The bell tower on the first day of deconstruction. Photo by Sarah Bennett

For 55 years, an 85-foot-tall bell tower at Long Beach’s First Lutheran Church kept watch over both its congregation and the Downtown adjacent neighborhood with its four bells sounding off every day at noon and 6PM, as well as before every church service. 

But over three days last week, the iconic concrete and metal structure was demolished in order to save the church from having to pay $200,000 in repair costs to the massively corroded interior steel. 

“The bell tower has been an iconic symbol of our church for many years, and we are sorry to see it go,” said Bruce Jeske, pastor of First Lutheran Church. “At the same time, it is good to remember that the essence of our church is not found in a steeple or any other physical structure, but in Christ and in His people.”

The corrosion was first discovered by a parishoner who noticed rust chips flaking on the ground around the tower–which is topped with a 15-foot cross. And further investigation by a structural engineeering firm confirmed massive deterioration that, in the event of an earthquake, may cause the bell tower to topple. 

Believing that it was more important to invest those monetary resources in the lives of people rather than in stucco and steel, the church made the difficult decision to retire the bell tower.

A deconsecration ceremony was held for the tower on Sunday, March 16 and demolition began Tuesday, March 18. At the end of the day Tuesday, the structural steel along the bottom of the tower was exposed to reveal heavy rust and corrosion (see photo). A bee hive had also made its home in the top of the tower and a swirl of black insects hovered dozens of feet above the ground.

By Thursday, the tower was gone. 

“With or without a bell tower, the mission of our congregation remains the same–to be a healing place for hurting people as we share His message of love and forgiveness with our surrounding community,” Jeske said.

First Lutheran Church, at 9th St. and Atlantic Ave., has been serving the downtown Long Beach area since 1905.

To learn more about the church, visit their website or contact Pastor Bruce Jeske at (562) 437-8532.

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