It took nearly a year to replace spire toppled in Feb. 2019 wind storm
By Jason Arndt
Editor
Officials at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burlington can rejoice knowing a new steeple and cross is at the top of their building.
The new steeple, which was installed on Jan. 15, replaces a damaged 18-foot-long steeple toppled from its perch last February.
Pastor Kirk Lahmann, who reported dozens of children from the church’s bible classes watched the installation, said he was honored to place the cross atop the steeple with assistance from construction crews.
“It was a fun thing to see, they had the cranes lifting the whole steeple, putting it up on top of the roof,” he said. “Then on top of the steeple is the cross and I was able to go up there with the construction workers and we put the cross right in.”
The monumental occasion comes nearly a year after the area experienced a damaging windstorm that battered the steeple for hours, causing it to fall onto the roof, before tumbling to the ground.
Lahmann admits the damaged steeple, which insurance adjustors declared a total loss, was disheartening and left the church without a prominent symbol.
“That steeple has been there since this church was built in 1979. It stood there for the community to see what we stand for. It is a symbol of our faith,” he said. “Then when the wind brought it down, that was disheartening, so there is a lot of joy from the members of the church being able to see their steeple back up there.”
Church members, according to Lahmann, sung “Lift High the Cross” that following Sunday.
Lahmann said the song carried extra meaning for members of the church.
“The people all knew exactly why and they enjoyed singing that knowing that their new steeple was installed,” he said.
To read the full story see the Jan. 30 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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