The Church

By Joacim J and Martin E 2000

The first Church in Mönsterås was built in the 12th century when the parish was done. This church was replaced in the 13th century by a church in stone.

During the 17th century the church was exposed to devastate by the Danish troups 1612 - 1677.

The largest damage on the church was caused by a stormdisaster in the year 1682. This caused massive damages on the church. During the following period it were many reparations and reconstructions made to the church. At the end of the 18th century people began to muse about either to rebuild the church or build a new and larger church.
The old was relatively small and did not have the possibility to have room for so many people as needed.

ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffThe old church in Mönsterås after the reparation in 1702. Drawing by N.I Löfgren

This discussion resulted in a building of a new church between the years 1842-1847 in a newclassic style. This is the church that we have today. The new church lies almost in the same place as the old churches.
The Architect was J.W Gerss. It was chiefly the need of a larger church that led to the decision of building a new church. Today, the church have room for 1000 people.

The construction of the church was mainly done by farmers and the wood came from "obemedlade hemman"

The church was inaugurated the 19 of September in 1847, by the bishop of Kalmar, A.C Kullberg

The church went through several reparations during the following period.
Among others a larger in 1914, when the old stoves were replaced by electric radiators.

The next larger renovation was done in 1939, when the church was repainted both outside and inside. The workers alos dressed the outdoors with copper. The same year, the 2nd Sunday in advent the church was revived by bishop Brillioth

ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff The designplan to the new church by J.W Gerss in 1843.

After a couple of smaller renovations among other things an outdoor painting, installation of an outdoorlighting of the church in 1967, rechange of the vestry and also an enlarge of the cellarspaces in 1970, you saw that the church was in a big need of an larger renovation.

A renovationcommittee was set up in 1984. Then you decided about an renovation and an annex. In December 1984 the annex and the renovation was started according to the designplans by architect Ivar Petterson from Kalmar. This renovation implied complete renovation inside the church, under the organgallery for cloakroom, restroom, "childrens room", workroom for the verger, handicaptoilet, annex of the wheelchairramp by the eastern entrance and preservation of older inventories. For the buildingwork was "Skanska" and "Nybro måleri" hired. For the electric works was "El-center" hired, who lies in the eastern part of "Storgatan".

The waterworks was done by "Mönsterås Bergs rörledningsfirma". A new speakerfoundation with the soundpilar was placed in the ceiling by "Ackes Ljud" in Växjö.

It now also became possible to transfer the divine services to "Åshaga", which is a home for aged in southern part of Mönsterås.

The church in Mönsterås has an old organgallery from 1858. It was built by the brothers Söderling from Gothenburg. In 1965 a rebuild was made by Olof Hammarberg from Gothenburg. After the rebuild the organ got 26 stops.

Already in 1671 the church got its first organ. This was a choirorgan, which was built by N. Mogensen. The organ was given away by the foundation Capten Gustav Nilssons memory in 1976.
Now it`s placed in the forestchapel in Kråkerum.

The organ which is being used today is a smaller organ from Ålem. This organ was given to the church in 1995.

The great altarpainting "Korsnedtagningen" is a copy of David von Kraffts painting in Kalmar domechucrh from 1714.
The copy was made by the Kalmar painter Gustav Lindblom for the new church in 1847. Parts of the pulpit originates from the 18th century.

The baptismfunt in the church originates from early Swedish middleage, perhaps even from the 12th century. This is the only of its kind in Kalmar county.

The churchbells which are two, the big and the small were originally casted in 1620 but were damaged under a storm in 1702 which led to that they were needed to be recasted.

The bigbell has been recasted many times, latest in 1896. The little bell has been recasted two times, 1779 and 1800. The chandelier, candlesticks and candelabras from 18 Th. century and ahead are mostly donated from different organisations in Mönsterås.

In the church there is a winepot in silver from 1743. A cup in gild silver donated by Baron Fahlström. The Paté is from 1774 in gild silver with the inscription JHS.

Today, the church owns the splendid churchbible of Karl XII which is from 1703.

There is also an another bible, a bible in Latin which is a "Nurnbergbible" from 1523 which was given to the church by Andreas Elavi, rector in Mönsterås the years 1572-1591. This bible can you today find next to the bible of Karl XII in a specialmade showcase in the middle of the church.

In the beginning of the church you can find four maps (Series Pastorum) where you can read the names of the rectors and the assistant vicars who have worked in the convention from the beginning of the 15th century.
The cemetery of the church has not been used since the 18th century.

The role of the church in todays Mönsterås is mainly as a meetingpoint for the residents in Mönsterås in different times of the year as e.g. for the commencement and for the local band.
Every Sunday it is divine service which usually entices between 80-100 visitors. This is the second largest visitorstatistic for Kalmar county. By Christmas and Easter the church is almost full.

On the summer the church also have many tourist visitors, mainly from Germany and Denmark.

Formerly in the time it was churchduty and then all people had to visit the church. If you couldn`t come you had to explain why you couldn`t. In this time it was much stricter rules in the church. You had to be quiet and have a proper clothing. In this time, the church was the only newssupplier.

Today the church got 11 employees. Two of them are vergers. This can be compared with 5 before.

Until the year 1991 the church had control over the national registrations until the government took over. The national registration was first done by hand, but later replaced by tapes in 1990.

Today the church also got a assemblyhall with a parish registrars office which was built in 1991. The assemblyhall plays an important role in the churchhwork. It is here the confirmation lessons are being held (among other things). Every year 60 candidates for confirmation from Mönsterås is being confirmed.

A great thanks to the personal at the parish registrars office for help with the fact !