Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church, Anna, celebrates 140th anniversary Dec. 6

The congregation of Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna celebrated a festive day on Sunday, Dec. 6.

In a combined service, worshipers and Sunday School members marked Mt. Moriah’s 140 years of mission and ministry in the Anna community, observed St. Nicholas Day, and experienced the presentation of a Christmas play, “Gifts for The King.”

The mission of Mt.  Moriah is follow the scriptures and share the news of Jesus Christ’s love and redemption for all.

Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church was founded in February 1869 by a group of 22 communicant members. 

The parish register of 1869 records only the following as being members at the time: Mrs. Mary Cover, Mary Johnson, James Mullins, Amanda Mullins, Joseph Trees and Margaret Ann Trees.

The original members worshiped in a wood frame church building on South Street in Anna. 

In 1900, Rickliffe and Mary Cox Johnson offered to pay the cost of building a new brick building on Anna’s Main Street, provided the congregation bought the lot and furnished the church building. 

The Johnsons also gifted the Moeller pipe organ that is still in use in 2009 at the church.

The original part of the present building was dedicated in 1902.  The education and office addition was dedicated in 1954. 

A renovation in 1968 moved the entrance door from one on Main Street to the present entrance on Jefferson Street.

In recent years, the parish has replaced or renovated much of the physical plant and the building structure. 

The most recent renovation and preservation is that of the stained-glass windows in this 140th anniversary year.

Records indicate the stained-glass windows were gifted in 1902 by individuals, Sunday School classes, and Ladies’ Aid societies. 

The windows are dedi-cated to the glory of God and some are designated memorials to honored church members. 

The most recent memorial is to the late Laura McGee, whose gift to the church helped to restore and preserve the artistic windows.

Other windows were dedicated in 1902 in memory of Margaret Ann Trees, Jennie English, James DeWitt, Dannie Sifford and Elizabeth Mangold.

Readers who can share information about these individuals or their family histories are asked to call the church office at 833-5234.

A number of well-known ministers have led the congregation, including the Rev. C.W. Sifford, (grandfather of present member Tom Bacon) and the long tenure of the Rev. H. L. McGill.

The Rev. Dr. Richard Hertenstein was the 15th full-time pastor. The Rev. Hertenstein retired in July, 2009 after ministering at Mt. Moriah for 14 years. 

The Rev. Dr. Jim Clark is serving the church as interim pastor.

The church’s history committee has discovered that the man who provided financing for the brick church building was an Anna businessman. 

Polish immigrant “R. Johnson” arrived in Anna with no more than the shirt on his back in the early 1800s. 

He was a good tailor who did well and built a growing business based on honesty and integrity. 

His store and business burned in the “great fire of 1879” (according to G. E. Parks’ history), but on integrity and credit, he rebuilt the two-storied brick building on the alley going to Davie School (now a Chinese restaurant.) 

Parks wrote that the Johnsons owned the brick Victorian house across Main Street from the high school.