A HISTORIC PRESENCE IN ATLANTA
1885-1924 at Forsyth and Garnett Streets
St. John's Lutheran Church was organized July 25, 1869 as Die Deutsche Lutherische Germeinde (The German Lutheran Congregation) and is the oldest Lutheran church in Atlanta. The first services were held at the corner of Broad and Marietta Streets. The name was changed to St. John's Lutheran Church in 1871.
In 1873, a small church building for the congregation was built at the intersection of Forsyth and Whitehall Street in downtown Atlanta. The church moved again in 1885, into a former Methodist church building at the intersection of Forsyth and Garnett Street.
The church experienced a significant decline during World War I, as anti-German sentiment led many members to leave the congregation for the English-speaking Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, which was founded in the city in 1903. Like many German-American churches, St. John’s gradually shifted from German to English worship.
The church moved to Inman Park in 1924 at Euclid Avenue and Druid Circle, and then to its present location in 1961 when renovation of the Stonehenge Mansion purchased in 1959 was completed.
The Stonehenge Mansion, built in 1914 on Ponce de Leon Avenue and Oakdale Road, originally housed Sam Hoyt Venable, his sister Elizabeth Venable Mason, and her husband and children. The building is an example of Tudor period Gothic Revival architecture and was constructed with granite from Stone Mountain, which at the time was owned by Samuel and his brother William Venable.
The mansion was bought by the church in 1959 and converted into a church building. A sanctuary was added in 1969 using granite from Stone Mountain. The octogonal shape of the sanctuary, used in earlier periods of history to signify the “eight day of creation” (baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus), was contemporary in 1969. It can seat up to 300 in five rows around a central alter reflecting St. John’s understanding of the church as the family of God gathered around the table of God. The four-sided cross above the altar is made of faceted glass, and a W. Zimmer & Sons pipe organ was added in 1983.
Dr. Louis J. Zahn, grandson of one of the founding members of St. John's, Mrs. Rosina Hunerkopf (1815-1892), wrote a history of the congregation to commemorate the first hundred years of its existence. Click here for that deep dive into the first 100 years.
An architecture enthusiast toured our building in 2011 and wrote a blog about it with photos. Check it out here!
A TIME OF TRIAL, 2006-2009
On August 8, 2006, Bishop Ronald Warren of the Southeastern Synod filed formal charges with the ELCA against then-St. John's Pastor Bradley Schmeling because of his committed relationship with Rev. Darin Easler. Because the ELCA had a policy that excluded gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in relationships from the ordained ministry, the disciplinary and appeal committees ruled against Pastor Schmeling. Pastor Schmeling was subsequently removed from the ELCA roster. Because of the verdict, 22 synods in the ELCA asked the church to change the policy. Even though the church at its national assembly in 2007 did not change the policy, it did adopt a resolution that asked the bishops to exercise restraint in discipline. The resolution probably means that Pastor Schmeling is the last partnered gay pastor who will ever face trial in the ELCA. The Assembly also directed the Task Force on Human Sexuality to develop recommendations on ministry policy to be presented to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.
Bishop Warren announced on August 2, 2007 that he would take no further action regarding Pastor Schmeling's case and/or against St. John's. Bishop Gordy, elected in 2007, has also chosen not to seek any discipline against St. John’s, believing that while the church is in discernment on the issue of homosexuality, “no one should be excused from the table.”
In 2009, The ELCA met in assembly and adopted a social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” which, for the first time acknowledged that there are faithful Christians who do not believe that homosexuality is sinful but is part of a diverse and wonderful creation. A documentary that is synchronous with the events as they unfolded can be viewed on our Youtube channel.
Pastor Bradley Schmeling in the 2007 Atlanta Pride Parade.
PASTORAL LEADERSHIP AT ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH
2024 - PRESENT Rev. Jennifer Goodwin Roberts
2023 - 2024 Rev. David Helfrich
2014 - 2023 Rev. Nancy Christiansen
2012 - 2018 Rev. Beverly Shaw Brown
2000 - 2012 Rev. Bradley E. Schmeling
1993 - 1999 Rev. Stephen G. Cooper
1988 - 1991 Rev. Norbert F. Hahn
1980 - 1992 Rev. Mark A. Scott
1971 - 1979 Rev. Joseph W. Holt
1969 - 1970 Rev. Richard W. McLeroy & Rev. Dr. John R. Brokhoff
1963 - 1969 Rev. Gerald S. Troutman
1961 - 1963 Rev. Voigt Kleckly
1945 - 1961 Rev. C.K. Derrick
1929 - 1945 Rev. H.A. Dewald
1918 - 1929 Rev. W.E. Hauff
1914 - 1918 Rev. O.J. Gilbert
1907 - 1914 Rev. G. Nussmann
1900 - 1907 Rev. W. Vollbrecht
1899 - 1900 Rev. Erich Schwabe
1893 - 1897 Rev. F.H. Meuschke
1892 - 1893 Rev. Carl Bersch
1884 - 1892 Rev. J.H. Lerner
1874 - 1888 Rev. J. Heinigen, Rev. G. Schramm, Rev. August Reitz, Rev. A.F. Kustan
1872 - 1873 Rev. Theodore Koeberle
1869 - 1872 Rev. Hermann Bokum
1924-1959 at Euclid Avenue and Druid Circle
The Stonehenge Mansion before the sanctuary was added
Worship in the new sanctuary, circa 1970
St. John’s Lutheran at Present
