In early years the congregation had no synod affiliation and then affiliated with the Augsburg Synod, which was to become part of the Missouri Synod. In 1926, the congregation withdrew from the Missouri Synod and joined the United Lutheran Church in America, one of the church bodies which
over the years were drawn together to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988. By the mid-1920’s the congregation was known in the community as Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church, a derivation of its original German name. As the years had passed, English language was increasingly used in worship. Eventually, English completely replaced German in worship and in the late 1920’s the congregation acted to change its name to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1951, Bethany Lutheran Church of Covert, a congregation of the Augustana Synod, merged with the ministry of First English Lutheran Church. The merger with Bethany, a congregation that had
been established in 1908, also marked the 50th anniversary of First English Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The dedicated people of this congregation, strengthened by the 1951 merger and growing in their ministry together, facilitated a number of building projects over the next 25 years. The nine stained glass windows were dedicated in November of 1953 and a major enlargement of the sanctuary,
fellowship hall and side entrance was completed in 1956. The chancel was remodeled and a new 19 rank Wicks pipe organ was dedicated in 1966. Further remodeling was completed with the dedication of new pews in 1972. Even so, by the mid-1970’s further discussion about renovation and expansion of the church building or relocation to a new site was under consideration by the people of First English.

Long range strategic planning efforts were launched in the early 1990’s as the people of First English sought to renew their mission for a second 100 years of ministry in the South Haven community. Participants in study groups and cottage meetings prioritized ministry with young people and
community outreach ministries. Facilities issues were again before the
people of First English and in April of 1994 land was purchased on Blue Star Memorial Highway for the possible construction of a new church building. In December of 1997, master planning and feasibility studies led to a
congregational vote with 88% of members voting to build a new church on a new site. Architectural design development for a new church building on the Blue Star Memorial Highway site and a major capital fund-raising appeal proceeded during the last years of the twentieth century. During that
same decade of the 1990’s worship attendance grew by nearly 100 weekly and the strength that the congregation had known in the mid-1970’s was known again with over 230 worshiping weekly by the end of the decade. At the Annual Meeting of the congregation in November of 1999, the derivation of the original name of the congregation that had been in use in the 1920’s was reclaimed by the First English congregation. As the new building project progressed and the celebration of 100 years of ministry was being planned for the summer of 2001, this ministry was once again known officially in our community as Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Groundbreaking for the new church building was celebrated on June 27, 1999, and construction began in August of that year. The architectural firm of Jaeger, Nickola and Associates of Park Ridge, Illinois, worked closely with local construction firm Olson Brothers Company, the same company that had built the addition onto the old church in the 1950’s, to facilitate the new church building project. The first service of worship in the new facility was celebrated on July 2, 2000, with 500 worshipers in attendance. The sale of the old church building on Kalamazoo Street was completed on July 5,
2000, as the First United Pentecostal Church community became the new owners of that nearly 100-year old house of worship. A community celebration marking the Dedication of the New Church Building on Blue Star Memorial Highway in South Haven was held on Reformation Sunday, October 29,2000.

At the dawn of the 21st century, we observed the 100th anniversary of this congregation in June of 2001 and we continue to celebrate the ministry of this dedicated, growing congregation. Worship attendance has grown by more than 100 weekly since moving into our new church home, the
ministry program of the congregation has continued to grow with a vital new health ministry and a Parish Nurse on staff, a trained group of volunteers serving as mentors in local elementary schools through the KIDS HOPE initiative, and a significant resurgence in programming to and with Middle
School and High School youth. Many community partners share the use of our church facilities, including the administrative offices of WE CARE In the Name of Christ, Head Start preschool classes, scouting programs, AYSO soccer, Relay for Life organizing, dementia care through the resources of
Van Buren County Mental Health and many community special events. The next stage of ministry development for our congregation is emerging with the purchase of 3 ½ acres of adjacent property to the north of the church, a resource for the years ahead in property development to meet our growing
ministry program.

God continues to bless the efforts of those who come together as the people of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church as we seek to gather our heritage, to embrace God’s future for us and to build ministry together to serve in Christ’s name.

compiled by Pastor Bob Linstrom
updated in September 2006