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Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool

Church (904) 249-5418 | Preschool (904) 249-1204

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    • Home
    • Come & See
      • Come & See
      • What We Believe
      • Membership FAQs
      • Sunday Liturgy
      • Meet Our Pastors
      • Meet Our Elders
      • Meet Our Staff
      • Music Ministry
      • Our History
      • Employment Opportunities
      • Public Prayer Requests
      • Private Prayer Requests
    • Know & Grow
      • Know & Grow
      • Children & Families
      • Youth
      • Young Adults
      • Confirmation
      • Sunday School
      • Life Groups
      • Bible Studies
      • Fellowship
    • Go & Tell
      • Go & Tell
      • Community Ministries
      • JOC
      • Missions
      • Vacation Bible School
      • Online Resources
    • Preschool
      • Preschool
      • Our Staff
      • Our Students
      • Our Ministry
      • Our Tuition
    • Members
      • Members
      • Ministry Opportunities
      • Caring Ministries
      • Serving Schedule
      • Member Resources
      • Prayer Requests
      • Give
    • Event Calendar
    • Advent By Candlelight
    • Online Worship
Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool

Church (904) 249-5418 | Preschool (904) 249-1204

  • Home
  • Come & See
    • Come & See
    • What We Believe
    • Membership FAQs
    • Sunday Liturgy
    • Meet Our Pastors
    • Meet Our Elders
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Music Ministry
    • Our History
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Public Prayer Requests
    • Private Prayer Requests
  • Know & Grow
    • Know & Grow
    • Children & Families
    • Youth
    • Young Adults
    • Confirmation
    • Sunday School
    • Life Groups
    • Bible Studies
    • Fellowship
  • Go & Tell
    • Go & Tell
    • Community Ministries
    • JOC
    • Missions
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Online Resources
  • Preschool
    • Preschool
    • Our Staff
    • Our Students
    • Our Ministry
    • Our Tuition
  • Members
    • Members
    • Ministry Opportunities
    • Caring Ministries
    • Serving Schedule
    • Member Resources
    • Prayer Requests
    • Give
  • Event Calendar
  • Advent By Candlelight
  • Online Worship

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.

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.

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

Bethlehem Lutheran Church has faithfully served the Jacksonville Beach community for over 60 years.

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

1957-1964

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

1957-1964

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

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

1972

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

1972

1972

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

1972

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

1987

 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

2000- Present

2000- Present

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 the home of our 4 year olds program.

2000- Present

2000- Present

2000- Present

2000 - Rev. Dana Allen Brones is called to be Assistant Pastor.


     2003 - Rev. Dana Allen Brones is made Senior Pastor.  

 

2004-2007

2000- Present

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 now serves 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 now serves at Calvary Lutheran Church in Medford, New Jersey.

2016

2018

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. 

2017

2018

2016

 August- Vicar Nathan McCarty is 

installed as BLC's eighth Vicar. He now serves faithfully as Associate Pastor of Bethlehem.

2018

2018

2018

      August - Vicar Jeremy Steinke is installed as our ninth Vicar.  He now serves at Immanuel Lutheran  Church, Elmhurst, IL. 

2019

2019

2018

   June 2019 Pastor Nathan McCarty is installed as Associate Pastor at Bethlehem. 

2020

2019

2020

   August 2020 Vicar Andrew Simpson is installed as our tenth vicar. He joins us with his wife, Holly and two daughters, Anastasia and Amelia. He now serves as sole Pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Sparks, Nevada.

2021

2019

2020

 July 2021 Vicar Jonathan Sharp is installed as our eleventh vicar. He joins us with his wife, Bridgette and are expecting their first child.

2022

2022

2022

 July 2022 Vicar Ken Estes is installed as our twelfth vicar. 

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Copyright © 2017 Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool - All Rights Reserved.    Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool    1423 8th Avenue North,    Jacksonville Beach, Florida USA 32250     Church: (904) 249-5418     Preschool: (904) 249-1204      www.blcjaxbeach.org

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