The roots of First Lutheran Church reach deep into the history of Minnesota, to 1888. Today's church was created by a merger of two pioneer congregations, Zion Lutheran and First Evangelical English Lutheran Church.

 

The White Bear Lake area began attracting settlers while Minnesota was still a territory. In the 1840's, French Canadians established ox cart trading trails between St. Paul and Duluth. Many French Canadians settled in what was then know as the Bears Lake area. The Souix, Chippewa and Dakota tribes were neighbors of the newcomers.

 

In 1847, land was surveyed as White Bear Township and then offered for sale at $1.25 an acre. By 1860, there were enough residents to organize the Union Sunday School. It was established in a log schoolhouse to serve children of all faiths. The next year, St. John's Episcopal Church was dedicated. The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1864, and St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic Church held its first service in 1873.

 

As immigrants from northern Europe made the trek to Minnesota, more and more Lutherans chose White Bear Township as their home. These people felt a need to worship in their native tongues. In 1888, 13 men and women of German descent organized Zion Lutheran Church and founded one of the congregations that would one day become First Lutheran.

 

Zion Lutheran met first in schools, but by 1891, the congregation had raised $1,300 to construct a simple frame building on the southwest corner of South and Stewart Streets in White Bear Lake. Zion Lutheran services were conducted in German from 1888 to 1924, with some English language services introduced in 1916.

 

Swedish speaking Lutherans had no place to worship until a visiting pastor decided to hold a meeting in the kitchen of the Chateaugay Hotel in March of 1888. Seven Swedish families attended. Before the pastor moved away, he suggested that the families form a church. Originally the new church was called the Swedish Lutheran Congregation of White Bear Lake. In 1923, the church changed its name to Faith Lutheran. Two years later, the name was changed again, to First Evangelical English Lutheran Church.

 

Initially, the Swedish Lutheran Congregation met in the homes of its members. In the fall of 1888, construction was begun on a church building at the southeast corner of Sixth and Stewart Streets. The budget for the building was $1,600. Services were held in Swedish until 1923, when some English language services were conducted.

 

By 1929, it was no longer necessary to hold church services in other languages, and the two neighboring congregations voted to merge. In March Zion Lutheran discontinued its services, and in May the two congregations combined. The merged church, which was now to serve people of all nationalities, was named First English Evangelical Lutheran Church.

 

The year 1929 was not an auspicious time to launch a church, with the Great Depression creating massive unemployment and war about to erupt in Europe. It was a struggle to keep the church afloat financially. In 1932, the pastor's salary was $150 a month. The next year, the congregation had to reduce the salary to $120.

 

Despite the handicaps, First Lutheran flourished, and in a few years had nearly outgrown its building. Pearl Harbor brought this growth to a halt. After World War II, space problems became increasingly acute as church membership rapidly expanded. In March 1956, the congregation voted to relocate to a 14-1/2 acre site on Highway 61, hoping to reach and serve the many new families moving into southern White Bear Lake. Construction on the first unit of the new building was begun in 1958 and completed by the following May. The facility included a worship center, classrooms, kitchen, nursery and offices.

 

Two years later, planning began for constructing a sanctuary. As First Lutheran celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1963, the cornerstone was laid for the new sanctuary.

 

By 1987 it had become clear that our facility would again need to expand to fit God's growing work at First Lutheran, so the church began preparing for the third building phase. Construction was started in 1992 on an education unit, kitchen, choir rooms, offices and the commons area. These facilities were dedicated in September 1993.

 

The original First English Evangelical Lutheran Church building at Sixth and Stewart Streets is still in use. First Baptist Church held services there after First Lutheran vacated the structure in 1929. Today it is the home of the Lakeshore Players. The Zion Church building was moved and remodeled into a parsonage.

 

Throughout its almost 120 year history, First Evangelical Lutheran Church has been striving to bring the life giving Good News of God in Jesus Christ to its community. Now more than ever we hear God's call to love Jesus, love people, and service all with joy.