For the third time, the newly-merged congregations forming the Blessed Trinity Lutheran Church gathered to say farewell to another place of worship. The Service of Leave-Taking for Light of Christ Lutheran Church, 2020 Worthington Ave., was held May 28. This was in conjunction with celebrating the Day of Pentecost.

This building, along with St. John’s Windish at 617 E. Fourth St., and its parking lot across the street, and St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 474 Vine St., has been purchased by Lehigh University as a package deal.

With dwindling memberships, the three separate Lutheran congregations voted to worship together under a new name.

St. John’s Windish held their leave-taking service April 23. St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church observed theirs on April 30.

While the Light of Christ members held their final service as “Light of Christ,” they and their fellow Lutherans, now known as members of “Blessed Trinity,” will continue to worship at this location as tenants until they find or build a permanent home.

Kenda Riley reported there is $3.5 million in the bank for that purpose.

Serving as Preaching Resident, Pastor Otto Dreydoppel Jr. led Light of Christ’s final service. He was aided by Tony Villani, serving as assisting minister, and communion assistants Delynn Gerhard and Stacy Stocker. Lector Kathi Raphael read Bible verses.

Dreydoppel spoke about the “witching hour” as the term is applied to Wall Street trading and in European folklore as he welcomed and addressed worshipers.

“For money people, there are ‘witching days,’ when financial options expire. And in fact, four times a year there are even ‘triple witching days,’” he remarked.

“Well friends, this is sort of a triple witching day as we gather for worship,” Dreydoppel said as he explained where they were “liturgically” at the hinge point of the church year, “congregationally” at the last of the leave-takings, and “spiritually,” where they are to be attentive to the Holy Spirit.

While Dreydoppel is affiliated with the Moravian Church in America, it shares a full communion agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Providing music for the event were the South Side Brass, church choir, organist Linda Maule and floutist Olivia Grube.

All three Lutheran congregations have ties to St. Peter’s. It was founded in 1863 to serve the German and Slovenian immigrants in South Bethlehem.

The Slovenians split off and constructed St. John’s Windish Evangelical Lutheran Church around 1911.

Church volunteer website administrator Thomas Keener says, “Light of Christ was formed in 2019 by the merger of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 521 E. Locust St., and Messiah Lutheran Church.” When the St. Matthew’s building was sold, the combined congregation gathered in Messiah’s renamed Worthington Avenue building.

Keener is a retired Lutheran pastor who has been a member of Light of Christ, and before that, Messiah, for a combined 20 years.

This contemporary building was constructed as Messiah circa 1952-1953, with an education building added next to the church in 1960. A new sanctuary and fellowship hall expanded the campus in 1975.

Formed in July 1946, the congregation initially worshiped in a tent on Belmont Street They later bought a house on Easton Avenue, which they used as a parsonage, chapel and Sunday school.

“St. Matthew’s was first organized as a Lutheran Sunday School in Heller’s Hall in the borough of Northampton Heights on July 19, 1903,” says Keener. “A church was built on Carbon Street near Fourth and dedicated on Nov. 26, 1905.” They later crossed the Lehigh River and constructed the E. Locust Street church around 1918.

Visiting from Florida, Fred Robertson and his wife Nancy (Lechler) Robertson attended the leave-taking service. Nancy’s sister, Karen (Lechler) Favinger still attends services at Light of Christ. The siblings’ late parents, Rev. L. Raymond and Clarella Lechler, were early shepherds to the Messiah Lutheran flock.

Now retired, Robertson met his wife while serving as a lay minister working with youth at St. Peter’s. He was affectionately known as “Uncle Fred” during that time. “I was the one who had youth dances once a month,” recalls Robertson. “We alternated Messiah, St. Peter’s, and St. John’s, all these different churches.”

The Robertsons were high school sweethearts at Liberty and have been married 52 years.

“We were there for 15 and a half years before he was then called up to Christ Hamilton Lutheran in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania,” said Nancy Robertson. “We have connections to this church, St. Peter’s, and one that is not involved today.”

The Lechler sisters shared fond memories of growing up in the church environment as they looked at vintage photographs of their parents and other memorabilia displayed near the altar.

“My father was called to come here,” says Favinger. “The Board of Missions sent him.” Rev. Lechler replaced the minister who presided over the congregation while they were still meeting in a tent.

Attendees gathered for a commemorative farewell photo at the end of the service before eating lunch in the church’s fellowship hall. Kasey Lynn’s on Broadway catered the meal.

For more information, visit blessedtrinitybethlehem.org.