Jamie Stark
While touring Luther Memorial Church before being hired, Pastor Franklin Wilson wondered to himself, "Is Charlemagne tromping around in here?"
Walking past the 87-year-old church, located on University Avenue in the heart of the University of Wisconsin campus, it's easy to think some overzealous Lutherans were looking to build a European cathedral in Madison. Walk inside, and the setting is even more striking.
Outside, the church's green-shingled roof and empty bell tower are iconic, but overlooked after such a long presence on campus. A massive stone baptismal font greets worshippers just inside the entryway, behind which a choir balcony and a 56-rank pipe organ loom over the nave. At the other end of the hall, an ornate stone centerpiece rises two stories above the altar, its near life-size statue of Jesus Christ watching over his flock. A creaky hardwood floor and ornate wall paintings work their way up to stained glass topped by soaring arches.
The congregants even sit on local history. Most of the pews where the 200-some congregants sit each Sunday were transported, decades ago, from the church's first permanent location. Many Madisonians drive past it daily, or perhaps have bought a Jaeger Bomb there: it's the building that now houses the Church Key Pub and Grill, just a few blocks east up University. The tavern has obviously done some remodeling since.
Luther Memorial may look medieval, but its approach is nonetheless contemporary; a campus church in Madison is bound to have progressive-minded congregants.
I started attending Luther in my freshman year and have been an associate member since last spring. I first stopped in because I was raised in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Luther was the closest ELCA church to my dorm. Between the neo-Gothic architecture and the traditional choral music, I quickly decided the church was the right place to spend my Sunday mornings, or at least those I didn't sleep in too late. A few more stressed-out college students could probably benefit from the peaceful reflection and soul-searching time offered by the pipe organ and heavenly choir.
I've never been the only college student at a Luther service, and parishioners can't go a Sunday without hearing mention of students or exams in prayer or during the sermon. The clergy and congregants seem to understand Luther's student roots and the connection between the university community and the church. Second to "student," the buzzword at Luther is "liturgy," as the church describes itself as a place where everyone can be a part of the communal worship service.
A few hearty Lutheran Wisconsinites founded the church in 1907 as a student Bible study group. From there, the congregation rented space in a synagogue for weekly worship, moved to the Church Key location, and built the current cathedral in 1923. It was the first Lutheran church in Madison to offer services completely in English.
Luther's history leaves me optimistic about the chances of other start-up churches' efforts, like Red Village, which is currently in its "renting space" phase of a potentially similar Bible-study-to-established-church cycle. Although fewer people attend church than did a century ago, the story of a group of students meeting to share the Good Book and ultimately building a gorgeous community centerpiece like Luther Memorial is inspiring.
Luther's close partnership with its next-door neighbor, the Lutheran Campus Center, highlights a student-friendly approach to the church's future. The LCC, which hosts volunteer opportunities, worship, Bible study and even study space during finals, often holds services in the church. LCC pastors often lead services at Luther, and the church even owns the center's land. It isn't a subservient arm of the church, though, as the two spaces offer different worship and community opportunities for differing sets of congregants.
Showing its flair for tradition, Luther doesn't rush Christmas, and goes all out for an annual cycle of holiday services and celebrations. Through December, the church hosted several Christmas concerts, featuring performances by the Madison Youth Choirs and the UW Choral Union, among others. Sunday services have been devoted to the four weeks of Advent, building anticipation for the big day.
The annual "Greening of the Nave" was held on Sunday, Dec. 19, where members of the congregation decked the church with Christmas trees, wreaths and garland. Walking into the sanctuary now brings a punch to the face of fresh pine. Although the holiday decorations are a festive change of pace, they certainly add to the formal and traditional feel of the sanctuary. Between the green touches and increased emphasis on music, parishioners can't forget it's Christmastime.
Everything culminates on Christmas Eve. A 5 p.m. service is geared toward families, with performances by youth and children's choirs, and at 10:30 p.m., the adult choir primes the sanctuary for an incense-steeped Eucharist service at 11 p.m. for celebrants looking to worship after an evening of overeating and eggnog. The Christmas Day service at 10:30 a.m. is more traditional, with a heavier focus on the theology of the Nativity. Luther also hosts a "Third Day of Christmas" carol sing on December 27, a reminder that the holiday is not over even though the presents are opened and the leftovers are eaten.
Christmas at Luther, in a way, highlights the church's commitment to tradition. Given the baroque atmosphere and near-Catholic feel to services, it may be surprising that a student like myself would choose to attend church here. But it's the melding of old and new that draws me to Luther Memorial. The building looks a Gothic cathedral, but the church has a Facebook page and preschoolers running around its playground. When the pipe organ is playing and the choir singing, sitting in the back of church, I can still see the cars speeding down University.
Luther Memorial is a haven for traditional Lutheran beliefs in a modern world, and a sanctuary for peaceful introspection on a busy, bumpy road.
Jamie Stark is a student at UW-Madison majoring in journalism and political science. He is a member of Luther Memorial Church and writes about the diverse religious community in Madison.
