Description of Historic Place

The Elim Evangelical Lutheran Church is a Municipal Heritage Property comprising a single lot within the Village of Theodore. The property features a wood-frame church clad in tin siding built in 1916.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Elim Lutheran Church resides in its architecture, which contributes to its status as a landmark in the community. Constructed in 1916, the vernacular design of this simple parish church demonstrates a Gothic Revival influence that is visible in the tower, pointed-arch windows and roofline. The tin-cladding makes this otherwise typical rural church rather unusual. The church has been one of the most visible features on Theodore’s skyline since its construction.

The heritage value of Elim Lutheran Church also lies in its association with the spiritual life of this community. The Swedish Lutherans who settled the district organised a congregation a few days before Christmas in 1912. The congregants built this church largely with volunteer labour, using fieldstone from a nearby farmstead to build the foundation. The building quickly became a gathering place for this spiritual community until the 1980s, when declining attendance forced the church’s closure.

Source:

Village of Theodore Bylaw No. 7-87.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of Elim Evangelical Lutheran Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements reflecting the church’s Gothic Revival architecture, such as the tower with steeple;
-those elements reflecting the church’s association with the community, such as the tin siding, stone foundation and the church’s orientation on its lot.