Holy Spirit Lutheran Church-History

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church

Worshipping in Common Mission with Grace Episcopal Church

The first meeting of persons interested in establishing a Lutheran Church under the United Lutheran Church in America was held January 3, 1969. An exceptionally successful capital funds campaign beginning in 1963 led to the building of a church edifice in 1966. In 1971 a financial crisis of the Missions Board of the U.L.C. forced Holy Spirit to sell its building. Services were from that time held at the Interfaith Center.

Pastor William A. Clasen was Organizing Pastor and the first full-time Pastor, until early 1964; William A. Coleman served until early 1966. Pastor James Bresnahan served the longest pastorate, from fall 1966 until fall of 1980. The pastorate became part-time at the time of the crisis in 1971; Pastor Bresnahan served as half-time Pastor while also serving in a social agency in Binghamton until 1980.

Pastor Don Wilcox came to Cortland as part-time Pastor of this Church and as Executive Director of the Cortland County of Churches in 1985.

In early 2004 Holy Spirit started conversations with Grace Episcopal Church about joining in common mission. These conversations were made possible through the new agreement between the ELCA and the national Episcopal Church, Called to Common Mission. On Christmas Eve, 2005, Holy Spirit held its last service as a separate congregation in the Interfaith Center, and with the coming of January began to worship and function as a congregation with Grace. Today we continue to worship with Grace under the leadership of Pastor Peter Williams.