About St. Lawrence · New Hamburg, Missouri
Saint Lawrence Roman Catholic Church is a historic rural parish in New Hamburg, Scott County, Missouri, situated a short distance off Interstate 55 and considered the "Mother Church" for Catholic life in Scott County. The parish traces its origin to 1838 (the date the website marks as the founding of the parish community) with a log church built in 1847 on land donated by Wendolin Bucher, and stands today as the oldest Catholic parish in the area. Saint Lawrence is part of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and shares its pastor, Rev. Daniel Belken, with neighboring St. Denis Parish in Benton. The parish is centered on the Eucharist, weekday and weekend Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, regular Reconciliation, the Parish School of Religion, and an unusually deep Alsatian pioneer heritage that includes the still-restored 1847 log cabin church.
- Established
- 1838 (parish community); 1847 (log church built); 1848 (parish organized according to Cape County Banner)
- Patron
- Saint Lawrence (martyr, deacon) — parish named in 1858 by Wendolin Bucher in honor of the patron saint of his son
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel Belken
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
Saint Lawrence offers the kind of rooted, multi-generational Catholic life that is increasingly rare: it is the historic "Mother Church" of Scott County, with a continuous sacramental presence since the 1840s and the same hilltop stone church the pioneer families built. A worshipper here can attend a reverent Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass in the historic sanctuary with marble altars, Byzantine-style murals, and stained-glass imported from Europe, spend Friday morning in Eucharistic Adoration, bring children to the Parish School of Religion (PSR), and still worship periodically in the restored 1847 log cabin church on the grounds. Because the pastor also serves neighboring St. Denis, the combined parishes offer an unusually full combined schedule of Masses, confessions, adoration, OCIA classes, and a K-8 Catholic school — a complete Catholic formation environment for a rural southeast Missouri family.
Mass times at St. Lawrence
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays, 3:15–3:45 PM (at St. Lawrence, New Hamburg)
- Tuesday evenings, 7:00 PM (at St. Denis, Benton)
- First Saturday, 8:30–9:00 AM (at St. Denis, Benton)
- By appointment with Fr. Belken
Adoration times
- Fridays, 7:30 AM–10:30 AM (Eucharistic Adoration at St. Lawrence)
History of Saint Lawrence Parish
Saint Lawrence traces its origin to 1838, when Alsatian Catholic pioneers from the Schirrhein area of Alsace-Lorraine settled in Scott County, Missouri, after fleeing religious persecution during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. A log church was built on land donated by Wendolin Bucher in 1847, and in 1858 the parish took the name Saint Lawrence in honor of the patron saint of Bucher's son. The current stone church was begun in the 1850s, burned by Confederate guerrillas on May 10, 1864, rebuilt and dedicated in 1871, and recognized today as the oldest-standing Catholic church in Scott County and the spiritual "Mother Church" of the surrounding Catholic communities.
- 1838 — Parish founded (per parish website)
- 1847 — Original log church built on Wendolin Bucher land
- 1857 — Construction begins on larger stone church (designed by a Catholic school teacher)
- 1859 — First stone church dedicated
- May 10, 1864 — Stone church burned by Confederate guerrillas; parish records lost
- 1869–1871 — Second stone church built and dedicated (cost $13,250)
- 1869–1904 — Original log church reused as a parochial grade school
- 1871 — Kelso Catholics form their own parish
- 1904 — Benton (St. Denis) and Oran parishes formed
- 1907 — Bell tower and present front of church built; Chaffee parish formed
- 1930 — Byzantine-style murals commissioned from Dutch artist DeGroot by Monsignor Peter Huegel
- 1965 — New rectory
- 1977 — Original log church restored
- 1988 — Parish Center (Shibley Hall) built
- 1994 — Most extensive renovation
- 1999 — Storage building
- 2018 — Our Lady of Grace grotto
- 2021–2022 — 175th anniversary celebrated with a year of monthly events
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Parish School of Religion (PSR), coordinated by CRE Pat Moore, provides catechesis for the parish's children from kindergarten through the sacrament of Confirmation, including sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. PSR runs in cooperation with St. Denis, and the parish bulletin notes specific teaching needs (e.g. a 5th-grade catechist) and a kindergarten sign-up process each year. OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, also called RCIA) is offered for adults and children who wish to become Catholic or complete initiation.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) — kindergarten through Confirmation
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion, Reconciliation, and Confirmation
- OCIA / RCIA — adult and children's formation, with new sessions beginning in September
- Close coordination with neighboring St. Denis Catholic School (Preschool and K-8, Memoria Press classical curriculum, located at 105 N. Winchester, Benton)
Sacraments
Saint Lawrence celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The parish office is the first point of contact for most sacramental inquiries; ongoing sacramental preparation is coordinated through the PSR catechists and the pastor.
