Engraved Trowel for laying foundation stone
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia (ELCA)
1903-1960
This trowel lay the foundation stone for 13 churches and halls in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Its use highlights the changing demographic of the Lutheran church from its early rural beginnings to post-WWII urban expansion and wave of new Lutheran migrants.
It was first used to dedicate St Johannes School and Church in Perth in 1903. Five decades later, beginning in 1951, it was used to lay the stones for a further 12 Churches and Halls.
As WWII building restrictions were lifted, many new Lutheran houses of worship were built – often halls were built first and used as the church. This was both a result of an influx of Post War migrants, many of who came from Germany and the Lutheran Baltic countries, and a shift from a predominantly rural church in Australia to a more urban church as Lutherans began moving to the cities for study and work.
- 1903 April 29, Perth WA, St Johannes Church and School, by Rev EH Fischer
- 1951 November 11, Colonel Light Gardens SA, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, by Rev CE Zweck
- 1952 July 6, Warrnambool Vic, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, by Rev J Wiebusch
- 1952 November 9, Box Hill Vic, St Paul’s Lutheran Church, by Rev E Leske
- 1954 March 28, Glenelg SA, St Paul’s Lutheran Church Hall, by Rev CE Zweck
- 1954 May 9, Gawler SA, Zion Lutheran Hall, by Rev GO Minge
- 1954 May 16, Strathalbyn SA, Strathalbyn Lutheran Church, by FJH Blaess
- 1955 October 9, Blair Athol SA, St Paul’s Lutheran Church and Hall, by Rev Elmore Leske
- 1955 December 18, Moorabin Vic, St James Lutheran Church, By Rev E Leske
- 1956 May 20, Nhill Vic, St Paul’s Lutheran Church, by Rev EN Zweck
- 1959 June 28, Warradale SA, Grace Lutheran Hall, by Rev John Juers
- 1956 January 15, Zion Lutheran Church Horsham Vic, by Rev N Jaensch
- 1960 December 4, Hampstead SA, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, by EW Koch