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Home  About Us Our History
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Our History |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 15 October 2006 |
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In November 1929, a canvas sponsored by the Federation of Lutheran
Churches was conducted on the southside of Indianapolis with the
express purpose of establishing a new mission. Services were held
throughout 1930 in a store building near Madison and Epler Avenues. On
January 21, 1931 Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church was officially
organized. In October of that year candidate Lorenz Wunderlich began
serving as Calvary’s first pastor. Services were conducted in a
portable chapel, which was moved from Fort Wayne, Indiana and still
stands, at 1531 East Epler Avenue.
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Because of a growing ministry, land was purchased at Dudley and Shelby
Street and a new church was dedicated at that site on March 15, 1942.
In the meantime, Pastor Wunderlich had been called to St. John’s
College, Winfield, Kansas, Pastor Schmidt had served but resigned in
1940 for health reasons, and Pastor Walter Barth had accepted Calvary’s
call to serve as pastor. He served until 1955 and continued to visit
the congregation occasionally.
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In the mid-1940s, Calvary arranged with St. Paul’s congregation for the
Christian Education of its children. In 1948, Calvary called its first
teacher, Mr. August Schwark, who served at. St. Paul’s school until
Calvary built its own school with two new classrooms constructed in
1950. Mr. Schwark was present to celebrate the school’s 50th
anniversary and dedication of the school’s upper grades wing in August
2000. |
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The original purchase of land at 6111 Shelby Street included six acres. Fifty years later it has expanded to 14 acres. When Pastor Barth left to serve in the Nebraska District, Rev. E. H. Albers was called as Calvary’s pastor. He helped the congregation through the planning and implementing of the move from Dudley and Shelby to our present location. In January, 1963 Calvary dedicated two new classrooms, a kitchen, dining area and worship center. That worship center now serves as our auditorium/gymnasium. In 1966 Pastor Albers moved to Chicago to serve on behalf of our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. One of his daughters remains as a faithful member of the congregation.
Rev.
Robert Meier accepted Calvary’s call and served as Pastor from March 1966 until his retirement in May 1989. He continued to serve Calvary and the Indiana District until his death in the fall of 1998. As the ministry continued to grow, he steered the congregation into calling its first assistant pastor in 1978, celebration its 50th anniversary in 1981, and erecting a new sanctuary for worship, dedicated in June 1982.
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To accommodate an ever expanding ministry Calvary added more space to
its Christian Day School through building programs in 1985, 1990, and
1996 and began the new millennium with additional construction under a
special Lilly Foundation matching grant. Calvary’s current sanctuary
has been remodeled form the 1982 building and was rededicated on Easter
1997. What began as a mission church with 30 members currently serves
about 1600 members and is led in that ministry by Pastors Arthur
Wehrmeister and William Yates. Pastor Art has been serving Calvary
since 1982 and Pastor Bill joined this ministry in 1990. |
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For information about the history of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod check out Concordia Historical Institute
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The liturgical heart of the entire building is the complex of five crosses that hangs in the front of the sanctuary. Calvary Lutheran Church is indebted to the sculptor, Mr. Henry Menke, for this thoughtful, inspirational work of art. For more information about this work of art, check out the meaning behind the Five Crosses of Calvary. Five Crosses of Calvary
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 November 2007 )
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Worship with Us!
Every Saturday
6:30pm
Every Sunday
8:00am
10:45am
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