Church Spotlight- Grace Reformed Church, Covington, KY
Established-April 27, 1862
Closed-October 29, 1995
The roots of the E&R church and the roots of the United States are deeply entangled throughout history. It is impossible for the walls of the church to prevent the current events of the day from seeping into its own history. For Grace Reformed Church in Covington, Kentucky and many other churches, the events of the time leave lasting imprints on their DNA.
Founded in 1862, Grace Reformed traces its roots to a small group of German immigrants who desired to provide a German education for their children. Led by John Schleutker, a baker by trade, this group purchased land to build a church and establish a day school to serve both the spiritual and secular education of the growing German population in the area. The cornerstone was laid on July 13, 1862 but work was halted by late summer due to rumors about Morgan’s Raiders plan to be in the area. The German workers, who were loyal to the Union, left to join in fortifying the battlements around Cleveland and the surrounding area. The building was completed almost a year later and became known as the pumpernickel church, in recognition of the type of bread Schlentker baked.
After the Civil War, a large wave of German immigrants to the United States allowed the German Reformed churches of the country to grow at a steady pace. As is common with the early churches, the services and documentation continued in the German language, slowly adopting some English as their population grew. Though speaking German was seen as a positive during the Civil War, it was a detriment during the First World War. On April 12, 1918, all German was dropped in order to head off any preconceived notions of their loyalty to the United States.
After the Second World War, the population of urban areas began to change dramatically with an exodus to the suburbs and an influx of a poorer population from the rural areas of Appalachia. Many churches moved with their congregations to more suburban areas but Grace Reformed stayed true to its urban roots, ministering to the urban inhabitants of the city. It is here that the problems of the church greatly reflect the problems of urban America of the time. The population became older or abandoned the cities, reducing the economic base. Problems with parking and building upkeep arose and the church struggled. By the 1990’s it had become apparent that the future of the ailing church was in question and in 1995, its 17 members voted to shutter the church.
Though the United States strives to hold the wall separating church and state, the rich history of our religious institutions reflect the country’s history. Church archives are full of stories that not only preserve religious history but also shine a light on US history.
... See MoreSee Less
