Perhaps you’ve passed by a stone mansion and never realized it was a church. That’s the fascinating story of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. This isn’t just any church. It has a unique history rooted in a beautiful piece of architecture.
The story of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah starts with a mansion. It was known as the Stonehenge Mansion. The Venable family built it in 1914. Samuel Hoyt Venable built it for his sister Elizabeth Venable Mason and her family. Edward Emmett Dougherty designed this home. Leilla Venable Ellis Samuel’s sister created murals and artwork for it. The mansion is an example of Tudor period Gothic Revival architecture. Granite from Stone Mountain was used. Samuel and his brother William Venable owned Stone Mountain at the time.
Now fast forward to 1959. The congregation of St. John’s Lutheran Church bought the Stonehenge Mansion. They purchased it for $60000. They transformed the mansion into their new church home.
Ten years later in 1969 a significant addition was made. Architects Barker and Cunningham designed a sanctuary. They built it using granite from Stone Mountain. The sanctuary has an octagonal shape. This shape symbolized the eighth day of creation. It represents baptism into Jesus’s death and resurrection. This design was very contemporary for 1969. The sanctuary seats 300 people. Five rows surround a central altar. It reflects St. John’s view of the church. It is the family of God gathered around God’s table.
Above the altar sits a special cross. This cross has four sides. It is made of faceted glass. In 1983 the church added a W. Zimmer & Sons pipe organ.
Before moving to the Stonehenge Mansion the congregation had a rich history. The church was first named Die Deutsche Lutherische Germeinde. This translates to The German Lutheran Congregation. It was the first Lutheran church in Atlanta. It was organized on July 25 1869. The name changed to St. John’s Lutheran Church in 1871.
The church has moved several times. In 1873 they built a small building. It was at the intersection of Forsyth Street and Whitehall Street. In 1885 they moved to a former Methodist church. This was at Forsyth and Garnett Street.
In 1900 the church joined the German Evangelical Synod of North America. World War I brought challenges. Anti-German sentiment caused membership to decline. Many members joined the English-speaking Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
In 1924 the church’s building was demolished. The congregation bought a former Presbyterian church. It was at Euclid Avenue and Druid Circle. In 1945 they joined the United Lutheran Church in America. This eventually became the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. St. John’s is still a member today.
So the Lutheran Church of the Messiah stands as a testament. It shows faith community and architectural adaptation can coexist. It’s a place where history and spirituality intertwine. It is a unique landmark in Atlanta.