“Celebrating Parish Progress on The Heights.” That’s what The New York Times declared on May 20, 1928 about the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior. Today, we stand before a testament to faith. It is a story of mergers, dashed dreams and enduring community.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior’s story began with two smaller congregations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement and the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour merged. This happened in January 1927. Both churches were originally missions of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. Atonement Lutheran built a church in 1897. Its location was at 116 Edgecombe Avenue. Today, Mt. Calvary United Methodist Church owns the building. The Church of Our Saviour was established in 1898. It was first located at 525 West 179th Street. Later, it moved to 580 West 187th Street. The Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church is there now.
The newly merged congregation of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior bought property on Bennett Avenue. In 1928, they laid the cornerstone for a Parish House. Original plans included a Lutheran hospital. It was to be constructed on land extending to 187th Street. However, the hospital never came to fruition. The building project coincided with the completion of the A train subway line. Many churches in Washington Heights were built that year. But many were never completed.
The stock market crash of 1929 changed everything. Plans for a Gothic sanctuary were abandoned. These plans were designed by Mayers, Murray & Phillip. Completed in December 1928, the Parish House became the congregation’s only building.
In the 1970s, the Parish House was transformed. It became the Cornerstone Center. The center provided space for various activities. There was a video studio and a dance space. A kindergarten found a home there. A church for the deaf also used the space. Beth Am, The People’s Temple, a Reform Jewish congregation, shared the facilities too.
Now let’s talk about the organ. The organ in Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church has a fascinating history. M.P. Mõller originally built it. It was installed in the gallery of the Chapel of the Interchurch Center on Riverside Drive in 1960. In 1982, Austin Organs reconfigured the organ. They added new pipes and a new console. In 2007, the Interchurch Center donated the organ. This was before the installation of a new Klais organ. Glück Pipe Organs moved the organ. They connected the resources of a previous Mõller organ to the Austin console. Mann & Trupiano upgraded the original Mõller organ.
Today, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior stands as a beacon of faith. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of community. It is a place where diverse backgrounds come together. Here, questions are welcome. The stories of faith are passed on through generations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior is a Reconciled in Christ congregation. It welcomes and supports its LGBTQ members. Racism has no place here. As followers of Jesus, they renounce bias and work against it.