IF YOU’VE EVER STEPPED inside a building and felt like you’d been there before, but you haven’t, then you can relate to the story I am about to share in photos and conversation. Come on. Let’s open the door and enter Immanuel Lutheran Church, Freedom Township, rural Janesville.
Ah, the double front doors are locked. We’ll try the side door. Good, it’s open. I wonder if there’s an alarm system. I don’t want the Waseca County Sheriff showing up. Let’s go up the stairs to the main level.
Now where are the light switches? Oh, right there next to the guest register. I like that old light by the guest book. Wonder if it works? Nope. Sorry, almost anything can distract me.
Even with the lights on, it’s kind of dark in here. Maybe we should open the shades. There, that’s better.
That altar and Jesus statue look familiar. They remind me of the altar and statue in St. John’s Lutheran Church, Vesta, the church where I grew up. And isn’t that organ a beauty?
I wonder if there’s a nice wood floor under that carpet. And what’s hiding under all those ceiling tiles?
Well, instead of standing here wondering, we better keep moving along if we’re going to get to the mission festival at Marquardt’s Grove by 10:30. I have much to see yet and photograph.
But wait a minute, what’s that over there on that post? An old thermometer. Huh, wonder how long that’s been here?
Alright, let’s head upstairs and see what’s in the balcony. It’s kind of tempting to pull that bell rope, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I’ve never given in to such temptation.
But I will move that wastebasket and stack of Vacation Bible School supplies so I can photograph that time-worn bench. Need to let a little natural light in, though, so I’ll pull up the shades. That’s better.
Oh, my goodness, look at those stars on that attendance sheet. I haven’t thought about those shiny, sticky stars in decades. I remember when my Sunday School teacher awarded stars for attendance. I thought they were the greatest thing. The memories…
Time to head down to the basement after I take a few more pictures up here. Yes, I have got a good grip on my camera. I don’t want it tumbling over the balcony railing.
Now, down to the basement we go. I need to pause here for a minute and take it all in.
Those curtains—see those curtains there—St. John’s had those in the basement, too. The curtains divided the basement into classrooms for Sunday School. I didn’t know churches still used those. I can almost hear the grating sound of those curtains closing and opening and remember how we kids had to take turns pulling the fabric closed, then open, at the end of Sunday School. Sweet memories…
Well, I better stop reminiscing because it’s after 10 a.m. and we do need to get to that worship service down the road in the cow pasture.
But, wait, I see one more thing I need to photograph…those lambs representing baptized children…
FYI: Immanuel Lutheran Church, commonly known as Freedom Church because of its location in Freedom Township, is located along Waseca County Road 3 about nine miles south of Janesville. Founded in 1874, this Lutheran Church Missouri Synod congregation has a total baptized and communicant membership of 114.
The organ in the church, interestingly enough, came from Trinity Lutheran Church in Faribault where I have been a member for 30 years. When Trinity upgraded to another organ in 1911, the old organ was moved on a sled pulled by oxen some 40 miles to Freedom Church.
Freedom Church is not typically unlocked, but was open on the Sunday of my visit so members could leave food in the church basement for the mission festival potluck, according to member Joan Quiram. A big thank you to Joan for inviting me to the annual mission festival of Freedom and Wilton churches. You can read and view photos of that event by clicking here and then here.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
As a fellow lover of old churches, I loved looking at the pictures and reading your narration with each photo. Pretty cool about the organ and how it was transported to its new church. I will soon have a blog update with old churches that I visited with my dad on a road trip this week.
Can’t wait to see your church photos and stories. Readers, if you have not visited Jackie’s blog, do. You will love her photos and the places she takes you.
Great post and photos. Also loved the story about transporting the church organ. Hard to imagine …
Thank you. Hearing that organ story was a bonus and especially so since I attend the church from whence that organ came.
Audrey,
You have again written such a flattering blog about our church. Thank you for taking such fantastic pictures and for all of the observations you commented on. I think that old thermometer was left on the balcony post simply because it was old and nostalgic. I do love the fact that the organ came from Trinity Faribault, that’s a really cool connection. My favorite part? The picture of the little baptism lambs where two of my children’s names were visible.
Thanks again,
Joan
Joan, I love your little country church. It has such character, such history, such a charm and down-to-earth quality about it. It’s impossible to replicate in a new church, even if old is incorporated into new. I always feel closer to God in a country church or an old church. I’m not sure why; perhaps because the setting takes me back to my childhood and the years in which my faith began to grow via Sunday School and bible school and all those bible verses memorized and favorite hymns sung.
Watch for a post soon from the Janesville Dairy Queen.
Thanks Audrey. I’m glad someone else can see why we love our country church.
Joan
What a beautiful building! I love that organ and your shots of the little things that make a church a church…fun. That thermometer shot is great, too!
I consciously try to find the interesting details whenever I’m shooting a subject. Sometimes they just pop right out at me. Sometimes I need to search.
Well, you have a good eye, that’s for sure.
Thank you. Good eyes perhaps, but not particularly good eyesight.
Audrey, beautiful… just beautiful! both the PHOTOGRAPHY and your writing. please keep going (just a friend of some family but I love what you’re doing!) Keep on living the dream, till I can catch up with you!
Carol, thanks for your sweet encouragement. I expect I will catch up with you in person soon at Lanae’s annual soup party.
Wonderful stuff! Thanks for posting…I get emotional looking at great posts like that. I’m struck by the generations of souls whose faith was nurtured within these walls. And yet today, the faithful still gather to be fed in Word and Sacrament. Week after month after year. Cathedrals of the prairie!
Well said, Luke. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful and beautiful insights.
Nice pictures. I always wanted to see the inside of the Church. It is beautiful and all the memories, Allie was always so proud of the Church.
Good morning, Helen. I’m happy to have taken you on a tour of Freedom Church. I’m like that, too. Pass by a church and wonder what it looks like inside. I don’t know the identity of the Allie you mention, but she should be rightfully proud of Freedom.
Audrey, I have been by this church many times, so thank you for the peek inside!
And I live not far from it!!!!
Stacey
You are welcome. Freedom is a lovely church with so much character.
Oh my…thank you for the tour of my old church. I haven’t been there since, let me see, maybe the 125th anniversary (1999?). My parents were married there. I was baptized and confirmed there. My grandparents, uncle and aunt lie in the cemetery. My cousin used to play that beautiful old organ for church services. Sunday School; Vacation Bible School; Mission Festival; children’s Christmas Eve programs; weddings and funerals; silver and golden anniversaries celebrated in the church basement. So many memories!
You are welcome, Marilyn. I love discovering, and photographing, country churches. I hope you’ve also seen the posts I published on the mission festival: