First Lutheran Church

File

First Lutheran Church

This folder contains a booklet from the 60th anniversary, copies of newspaper articles about the church, a congregational historical record, a booklet from the dedication of the church, church directories from 1963 and 1964, a flyer announcing the dedication of the church, a congregational statistical record, a letter of call, various letters, a newsletter from the church, an aerial view picture of the area, a copy of the “Kennewick Story," and a map of the area.

This congregation was organized by Rev. O. C. Helleckson of Genesee, Idaho on Sunday, November 28, 1904, and was given the name of “Kennewick Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Kennewick, Washington.” On January 1, 1907 the German Lutheran Church joined the Kennewick congregation. In 1908 the German congregation withdrew and reorganized their own group. In August of 1921, the Wisconsin Synod property on Ione Street was purchased and members of the Zion church joined this congregation, changing the name to “First Lutheran Church of Kennewick, Washington.” The bell formerly used at Genesee, Idaho was given to this church in October of 1921 and was formally installed the following November. In May of 1932, Pasco Lutheran joined this congregation. The First Congregational Church property on 2nd and Auburn in Kennewick was purchased in 1935. InSeptember of 1939, property on West Kennewick Avenue was purchased to serve as a parsonage,and then sold in 1953 when a new parsonage was built on North Underwood. The groundbreaking ceremony for a new church building was held May 1, 1957. The cornerstone for the building was dated September 8, 1957 and the first service was held in the church on Christmas Day, 1957. The dedication ceremony was held March 9, 1958. Dedication for the new Sunday School wing was March 19, 1978.