridal parlor.
"A bride
would have to walk outside to get into the
church, and she would be at the mercy of the
weather," said Bost.
"The bride would be at the mercy of the
weather. With this new addition, however, brides
now have a place to prepare."
Bost said the
message to the community about Daniels Lutheran
-- and church in general -- is God's mission
through the church is
to reconcile everyone to relationship with God.
"God's
primary vehicle for a relationship with Him is
the church," said Bost.
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