Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church
Messiah Lutheran Church on Chicago's North Side was organized on May 22, 1896 as an English-language congregation by the Augustana Synod. Worshipping first at Spelz Hall on Clark Street, facing Fletcher Street., three lots were purchased at Seminary Avenue and School Street. A chapel on that site was dedicated May 3, 1898. A new church and remodeled chapel were dedicated on May 24, 1925.
In 1970 it merged with Trinity (Augustana, 1883) to form Resurrection Lutheran at 3309 N. Seminary Ave.
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Pastors |
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John Telleen |
Dec. 1896-June 1898 |
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Adolph Hult |
June 1899-April 1907 |
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G.A. Elliot |
Oct. 1907-Aug.1928 |
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John Helmer Olson |
March 1929-Jan. 1940 |
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Melville Sjostrand |
July 1940-April 1955 |
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Philip C. Warmanen |
Dec. 1955-1962 |
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Eugene Kreider (interim) |
1962-1963 |
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Ronald K. Johnson |
1964-1970 |
Original records
Original record books for Messiah should be found at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 3303 N. Seminary Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Early record books have been microfilmed, as Augustana #A14 and are available at the ELCA Archives and at the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The microfilm includes membership records from 1896 to 1929. The ELCA Archives also has congregational histories, copies of some church publications and other materials relating to Messiah Lutheran.
Sources
Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Yearbook, 1926
Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, Diamond Jubilee Anniversary Book, 1896-1956, 1956.