St. Michael

In 1868, the first church in Stelle - the Evangelical Lutheran Church - was built on Ahlers Hill. However, despite this important building, the congregation remained dependent for a long time. It only gained its independence in 1956. 

The village of Stelle, which was first mentioned in a document in 1197, had over 700 inhabitants in the middle of the 19th century. For centuries, the church route took worshippers from Stelle to Pattensen, nine kilometres away. 

The church was built in just eight months for the sum of 6449 thalers and was officially consecrated on 27 December 1886. Nowadays, such a building project would probably take much longer. The financing was particularly remarkable: every church member had to make a contribution, depending on their tax liability. But not everyone was willing to pay; there were seizures - sofas, grandfather clocks and even pigs were confiscated. 

On 6 September 1956, the Evangelical Lutheran parish of St. Michael Stelle finally became fully independent.