- Baptism — by appointment with the pastor; contact the parish office
- Confirmation — through PSR and the parish office
- Eucharist / First Communion — through the parish office and PSR
- Reconciliation — see scheduled times or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office for the homebound or hospitalized
- Matrimony — contact the parish office for preparation; weddings scheduled with the pastor
- Holy Orders — inquiries directed through the parish and diocesan Vocations Office
Ministries & Groups
The parish supports a range of liturgical and fellowship ministries. Liturgical Ministry underpins the celebration of the Mass and the other sacraments, while the Men's and Ladies Groups offer fellowship and service. Pastoral staff and parishioners together maintain the parish campus, the restored log church, and the grotto.
- Liturgical Ministry — sacristans, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, music ministry
- Men's and Ladies Groups — fellowship and parish service organizations
- PSR / Catechists — religious education teachers and sacramental prep leaders
- Maintenance & grounds — staff (Henry Beussink, Gerard Dirnberger) and parish volunteers
- Parish Council — led by Parish Council President Gary Reischman
- Office staff — Office Manager Billy Ray Johnson, Jr.
Architecture, Art & Sacred Space
The present stone church is a German-Catholic vernacular Gothic edifice modeled on St. Nicolas Church in Schirrhein, the home village of the founding Alsatian families. The exterior silhouette — defined by the 1907 bell tower and front — is the dominant landmark in New Hamburg. The interior features an Italian-carved marble sanctuary with Cenera marble altars, a tabernacle for the Holy Eucharist, Napoleon Grey marble threshold, Porto Santo marble wainscoting, and stained-glass windows of imported antique glass executed in medieval style. Byzantine-style murals by the Dutch artist DeGroot, commissioned by Monsignor Peter Huegel in 1930, decorate the nave and aisle walls.
- Stone walls, 80 × 50 feet; portions of the 1858–62 walls are still incorporated into the building
- Bell tower and present front — 1907
- Marble altars carved in Italy (Cenera marble); tabernacle in the high altar
- Stained-glass windows in imported antique glass, medieval style
- Byzantine-style murals by DeGroot (1930), commissioned by Msgr. Peter Huegel
- High Altar statuary: St. Lawrence (martyr, deacon), St. Anthony of Padua, St. Agnes, St. John the Baptist, St. Aloysius, St. Helena, St. Clare, St. Stephen
The 1847 Log Church & Parish Grounds
In addition to the main stone church, the parish campus includes the restored 1847 log church — the original building constructed on Wendolin Bucher's land and used as both a place of worship and a parochial grade school from 1869 to 1904. The log church was restored in 1977 and remains in limited liturgical use, including for the annual Memorial Day Mass and special tours. The 1988 Parish Center (Shibley Hall) provides space for dinners, parish events, and community gatherings, and a 2018 outdoor grotto honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Grace stands on the parish grounds.
- 1847 log church — restored 1977; occasional Masses and devotions
- Parish Center (Shibley Hall) — built 1988; hosts dinners, events, and fellowship
- Storage building — added 1999
- Our Lady of Grace Grotto — added 2018
- Parish cemetery — in use since 1847; surrounding the church
Staff & Leadership
Saint Lawrence is led by its pastor, Fr. Daniel Belken, who also serves St. Denis in Benton and the diocese as Director of Worship. The parish office is staffed during the week, and the maintenance team cares for the church, the log church, the Parish Center, and the grounds. The Parish Council, led by its president, provides lay leadership for the parish's mission.
