Enlarge image Reception guest (© Copyright Michael Kromat)

In a reception on Thursday night, the German Consulate General in San Francisco hosted St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, the only remaining German Lutheran congregation in Northern California. More than 140 people gathered at the Consulate General in order to celebrate 115 years of church services in German as well as a vibrant community, which continues to preserve its heritage in the 21st century. Set in the beautiful Georgian Revival building on Jackson Street, church members – both German and American – met with community members in an event that included musical performances as well as fine refreshments.

Enlarge image Consul General Rothen, State Secretary Bomba, Ms. Praeger, Rev. Pielhoop, Deputy Consul General Brockmann (© Copyright Michael Kromat) Consul General Peter Rothen warmly thanked the church for its efforts in preserving German culture in the Bay Area. Highlighting special events in the long history of St. Matthew's, Mr. Rothen stressed how the church community recovered after the 1906 earthquake, during which the original church building was destroyed. Mr. Rothen emphasized that even in times when it was not considered politically correct to speak German, the language of the then-enemy, St. Matthew's remained true to its origins and continued celebrating German-language services. Yet, as he pointed out, the congregation did not exclusively focus on its own members, but also recognized its social responsibility by providing spiritual counseling for some 5000 German prisoners of war detained at Angel Island, Treasure Island, and the Presidio of San Francisco. In addition to that, during the years following World War II the congregation donated $ 100,000 as well as tons of food and clothing for their needy relatives of Germany.

Enlarge image Dorothy Praeger, granddaughter of the church founder (© Germany.info) A very special guest, Dorothy Praeger related how her grandfather, Reverend Hermann Gehrcke, in 1895 established a church especially for the Germans in the Mission District of San Francisco. From a very personal point of view, she shared the fascinating story of a congregation that endured in all the challenges of the 20^th century.

Speaking on Ascension Day, current Pastor Andreas Pielhoop in his address linked the words of Jesus right before his ascension, the Great Commandment to his disciples to go “to the ends of the world,” to the journey the German emigrants undertook to the end of the American continent – the Pacific Ocean at the San Francisco Peninsula. Yet despite the church's colorful history, he also pointed out the necessity for St. Matthew's to respond to the current challenges it is facing, be them financial or demographic. Mr. Pielhoop asked his congregation to be open to new forms of worship and new target groups, such as young professionals working in Silicon Valley.

Enlarge image St. Matthew's Church San Francisco (© St. Matthew) Founded in 1895, St. Matthew's is one of the oldest churches in San Francisco, and the only remaining that offers services in German, held each Sunday at 11 am. All are welcome to visit the historic building on 16^thStreet, which features gothic-style structures as well as some of the most beautiful stained glass windows in the city. St. Matthew's is a popular venue for weddings and regularly hosts cultural events, including performances of various local and international musicians. It has established a preservation fund in order to maintain the beautiful church for the future.

www.stmatthews-sf.org