A Brief History of Establishing
Lutheran Churches in Eau Claire

The goal is to establish a new Lutheran congregation in Eau Claire with the first service of worship targeted for the fall of 2002.  As we ponder starting a new church, it is interesting and instructive to look at the history of establishing the nine congregations that are now part of the ELCA.  The statistics noted are from the 2001 ELCA Year Book.

First Lutheran Church
     First was founded in 1865 to serve the huge influx of Norwegians who came to the Chippewa Valley to work in the lumber industry and to farm.  Before bridges spanned the river, the congregation had a building on each side of the water and the pastor crossed back and forth.  The present sanctuary was built in 1920.  A youth building was added in 1940; an education building in 1961.  First founded Luther Hospital and assisted in the establishment of three other ELCA congregations in Eau Claire. [1,804 Baptized; 471 average attendance]

St. John’s Lutheran Church
     In 1874, St. John’s was organized as a congregation in the Iowa Synod.  In 1879, St. John’s Cemetery property was acquired, and in 1884, a new church on South Dewey Street was dedicated.  (In 1915, pew rent was abolished, and in 1918 women were granted the right to vote.)  In 1954, St. John’s relocated and broke ground for a new church on Highland Avenue that was dedicated one year later. [2,349 Baptized; 485 average attendance]

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
     Our Savior’s was organized in 1876 with 125 members.  Like First, they served largely Norwegian immigrants.  The church was built in 1877 at Oxford and Fulton Street.  Expansion or remodeling was done in 1881, 1912, and 1921.  In the early 1950s, the Home Missions Board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church approached Our Savior’s about possible relocation.  This overture was rejected and led to the start of Trinity and Good Shepherd.  In 1957, plans to relocate were approved, but the present church on Main Street was not built and dedicated until 1964.  [1,096 Baptized; 275 average attendance]

Immanuel Lutheran Church
     Immanuel was organized among Swedish immigrants to Eau Claire in 1883.  The congregation’s first “permanent” home was constructed in 1887, a white frame church located on Oxford and Beach (the parsonage at that location still exists).  
Immanuel Lutheran continued . . .
The congregation moved to Farwell and Gray in 1931when it purchased a church from the Methodists.  Limited parking and growth potential prompted a third move to Golf Road in 1981.  Immanuel enlarged its space in 1994. [604 Baptized; 209 average attendance]

Grace Lutheran Church
    Grace was founded in 1910 with 137 members because of the need to have worship in English instead of Norwegian.  For five years, Grace held services in the Norwegian churches of Eau Claire until the dedication of their building in 1915, at which time membership stood at 560.  By 1921, membership was 1,567.  Major additions to the church took place in 1926, 1935, 1942 and 1950.  Over 400 from Grace served in World War II.  Radio broadcasts began in 1947; TV in 1954. [2,758 Baptized; 579 average attendance]
	
Hope Lutheran Church
     Hope Lutheran Church held its first worship service on May 29, 1944.  Our Savior’s, Grace, and First Lutheran formed the Eau Claire Home Mission Committee which initiated establishment of the congregation.  Hope originally worshiped in a house (the pastor lived upstairs).  The spring of 2001, Hope will embark on a 1.5 million dollar construction and renovation project.  They’ve come a long ways from worshiping in the living room of a home! [1,585 Baptized; 375 average attendance]

Trinity Lutheran Church
     In 1952, the Home Mission Board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Minneapolis recognized the need for two new churches in Eau Claire.  Pastor Borgen began worship services in February of 1954 at the State Theater with 125 adults and 60 children in attendance; worship was also held at the YMCA and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  Trinity was formally organized in May of 1954 with 191 members.  In July of 1954, Trinity became self-supporting and held its first worship in the first unit of their new building in August of the same year.  Subsequent building expansions in the earlier years took place in 1956 and 1962. [2,352 Baptized; 795 average attendance]

University Lutheran Church
     University Lutheran is unique.  It is a mission congregation sponsored by Lutheran Campus Ministry of the ELCA.  Founded in 1974, it exists to serve UW-EC and CVTC students, faculty, and staff.  The members of University Lutheran are community folks who are committed to campus ministry and who provide a stable presence of hospitality for the students who come and go from their midst.  [247 Baptized; 228 average attendance]

The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
     Good Shepherd was the other church planted by the Home Mission Board in the early 50s.  Land was bought in 1953 on Cedar Street.  In March of 1955, Pastor Hegge was called as mission developer, and construction of the church on Cedar Street was completed in May of 1955.  Good Shepherd experienced rapid growth and was self-supporting by the fall of 1955–a record for least amount of time in “mission status.”  In 1957, an education unit was built and Grace Lutheran co-signed a loan for the parish hall.  [1,889 Baptized; 342 average attendance]

The current explosion of growth in Eau Claire and outlying areas tells us that it is time to do as our faith ancestors did – establish another congregation!

Our present ELCA congregations exist today because people of vision determined that there was a need for new churches and provided the support necessary to bring our churches into being.  The result of their labors of love and mission has allowed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be heard and lived among thousands and thousands of people in the Chippewa Valley.

We now seek to add a tenth congregation to the roll call of Eau Claire congregations!  Like those from generations past, it is our turn to acknowledge the growth of our community and the need of another worshiping congregation.  It is our turn to provide the people, money, and prayer necessary to establish a new church.

Prayers continue to be offered for God’s guidance.
Growth and demographic work has been completed.
Now we need to provide the financial backing necessary to call a mission developer pastor and begin a new community of faith.

Can you capture the vision of our faith ancestors and be bold in mission?

During the coming months, three-year financial pledges from as many members of the nine Eau Claire churches as possible will be secured.  In addition, the 200+ congregations of the NW Synod of Wisconsin will be asked to form mission partnerships with the new Lutheran church.  If  there is solid backing for a new church start demonstrated, our national church body will likely provide supplemental financial assistance.
							
We are rich in resources!  Starting a new congregation and supporting it until it is self-supporting will be a gifting of joy and blessing!  When you are asked to provide financial support to this new mission venture, respond generously.