Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
In the early 1870's, Danish farmers in the Rock
Creek precinct held worship services in their homes. Members conducted the
services. A congregation was formed in 1875. A church was built on donated
land two miles southeast of the town. Church members did the construction and
dedication was on July 2, 1891. A debt of only $12.75 remained at the time of
dedication. Services were conducted occasionally by visiting ministers and later
held once or twice a month by sharing a pastor who also served other churches. Due
to theological differences, the church divided into two congregations; the Danish Lutheran
of Rock Creek and the Nazareth Lutheran in Davey. At that time, August 3, 1890, the
name of Danish Lutheran was changed to Bethlehem Lutheran. The Danish language was
used for Sunday services until approximately 1930. On June 17, 1946, the church
building was struck by lightning during an electrical storm and burned to the
ground. In 1948 a new stone church was built in Davey. The men of the church
did the construction, and the church women did the inside finishings. The building
was dedicated in December of 1949. In 1961 the Bethlehem and Nazareth Lutheran
Churches agreed to merge into a combined congregation. Services were held at
Bethlehem Lutheran and the Nazareth building was sold.
Nazareth Lutheran Church
The church congregation was organized on
August 1, 1891. The congregation voted to accept the Fremont and Elkhorn Railroads'
gift offer of a lot in Davey. This congregation affiliated itself with the Danish
Evangelical Church Association, known as the Blair Synod. A church was built and
dedicated in May of 1892. A second split occurred in the Danish Lutheran Church in
1896. A group of families organized a third congregation under the name of Our
Savior's Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rock Creek, Nebraska. They used the
Nazareth building for services and by October they merged with the Nazareth
congregation. The Nazareth Lutheran Church joined the United Danish Evangelical
Lutheran Church in 1896. By the end of 1961, Davey's two Lutheran churches had
merged into one known as the Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Union Church
In as much as the two Lutheran churches
were still using the Danish language, persons wishing English services organized a Sunday
School in early 1916 and met in the District #82 school. Later that year a union
church was built on the grounds of Tothill Cemetery at 27th and Davey Road. This
congregation was short-lived and the buildings were later sold.
Saint Mary's Catholic Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church
The first Catholic Church in Rock Creek precinct was St. Patrick's,
located two miles north of Davey in the Irish settlement known as Enterprise
or North Settlement. The first mass was held in the early 1870's
in a sod house and later in various parishioners homes and the District 54
schoolhouse. In 1878 a church was built on a five acre track of land purchased for
$75. When the village of Davey was established, discussions began about moving the church
to Davey. This caused the parish to split into the North Irish and the South Irish.
In 1901 the south faction bought the Methodist Church in Davey. The Davey Church was
known as St. Mary's and was a mission of the St. Patrick's Church. In 1909 a
fire destroyed St. Patrick's Church. Two lots were purchased across from the St.
Mary's Church in Davey to erect a new parish rectory. This was completed in 1910.
Twelve years later the north church was dismantled and in 1919 fire destroyed the Davey
Church. A new brick church was built and dedicated in 1923. The two parishes
then merged into what is now know as St. Mary's.
Church Signs
