Manchester church to close in May
Jan. 27—A church that has stood in Manchester's North End since the 1880s has been put up for sale and will close this spring, officials announced Sunday.
The Church Council of Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 65 Sagamore St., said "after great thought and prayer" the congregation voted to close the church on May 18.
Gethsemane, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was founded when a group of Swedish immigrant workers from the Amoskeag Mills constructed the church on land donated by the Amoskeag Company, officials said.
"It has proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ in that location continuously since its founding," church officials said in a statement. "Services were held in Swedish until the early 1950s, when English became the language used.
"In recent years, declining membership, increased expenses and the dispersal of families has led to the decision to close."
Services at the church are expected to continue through the winter and spring under the direction of Interim Pastor Don Larsen, with a Service of Celebration for the congregation, community and fellow worshipping communities scheduled for May 4.
A final service for congregation members will be held May 18. Specific times for both special services have yet to be announced.
"The real estate of the congregation has been listed for sale, and closure is being coordinated with the New England Synod of the ELCA," church officials said.
According to Manchester's online property valuations available through the city website, the church and associated land at 65 Sagamore St. were valued at $1,468,500 as of 2022.
According to the church's website, Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1882 in response to an "enormous influx of Swedish immigrants" working in local mills.
Early on services were held in "The Mission Chapel" on the corner of Beech and Merrimack streets, but as membership grew it was decided in 1885 to construct a new building to house the church on land donated by Amoskeag Mills.
The central part of the church includes some 20 stained-glass windows created in the 1940s by Whittemore Associates, Boston depicting the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
In 2008, Gethsemane received permission from the city to occupy a new addition to the Sagamore Street church of 3,596 square feet and renovate another 4,289 square feet, including bathrooms, classrooms and offices.
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