Scotland Community Church History

Scotland Community Church History Scotland Community Church of Scotland, South Dakota, was founded on April 6, 1963, as a merger of four churches in the Scotland area and was originally named Scotland United Church of Christ. It united the Scotland Congregational Parish which included three German Congregational churches (First Congregational Church of Scotland, First Congregational Church of Kaylor, and Petersburg Congregational Church) and one church coming out of the German Reformed Church tradition (Bethany Evangelical Reformed Church).

These churches have a long history which goes back more than a century. During the period from 1876 to 1896 ten congregations, seven of German Congregational backgrounds and three with the Reformed tradition, were founded in this region. By 1951, the churches had consolidated into two parishes. In August of 1962, the members of these four churches began thinking seriously about reorganizing the four churches into one united parish. A committee of eight men representing each of the four local churches held meetings to study the differences and similarities of the two denominational backgrounds.

With determined and historic gesture, each church voted at four separate congregational meetings in March 1963 to reach across the denominational barrier and unite into one newly incorporated United Church of Christ. The agreement of union specified that the faith traditions of both the German Congregational and Reformed heritages would be upheld and taught in the new united parish. Thus, the Heidelberg Catechism and the German Congregational Catechism's teachings on the Apostles Creed remain foundational for teaching the Christian faith within the life of the congregation.

Rev. Elmer Bettenhausen served as the first pastor of the newly united Reformed and German Congregational church. From the outset, it was obvious that the merger would necessitate the building of a new sanctuary and Christian education unit. On May 6, 1963, the congregation voted to proceed with plans to build a new facility. A groundbreaking service was held on April 26, 1964, and the cornerstone was placed on October 25 of that same year. Meanwhile, during construction, worship services continued in the four churches with the two Reformed and Congregational churches located in Scotland holding joint services.

Finally, on Ash Wednesday, March 3, 1965, the United Church of Christ held its first worship service of the four congregations combined in the new facility. The church building was dedicated on April 25, 1965. One architect's concept drawing for the new Scotland United Church of Christ building, that had been published in the Scotland Journal, depicts a brick bell tower by the front entrance with all four church bells from the four predecessor congregations hanging side by side. While this concept did not make it into the final plans for our church building, the idea of having the four church bells displayed remained a dream of the church.

In 1983, under the pastorate of Rev. Dale Krampe, Memorial Tower was constructed to house the bells of the predecessor congregations to help members of the church to never forget their Reformed and German Congregational heritage. The bells were hung in the tower smallest to largest, with the Kaylor First Congregational Church bell on top and the bell from Bethany Reformed Church hanging at the bottom. Memorial Tower also features the names of all four founding churches inscribed at its base.

Part of the 1965 plan for the church's campus was to some day have a new parsonage across the street from the newly constructed church. That dream was realized in 1973 and was paid in full by 1977. In 1983, the United Church of Scotland added another congregation to its parish territory when the Ward Memorial Congregational Church in Lesterville, a church derived from the English Congregational tradition, closed its doors and its members joined the Scotland congregation.

Under the pastorate of Rev. Del Neumeister, the church underwent a number of renovations. New flooring was installed in both the sanctuary and throughout the fellowship hall and classrooms in 2004. An elevator was installed in the church in March 2006, making the Lord's House accessible to anyone, regardless of age or physical limitations, who yearns to worship God, study His Word, and fellowship with other believers.

Rev. Ron Shifley was selected as pastor in 2011.The church went back to its roots, placing the Bible, the Apostles Creed, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the German Congregational Catechism back at the core of the church's teaching ministry. In doing so, the church reaffirmed its historic DNA as a united Reformed and German Congregational church family. In 2012, the church added multimedia projection to the sanctuary to enable Scripture readings, song lyrics, and video clips to be projected on the big screen during worship. Computer technology was also installed to provide live video streaming of worship services via the Internet to those unable to join us for Sunday worship. The classrooms in the educational area were also completely renovated to equip our church's Christian education program to teach the faith to children and adults using technology.

On May 6, 2018, the members of the church voted to sever their ties with the United Church of Christ denomination, and on December 16, 2018, the congregation voted to join the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC). Today, Scotland Community Church continues to be a united and uniting church, rooted in the Bible and remaining faithful to our heritage in the Reformed and German Congregational traditions. Yet, like our Russian-German forebears of over 140 years ago, we, who make up this church, are still pioneers, seeking to find new ways to express and live out our biblical faith in Jesus Christ so that future generations might experience the saving grace of Jesus for themselves.