[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 165 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF THE NEW JERUSALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH OF LOVETTSVILLE, VIRGINIA 
                       ON THEIR 250TH ANNIVERSARY

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                         HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 5, 2015

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th 
anniversary of the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church of Lovettsville, 
Virginia. This past Sunday, New Jerusalem held a special anniversary 
worship service, led by Pastor Joel Guttormson and the head of the 
Washington Metropolitan Synod, Bishop Graham, who delivered the sermon. 
Following the service, over 200 people gathered for a luncheon at 
Lovettsville Fire and Rescue station in celebration.
  New Jerusalem traces back to 60 German families seeking fertile 
farmland who journeyed south from Pennsylvania. These early settlers 
came from the Palatine region of Germany, Alsace, and Lorraine, France 
and referred to their church as ``the new Jerusalem,'' where they could 
gather in fellowship and worship. The current structure has been in use 
since its consecration in 1869, but the original congregation first 
gathered for worship in a log structure which served as both a school 
and a church. New Jerusalem is recognizable by its distinctive bell 
tower that serves as a landmark in the Washington Metropolitan area. 
The original buildings sit on property granted by Lord George William 
Fairfax, while the nearby Lovettsville Union Cemetery acts as the final 
resting place of many of Lovettsville's residents from over the last 
two and a half centuries.
  It is the oldest Lutheran church in the Washington, D.C. area and 
serves as an important landmark for its historic significance and 
contributions to the community. New Jerusalem has made a significant 
impact on the community for over two and a half centuries, and we join 
them in celebration of 250 years of worship. I am honored to recognize 
this momentous occasion today and wish New Jerusalem Lutheran Church 
all the best moving forward.

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