First Lutheran Church (Springfield, Ohio)

First Lutheran Church is a Lutheran Church within the Southern Ohio Synod

Southern Ohio Synod

The Southern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is an organization which coordinates the work of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregations in southern Ohio. The Southern Ohio Synod is one of the ELCA's 65 synods....

of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Early History

First Evangelical Lutheran Church is the oldest congregation of Lutherans in Springfield, Ohio

Springfield, Ohio

Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...

. Reverend John Lehman, a missionary from Pennsylvania, in 1841, gathered the scattered Lutheran in the area to form a congregation. When Rev. Ezra Keller came to establish Wittenberg College

Wittenberg University

Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...

, he became the pastor and formally organized the congregation. Keller was influences by Americanists among Lutherans who sought to adapt the German church to the United States and to Americanize the German immigrants. They supported reform efforts such as anti-slavery, temperance, world peace, the Sunday school and social services.
The congregation will soon begin its eighteenth decade of service to its members and to the Springfield community. Thousands have worshipped at the northeast corner of west High Street and Wittenberg Avenue and served area needs. Baptisms, confirmations, weddings, funerals, worship services, communion services, Sunday school class, youth gatherings, church suppers, church council meetings and women’s circles have taken place there. The members live out their Christian commitment in worship, praise, mutual support and community and social service.

Relationship with Wittenberg University

Wittenberg University

Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...

began at First Lutheran and all the preparatory, college and seminary classes were held there from 1845 to 1851. The congregation served as the college’s church. Presidents Keller, Sprecher, Helwig and Ort were members and pastors. Nearly the entire early faculty were members and many current Wittenberg University faculty, staff, administrators and students are members. Reverend Michael W. Hamma, after whom Hamma School of Theology was named, (now part of the Trinity Lutheran Seminary

Trinity Lutheran Seminary

Trinity Lutheran Seminary is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary located in Columbus, Ohio.-Background:In 1830, the German Theological Seminary of the Ohio Synod, later known as the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary, was founded to meet the need for educating pastors in the...

in Columbus) was once the pastor. Many seminarians have served as assistant pastors, youth leaders, and church musicians. The college paid pew rent to the church for many students who were members. Many, upon graduation, moved west to establish congregations in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Iowa, Kansas, from here to California. The present building, built in 1869, encompasses parts of the north and west walls of the original building. The ground floor assembly room is called Wittenberg Hall to commemorate the school’s beginning in that space.

Lutheran Presence in Springfield, Ohio

In the 1880s, as the town grew, colonies of members from the church left to start new congregations in town. The English Evangelical Lutheran Church became First Lutheran when a group established the Second Lutheran Church at Selma Road and Clifton Avenue. The process was called “swarming.” Subsequently other members “swarmed” to establish Third, Fourth, Fifth and Calvary. First also provided leadership and assistance in the establishment of Trinity, St. Mark, Grace and Auburn congregations. It operated Sunday schools and missions in the east, west and south ends of town which developed into congregations of other Christian denominations. This growth occurred as Springfield grew to 80,000 people and became a major industrial city. Thus, First was the “mother” church for Lutheran growth in the American west and in Springfield as well.

Renovations and Updates

Springfield’s population peaked, people moved to the suburbs and industry declined; downtown businesses moved to the malls. The congregation remained where it was and in 1955 constructed a three story, modern Christian education facility. In 1961 and again in 2005 the sanctuary was renovated. The entire facility, with the exception of the balcony, is now handicap accessible.
The center city is now involved in a major makeover and First Lutheran Church is in the thick of construction. The Springfield Regional Medical Center will make the center city a hub for patients, their families, and medical professionals. First Lutheran Church will begin a special ministry to many of these individuals. They already maintain a support program for patients at the Springfield Cancer Center.
Other downtown and near downtown developments include the Clark County Public Library, the Clark County Heritage Center

Clark County Heritage Center

The Clark County Heritage Center is a building in central Springfield, Ohio, United States. Originally built for the city's offices in 1890, it is now the location of the Clark County Historical Society , which includes a museum, research library and archives. The building has been listed on the...

, the Kuss Auditorium of Clark State Community College

Clark State Community College

Clark State Community College began in 1962 as the Springfield and Clark County Technical Education Program in an effort to meet the post-secondary, technical education needs of Springfield and the surrounding area. In 1966 the name was changed to Clark County Technical Institute and was chartered...

, the Springfield Museum of Art, the Westcott House and the Pennsylvania House

Pennsylvania House (Springfield, Ohio)

The Pennsylvania House is a historic inn and tavern in western Springfield, Ohio, United States. Built circa 1822, this three-story brick Federal structure lies along the original National Road and near the old road that connects Springfield with Dayton, Ohio....

. Soon to be added are the Center City Park, the ice rink, and the Buck Creek Corridor recreation park. All this provides a new kind of parish in which to do ministry.

External Links

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