Church (904) 249-5418 | Preschool (904) 249-1204
Our History
Bethlehem Lutheran Church has faithfully served the Jacksonville Beach community for over 60 years.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church has faithfully served the Jacksonville Beach community for over 60 years.
Here are some highlights from the church's history. We hope you enjoy the trip back in time... our history is really His-story!
1948
Bethlehem Lutheran Church has faithfully served the Jacksonville Beach community for over 60 years.
A preliminary survey was made in 1948 to determine the feasibility of establishing a Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod in Jacksonville Beach. The District assigned Vicar LaVern L. Brack to begin and sustain regular Worship Services. Bethlehem Lutheran Church first met at 431 N. 2nd Avenue, Jacksonville Beach at the Woman’s Club on Feb 20, 1949
1949-1952
1949-1952
March - Rev H. C. Schroeder is installed as pastor of BLC. The first bulletin appeared on May 22, 1949. Nine people were received as Charter Members on October 30, 1949.
1952-1953
1952-1953
1949-1952
January - Pastor Henry Meyer is installed as full-time pastor.
1953-1957
1952-1953
1953-1957
July - Charles S. Mueller is installed and will serve as pastor until 1957
December - Our congregation voted and accepted the name of Bethlehem.
The congregation received as a gift from Sidney and Carolyn Grover (later Mansfield), a block of land in Section A, blocks 111 and 112,
located on 8th Avenue North.
1954
1952-1953
1953-1957
October 24 - Was the groundbreaking ceremony for the First Sanctuary at 8th Avenue North, East of Penman Road.
1955
1955
April 3 - Dedication of the church. The building is a blend of contemporary and classical architecture using lime-rock blocks and batten board for its construction.
The building seated 100.
1956
1955
November 2 - A new wing was launched. It included one large classroom with restroom facilities and an office and additional seating capacity for 40 persons in the church proper.
1957-1964
1957-1964
February 3, 1957- The new wing was dedicated.
August - Rev. August F. Gerbhardt is installed and will serve as pastor until 1964.
1964-1968
1964-1968
1957-1964
September - Rev. Earl Petzold is installed and will serve as pastor until 1968
1969
1964-1968
1969-2003
June - September - Rev. Robert L. Jackson was installed as pastor. He resigned after 3 months due to health problems.
1969-2003
1964-1968
1969-2003
October - Rev. John Buchheimer had been called by the Florida-Georgia District to be Missionary-at-Large and was assigned in October as full-time pastor. In 1971, when Bethlehem became a self-supporting congregation, he was called and was installed as Pastor and served until 2003 when he retired.
1972
October 8th - Dedication of the exterior Lutheran Cross as a memorial to Walter “Pete” Dickinson by his wife, Helen. The cross was designed by Linda Mack, an architect and member of Bethlehem, and fabricated by Benjamin Futrell, both of Jacksonville Beach.
1986
January 2, 1986- Bethlehem Lutheran Day Care & Preschool was organized.
1987 - The preschool started to provide Christian care to the children of working parents, from ages 1 to 5 years.
1987
January 7 - Decommissioning ceremony for the old sanctuary.
Spring, 1987- In the spring of 1987 Bethlehem hired Mrs. Mary Jo Hunavy to set up the office and manage the work to be done and grow the congregation.
August 30 - Dedication of the new Sanctuary.
1989
1990-1991
October - A vote was taken to renovate the gymnasium into a two story Christian Education Building. The first floor is occupied by the preschool and day care, second floor provides classrooms and a large conference/multi-purpose room.
1990-1991
1990-1991
1990-1991
December 17, 1990- Disciples’ Hall was totally gutted by fire. The Christian Education Building and the Sunday School rooms off the courtyard suffered serious smoke and water damage which caused it to be shut down. Reconstruction and renovations in the building took place in 1991.
1997
1990-1991
1990-1991
October 26 - Homecoming Sunday, a ceremony was held in the Courtyard to
burn the mortgage. This was a milestone in our congregation.
1999
February, 1999 - A home at 1337 Palm Circle was purchased with the purpose of converting it into an Independent Living Facility. However, the home adjacent at 1359 Palm Circle became available and was purchased for the purpose of starting the Assisted Living facility.
March, 2010 - 1337 Palm Circle home was dedicated to Bethlehem Lutheran Preschool.
It is currently used for Bible Studies.
2000- Present
2000 - Rev. Dana Allen Brones is called to be Assistant Pastor.
2003 - Rev. Dana Allen Brones is made Senior Pastor.
2004-2007
2004-2007
Rev. Robert Jacobs is called and served as Assistant Pastor.
2008-2016
2008-2016
2004-2007
Rev. Dr. James Balke is hired as Assistant Pastor and continued to serve until he retired.
2008
2008-2016
2008
Statue dedicated to memory of Betty Buchheimer. “We wanted to do something for the children of the church...”
2010
2008-2016
2008
Bethlehem starts its vicarage program with its first Vicar - Vicar John Rasmussen
Rev Dr Rasmussen now serves as Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney, NE
March, 2010 - 1337 Palm Circle home was dedicated to Bethlehem Lutheran Preschool.
It is currently the home of our 4 year olds program
2011
2011
2011
August - Vicar Tim Barone
is called as Bethlehem's second vicar,
and his wife Megan is installed as
Minister to Families and Children.
He now serves as Associate Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney, NE
2012
2011
2011
Our columbarium is completed for members of our Bethlehem family.
2012
2011
2012
August - Vicar Weston Wildauer
is installed as Bethlehem's third vicar. He joins our family with his wife Sarah and their daughter Kaelyn and son Owen. Pastor Wildauer is now the sole pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, in Cape Girardeau, MO.
2013
2013
2012
September - Vicar Matthew Hall
is installed as Bethlehem's fourth vicar.
He joins our family with his wife Lucy.
Matt has served as Pastor at Faith
Lutheran Church in Bay City, MI
2014
2013
2014
August - Vicar Joshua Obermann
is installed as Bethlehem's fifth vicar.
He joins our family with his wife
Hannah and children Rhett and Poppy.
He now serves as Pastor at Grace
Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, FL
2015
2013
2014
August - Vicar David Small
is installed as BLC's sixth vicar. Pastor Small is married to Laura and now serves at Calvary Lutheran Church in Medford, New Jersey.
2016
August- Vicar Devin Murphy
is installed as BLC's seventh vicar. He joins our family with his wife Melissa and children, Penny, Devin Jr. and Jamie. Devin now serves at Hope Lutheran Church in Wake Forest, NC.
2017
August- Vicar Nathan McCarty
is installed as BLC's eighth vicar. He joins our family with his wife Erica and their children.
2018
August - Vicar Jeremy Steinke is installed as our ninth Vicar. He now serves at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Elmhurst, IL.
2019
June 2019 Pastor Nathan McCarty is installed as Associate Pastor at Bethlehem.
2020
2020
August 2020 Vicar Andrew Simpson is installed as our tenth vicar. He joins us with his wife, Holly and now has three daughters. He serves as sole Pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Sparks, Nevada.
2021
2020
July 2021 Vicar Jonathan Sharp is installed as our eleventh vicar. He joins us with his wife, Bridgette and have one child, David. He is pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL.
2022
2022
2022
July 2022 Vicar Ken Estes is installed as our twelfth vicar. Ken has married and is now pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, IL.
2023
2022
2022
July 2023 Vicar Sean Sheppard is installed as our thirteenth vicar. He is married to Fiona and have one son, Seimus and another child on the way.
2024
2022
2024
August 2024 Vicar Jacob Manning is installed as our fourteenth vicar. Vicar Jacob hails from California and is the son of pastor and DCE.