A BRIEF HISTORY OF SAINT PAUL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Saint Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on December 5, 1954. By the end of the first full year, the membership had reached a total of 95. Among the charter members was Margaret Richardson, it was her husband, Don, who was one of the first to dream of a Lutheran congregation in the Maryville - Alcoa area. He and Margaret were among the group of 33 persons who got together for the first worship service on May 10,1953. A year and a half later they were joined by 52 others in signing the charter roll. During the first year the average attendance was 40, the number of new members received was 32 and the number of members released was 20.
During the early years much was accomplished when the congregation was able to call its first full-time pastor. There were set backs as well, such as when the military air base at McGee Tyson was vacated and the Alcoa Aluminum plant operations were cut back to a 1937 personnel level. In the Spring of 1960, there were only 8 members who communed. During that year Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church offered its facilities for use by the Lutherans with Sunday School at 4:00 PM and Worship at 5:00 PM on Sundays.
Groundbreaking for the first unit of the church at our first location was held on Sunday, April 29,1962, and the first service in the new building was held on October 21st of that year. In 1967, a building fund was begun and with that financial base, a second unit was completed in June, 1969.
From such humble beginnings, Saint Paul has continued to grow requiring more space. A new Sanctuary was built and dedicated on November 16, 1986. It seated 160 and was designed for 220. We then reached close to our capacity again. Realizing the need for more space and replacement of an inadequate facility, the congregation overwhelmingly voted in 2000 to sell the facility, buy new property and build an entirely new facility. We then temporarily relocated to the former East Maryville Baptist Church. In April 2002, we located in our new home on Sandy Springs Road.
Saint Paul has always had a wealth of talented members willing to share with each other and the community, their faith, assistance and the Good News of Jesus Christ We are grateful for the way the Holy Spirit of God has been at work through those who began the Lutheran ministry here and is now at work through us who are involved in the life of Saint Paul today.
We have much to be thankful for and much more to do. We are happy that you have chosen to visit Saint Paul's website and welcome you to become active in our many ministries as the Spirit directs you.
Current Sanctuary