- Pastor — Rev. Daniel Belken (ordained June 12, 2020; assigned March 2023; also pastor of St. Denis, Benton, and Diocesan Director of Worship)
- Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) — Pat Moore
- Office Manager — Billy Ray Johnson, Jr. ([email protected])
- Maintenance Supervisor — Henry Beussink
- Maintenance — Gerard Dirnberger
- Parish Council President — Gary Reischman
Getting Involved & Community Life
Parish life at Saint Lawrence revolves around the Eucharist, the historic church campus, and a strong calendar of fellowship events. The 175th anniversary celebrations in 2021–2022 — a year of monthly events culminating in a Missouri House of Representatives Resolution presented by State Rep. Jamie Burger — captured the parish's spirit of combining deep tradition with hands-on fellowship. Annual traditions include the St. Lawrence Picnic, the Memorial Day Mass in the old log church, the outdoor living nativity, the pro-life Mass, the spring and fall dinners, and the Corpus Christi procession.
- Weekly bulletin published at stlnh.org (e.g., Bulletin August 24, 2025)
- Father Belken's weekly homily podcast "Open Wide the Doors" (openwidethedoors.podbean.com)
- Annual St. Lawrence Picnic
- Annual Memorial Day Mass in the 1847 log church
- Outdoor living nativity in December
- Corpus Christi procession, adoration, and benediction
- Spring and fall dinners, parish appreciation meal
- PSR teacher recruitment (kindergarten sign-up, 5th-grade catechist)
Visiting & Pilgrimage
Saint Lawrence welcomes visitors and pilgrims interested in early German-Catholic settlement in southeast Missouri. The hilltop church is visible from all directions coming into New Hamburg, and a visit can include the main stone church, the restored 1847 log church, the parish cemetery (with burials going back to 1847), the Our Lady of Grace grotto, and the Parish Center (Shibley Hall). The parish is a short distance off Interstate 55 in Scott County, between Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
- Address: 1001 State Highway A, New Hamburg, MO 63740
- GPS: N37° 07.593', W089° 35.600'
- Mailing address: PO Box 247, Benton, MO 63736-0247
- Phone: (573) 545-3317
- Website: https://www.stlnh.org/
- Historical research resources: https://www.capegenealogy.org/resources/resource22_hamburgchurch.html
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Stehle1851–1852
Assigned to the New Hamburg congregation; left in 1852, after which care passed to Father Leo of Benton.
- Father Leo of Bentonfrom 1852
Took over care of the New Hamburg congregation after Father Stehle's departure.
- Father Boetzkesafter Father Leo
Successor to Father Leo among the early pastors of New Hamburg listed in the Cape County Banner history.
- Father Tuerkafter Father Boetzkes
Successor in the early line of priests serving the congregation in the 1850s.
- (Records lost — 1864)1858–1864
Most parish records were destroyed when Confederate guerrillas burned the stone church on May 10, 1864; full list of pastors in this period is not recoverable from the parish's published sources.
- Monsignor Peter Huegelby 1930
Pastor in 1930; commissioned Dutch artist DeGroot to execute the Byzantine-style murals still on the nave and aisle walls.
- Rev. Amel A. Shibleyserved as pastor (retired 1995)
Ordained March 25, 1962, at Immaculate Conception Church in New Madrid. Earlier served as assistant pastor at St. Lawrence, St. Francis Xavier (Sikeston), St. Agnes Cathedral (Springfield), and St. Mary's Cathedral (Cape Girardeau). First pastorate St. Catherine of Siena, Piedmont (1967); later pastorates included St. Ann Malden, St. Eustachius Portageville, St. Francis Sikeston, and St. Lawrence New Hamburg, before retiring in 1995. Diocesan director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1979.
- Rev. Bala Swamy Govinduthrough at least August 2022
Pastor at the time of the parish's 175th anniversary in 2022; opened the National Eucharistic Revival locally with a Corpus Christi procession, adoration and benediction on June 19, 2022; celebrated multiple funeral Masses at St. Lawrence during his tenure.
- Rev. Daniel BelkenMarch 2023–present
Current pastor; also pastor of St. Denis Parish, Benton, and Diocesan Director of Worship. Ordained June 12, 2020, for the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. Previously assigned to Immaculate Conception, Springfield, and St. Mary of the Annunciation Cathedral, Cape Girardeau.
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