BRIEF HISTORY OF FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH
Knoxville, TN

 

               

   First Lutheran Church, Knoxville - 50th Anniversary Bulletin (1919)


 

History Archive Files


 

May 16, 2005

    Beginning in 1813, Lutheran missionaries made regular trips through East Tennessee.  First Lutheran Church itself was organized at a meeting of about 20 Lutherans in Peter Kern's Hall at No. 7 Market Square on OctobeFirst Lutheran Churchr 12, 1869, as the First German Evangelical Lutheran Church.  The congregation, being of German heritage, conducted services in the German language into the 1890's when it was decided to begin services in English also.  The church has resided at two previous locations since its organization: at the corner of Broad and Asylum Streets (now Broadway and Western Avenue, the old L&N Station) from 1870-1901, and the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway (now the First Tennessee Bank) from 1901-1946.  The Francis house at the corner of Broadway and Wells was purchased, and services were held in the house until the school building was completed in 1947.  The current Gothic-style building was dedicated on May 15, 1955.



First Lutheran Church    True to the historic principle of Lutheranism that there can be no real education without religion, a Christian day school was immediately started in 1869.   It was closed for a few years but reopened in 1892.  A major renovation project was completed in 1979 with the addition of another school wing housing not only classrooms but also a new gymnasium.  Its program now covers preschool age 3yrs. through 8th. grade with 20 teacher, 250 students, and a day care program which includes before and after school care.

    The congregation celebrated its 125th. anniversary in October 1994.  Since its establishment, First Lutheran has had 16 minister.  It has produced 4 daughter congregations:  Grace Lutheran in 1959 in the Bearden area, Christus Victor in 1967 in the Norwood-Powell area, Holy Trinity in 1964 in Seymour, and Christ of the Cumberlands in 1986 (previously a preaching station since 1974) in Harrogate.  Today. First Lutheran's congregation stands at 440 souls and continues to be involved in the neighborhood surrounding the church both physically and spiritually.

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First Lutheran Church and School -1207 Broadway Knoxville, TN 37917
 Telephone 865-524-0366 - School 865-524-0308