Church of Schorrentin

The church village Schorrentin

An exactly foundation date of the village Schorrentin is unproved. It is assumed, that a few years after the invasion of barbarians a Slavic family built the first cottage of the village. The cottage was placed on a convenient and hidden place near a brook. The village was named, after his first Slavic owner Skoreta, Skoretin. Also a sanctuary belonged to the village. In a linden grove, the slaves made sacrificial offerings to their gods. Latest in the mid- 13^th century, the first German settlers arrived. Normally, the German farmers and manufacturer colonized Slavic village, but in Schorrentin there was a special case. According to historical sources, in former times the German and the Slavic Schorrentin coexisted. The German farmers built up a new village with a church at some distance. The new village was named Schorrentin too. Most likely the foundation of the German Schorrentin and the construction of the church took place between 1230 and 1260. The Slavic village existed autonomous until at least mid-16^th century. Longer as on other places, rests of the Slavic population existed in Schorrentin.
According to historical sources, Schorrentin was firstly named in a Latin certificate of 16^th June 1305 from Hohen-Mistorf. In this period the church was mentioned as well.

The rectorate

Schorrentin, Kämmerich, Schönkamp, Groß Markow, Lelkendorf, Warsow, Sarmstorf and Schwarzenhof belonged to the rectorate respectively the parish Schorrentin. Only since 1980 the rectorate Schorrentin is permanent unmanned and was closed in the 90s. Today Schorrentin belongs to the rectorate of Neukalen.

The church

The church is an early gothic brick building with a recessed sanctuary. The sanctuary and the nave have a flat ceiling. The rudiments of buttresses indicate that a curve was designated or even existed really. The construction of the nave was completed in 1390. As Schorrentin was firstly mentioned in 1305, a previous building is likely. Opulent baize and ornaments of the facing panel decorate the east gable. The east gable is characterized by a window with an early gothic arch and in the top a rosette with zigzag patterning. Two lancet windows which are framed of facings, throw the light on the sanctuary. A creative characteristic of the south of the church are the numerical data in gothic minuscule: “Anno Domini 1390 edificata”. This date indicates the year of construction of the current church. On the north side is a sacristy; on the south side are a half-timbering chapel and a burial chapel of the family of Levetzow (Lelkendorf).
The church tower is constructed on a squared ground plan. Around 1400, the church tower consisted basically of wood, which was damaged by a storm in 1760 and replaced by a new massive construction in 1767. The actually crest with a four-sided helmet and eight-sided bonnet is from 1811.

The 19^th century

Except a stoup out of granite, which was originally a grindstone, no other old pieces were preserved. The altar is designed in neo- classical forms. The altarpiece from H. Pommerenke illustrates Jesus Christ at the Mount of Olives. It is dated on 1865. The organ, from the organ builder Winzer, is arranged on the choir loft. The pulpit and the upright of the stoup are from 1890. On the occasion of the 500-year anniversary of the church in 1890, the renovation works of the 19^th century finished with a new pewage, new plaster and the change of the ceiling in the sanctuary and the nave.
Additionally, a new rectory with a great parish community centre was built in the 19^th century.

The 20^th century

The last painting took place in 1950, when the choir lofts on the long sides of the nave were removed. In 1952 the organ was rebuilt by the company Sauer from Frankfort/Oder. In 1955 three new steel bells were installed, which were spent by some parish members, as well as the new pulpit and the antependium.
The specially mention of the festival service for the renovation with over 200 visitors show the importance of the church in these times.
The top of the church tower, the church roof and the truss was repaired in the 70s and 90s. The nave and the tower space got a new paint.
Due to the traditional habit of burying persons around the church in the middle of the village, the contact to history, to life and the legacy of previous generations was still alive.
Today, the cemetery is placed a few hundred meters from the church away, but you can still see the church.

The 21^th century

In 2009 the floor of the church was renovated. This was followed by the refurbishment of the windows in the nave, the expansion of a winter church with an underfloor heating, a small kitchen and the installation of sanitary modules in the church tower in the years 2010/2011. This modification was dedicated on 18th June 2011.