Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church, which celebrated its centennial a year ago, had a unique opportunity on September 3, 2006. The only other Scandinavian "Lutherans" in southern Alabama, celebrated their centennial.

     The genesis of the two Scandinavian churches was different. Each church shared a common link with the other, as components of the Scandinavian synod called "Augustana."

     Zion Lutheran Church, on its part, shared a common foundation with what is now Silverhill First Baptist Church and Silverhill Covenant Church. In Silverhill the Scandinavians were Swedes and differentiated into three Protestant "flavors." The churches each developed from a common meeting site in the Svea Company's Land Office, beginning in 1896. Swedish church development in those early years was pretty much complete by 1905 with the organization of "Swedish Lutheran Zion Church" following the organization of the Swedish Baptists and Swedish Covenanters. But there was catastrophe for all denominations with the late 1906 hurricane! Although church activities continued after the hurricane, there is little extant documentation concerning actual church activities in the case of Zion Lutheran until 1913. Major population loss occurred through the Silverhill area after that momentous hurricane.

     St. Elmo's religious experience, on its part, was somewhat different. Three churches with buildings existed prior to the 1906 hurricane, but each was destroyed in the catastrophe. The churches were not Scandinavian and the community had no apparent Scandinavian flavor. Community church activities in homes were initiated after the hurricane event. Norwegians came into the community beginning in 1908 and were active in the home-community church. The Norwegians supported an effort by the Augustana Synod to provide spiritual services by organizing as "St. Elmo English Lutheran Church," apparently within the community church umbrella. St. Elmo English Lutheran Church would ultimately be folded into what is now a community church known as St. Elmo Bible Church.

     St. Elmo English Lutheran Church with its Norwegians began a fellowship with Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church relatively early in the last century. It is apparent that the original connection appears related to their common synodical connection with the Augustana Synod and with common Scandinavian heritage. (Sweden governed Norway into the 1900s.) In the 1920s there are extant records of common fellowship activities, one church traveling to the other for friendship and picnic activities. A continuing loose association has continued till the present time.

     Commemorating their century of fellowship, Zion Lutheran Church members Martha and Charles Canning, Henri and Ernest Burnett, and Cindi and Pastor Dave Johnson, brought greetings to the St. Elmo Bible Church congregation on the afternoon of its centenary and presented a plaque honoring the event. The cherry wood blue marble plaque read:

Zion Lutheran Church commemorated its historical and long-term relationship with
St. Elmo Bible Church on its 100th Anniversary.
September 3, 2006
Click to enlarge each photo.

Delegation from Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church commemorated its historical and long-term relationship with St. Elmo Bible Church on its 100th Anniversary. Both churches stem from the work of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Synod in 1905 and 1906, which worked with Scandinavian immigrants. Members of Zion (l to r) joining in festivities posed in front of the historic St. Elmo Bible Church building: Martha and Charles Canning, Cindi and Pastor Dave Johnson, and Henri and Ernie Burnett. St. Elmo Bible Church's pastor, Pastor John Canning, is Mr. Canning's brother.

Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church Council member Charles Canning (l) brought greetings to his brother, Pastor John Canning (c) from St. Elmo Bible Church. Pastor Dr. Brice Evans (r) joined in the festivities.

After morning worship festivities, Pastor Dave Johnson and Mr. Charles Canning of Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill, Pastor John Canning of St. Elmo Bible Church, and Pastor Dr. Brice Evans of Mobile (l to r), exchanged greetings at St. Elmo Bible Church's Centennial Event.

Zion Lutheran Church members from Silverhill, Pastor Dave and Cindi Johnson, Charles and Martha Canning, and Ernie and Henri Burnett (l to r), brought greetings to Pastor John Canning of St. Elmo Bible Church. The churches have a hundred year history of fellowship and support.

Pastor Dave captured the right side of the St. Elmo Bible Church congregation assembled for the afternoon Centennial events, a musical event followed by presentation of a plaque commemorating a century of fellowship with the congregation, beginning with the work of the Scandinavian Augustana Synod.

Pastor Dave captured the left side of the St. Elmo Bible Church congregation assembled for the afternoon Centennial events, a musical event followed by presentation of a plaque commemorating a century of fellowship with the congregation, beginning with the work of the Scandinavian Augustana Synod.

Ernie Burnett from Zion Lutheran Church stands to the left, looking toward the welcoming open door to St. Elmo Bible Church, on the afternoon of its Centennial Celebration, September 3, 2006.