The Lehr Tabernacle near Lehr, North Dakota, celebrated its 100th Centennial with events on June 18-20, 2021. 

“It is a privilege to have a front-row seat to all God’s continued work here,” said Robert Erberle, who ranches near Lehr, North Dakota, and is the president of the board that manages Prairie Bible Camp.

The Tabernacle, also known as Prairie Bible Camp, was featured in an article in North Dakota Horizons, Spring 2017, “Lehr Tabernacle on the Prairie,” written by Ronald Vossler, a native of Wishek, North Dakota. “During a half-century and beyond, evangelical farm families, mostly Dakota Germans, crowded the Tabernacle, which was built to seat 1,500. Instead, crowds of 2,000 were not uncommon, and once at least 7,000 worshippers stood 12 deep at the Tabernacle door, straining to hear the sermon and the song."

Rev. DeVern Schwenn, a retired elder of the Dakotas Conference, delivered the message at the opening worship on Friday, June 18. He centered his message to the 200 plus attendees around Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.

“On the wall in the Tabernacle, written in German, is ‘Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and for all eternity.’ I chose that as the focus for my message that I delivered in English,” said Rev. Schwenn. “I talked about the challenges we face to keep our focus on Jesus to all the generations. Youth are challenged at school all the time. Middle-age people are challenged by the lack of time and being pulled in so many directions. Older people are looking at the end of their time on earth, sometimes facing health and other challenges. We all are challenged to know Jesus at all levels, intellectually, emotionally, experientially, and spiritually.”

Pastor DeVern spent time during his ministry bringing youth to a week-long camp experience and leading the camp meetings for adults and families on the weekends. He recalls the evangelical spirit of the camp as inspiring to hundreds who came.

Rev. DeVern Schwenn, left, takes a photos with Rev. Karl Kroger on Friday, June 11. Photos from Facebook.

“Youth would come to the camp for a week ranging in ages from about ten years through high school. On the weekends, people of all ages and generations would gather for evangelistic growth. There was worship, music, fellowship, and food. There is a deep devotion to the Lehr Camp from people of the area and across the country,” said Schwen.

The first camp meeting in Lehr occurred in 1921 and was held next to the old Evangelical church in town. In 1921, the Evangelical churches of Lehr, Streeter, Wishek, Linton, Napoleon, Kulm, and Ashley formed a German Camp Meeting Association. The Lehr Tabernacle was built in 1922, and old-fashioned evangelistic tent meetings were held each year for a week or longer. These meetings drew people from Evangelical churches all over North and South Dakota.

Erberle recalls that until the 1950s, only German was spoken at Lehr Camp. “They wanted to make sure the young folks knew what was happening. So, they started offering one worship service in English.”

Reverend A.H. Ermel designed the octagonal Tabernacle. Reverend Ermel was one of the circuit riders for the German Evangelicals in the 1920s and 1930s and led the movement for 80 congregations in North Dakota. Originally it had dirt floors covered in straw and provided bench seating for about 1,500 with just one center aisle. Later, a cement floor was laid, and pews from local churches were installed. Finally, seating was expanded to hold 2,500 people. 

Initially, the back of the Tabernacle included four small bedrooms for visiting pastors. The grounds had a kitchen – only a tent at first, but later a real kitchen building was constructed. Dormitories were built and in the late 1960s. 

The camp’s management continued with the Evangelical Church until it merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) in 1946.  In 1968, when the EUB Church joined the United Methodist Church, the camp’s management fell under the Dakotas Conference Camp and Retreat Ministry. 

The octagon Tabernacle.

In 1999, the Dakotas Conference ceased management of Lehr Camp. An independent board was established. Today the board manages the Prairie Bible Camp facilities and hosts the youth camp and camp meetings. At other times throughout the year,  Prairie Bible Camp is rented for family reunions and other special events.

In 2018, a new dining hall with a kitchen was built. The $160,000 projected started in April and was ready in the summer of 2018. 

“We started building the new kitchen and dining area in April of 2018. On November 15, 2018, the project was completely paid for by donations. People are dedicated to the work. It is a sign that God is not done with Lehr Camp yet,” said Robert Erberle, who is the chair of the board that keeps the camp running. 

Every June, a weeklong camp is held free of charge. “This is an interdenominational effort of dedicated believers,” said Erberle.

Young adults typically lead the summer youth camp. This summer, the Loren Wissmann family of Seward, Nebraska, served as camp leaders for June 15-18 camp. The Centennial Celebration included music from the Wissmann family, Preacher’s Daughters, Waddingtons, Needhams. Preachers were Pastor DeVern Schwenn and Charles Gray. 

“We are blessed by many to do God’s work at the camp. We never ask for a dime from any camper. We waded through conflict. We often ask, what is our future? Then, God shows up and does something fresh and new,” said Erberle. 

Watch June 18, evening worship
Wartch June 20, closing worship