On October 24, 1869 Pastor Clausen from St. Ansgar, Iowa, came to Sheffield to conduct church services. After services 35 families registered for membership. The meetings were then held in rented places until 1873 when a small church was purchased.
As migration from Denmark increased the building soon became too small. It was sold to the Free Methodists and in the deal they obtained the lot where the church now stands. This lot had been the location of the first Sheffield public school. The Sheffield Historical Society has the books from the Danish congregation. These records have furnished much needed information for past members of the Church.
In 1880 it was decided to build a new church with the dimensions of 32 by 50 feet and a steeple 75 feet high. The cost of the construction was $2, 659. The contractor received $485 for erecting the building. The mason, Mr. H. Mc Bain received nine cents per square yard for applying three coats of plaster to the wall and ceiling. This is the original plaster. He also built the chimney which was in the center of the building on a wooden pillar. For this he received $1.50 a day. The brick for the chimney were obtained from the Buda brick yard which was located where the small pond is on the east side of Route 88 as one crosses the bridge over the Burlington railroad at Buda.
At that time there was a pot belly stove on each side of the church with a pipe going into each side of the chimney as it is now. This was later replaced with a furnace and a chimney built on the north side. As you see the church now, it is exactly the way it was when first built.
In 1901 the village obtained a municipal light plant and the church no longer used candle light. The candelabra were found in the belfry. The painting of the crucifix was discovered while some wiring was done. It had been boxed in and covered with a painting of the living Christ by a local Danish artist Mr. H. L. C. Carlsen. This painting was commissioned by the Ladies Aid in 1903. It is now in the rear of the room.
The pews were made by a local carpenter, Mr. Ball. In 1881 the Ladies Aid took up a collection to buy a carpet. In 1887 they made another drive and procured the bell which was made in Wisconsin and also papered the church in 1903. In 1903 the pews were rearranged so there was only one aisle through the center. The baptismal font was hand made by Mr. Sorensen, a local carpenter. This and the communion service were taken to the archives in Des Moines, Iowa when the congregation disbanded. These were returned to the Historical Society.
You may wonder why the board fence is around the property. In the early days of Sheffield most everyone had barn and owned a cow, horse, a couple of pigs and a few chickens. The cows were turned out on the streets in the spring before the town pastures were opened for grazing and also they were driven back and forth home for milking so everyone had their property fenced in.
The reason for the board walk is that there were no cement walks. Even Main Street had board walks. The horses with buggies were tied on each side of Main Street.
There were 80 children baptized between 1887 and 1892. The records show Nels Berthelesen was voted secretary in October 1877. His brother Peter (The Barefoot Boy) was assistant secretary and also Sunday school superintendent. The first wedding in the new church united Peter Madsen and Kirsten Olsen on February 14, 1881. The last wedding was with Edward Aagesen and Marian Jensen.
The parsonage was built in 1891. The immigrants who came from Denmark were used to celebrating Christmas from December 25 to January 7. When they arrived here, Christmas was just like any other day of the week. However, they had the Christmas tree with lighted candles and gifts for the children and it was soon declared a holiday in Sheffield. Sheffield had the oldest Danish congregation in its synod in the United States which is one of the reasons for the beginning of the Sheffield Historical Society. It was through their efforts that Her Majesty Queen Margretha 11 and His Royal Highness Prince Henrich came to Sheffield Saturday, May 15, 1976 to reconsecrate the church after it had been restored to its original state. The church is listed in the National Register. There have been wedding, baptisms and funerals in the church since the congregation disbanded.