Christ Church Lutheran (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Christ Church Lutheran is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) located at 3244 34th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was established in 1911 as a congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, but left that group in the 1970s as part of a dispute that led to the formation of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, which in turn was among the founding denominations of the ELCA. Along with its ministries, the congregation is known for the architecture of its buildings, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The current pastor of the congregation is the Rev. Kristine L. Carlson. It is also served by its cantors, the Rev. Robert Buckley Farlee and the Rev. Martin A. Seltz.

Structures

The worship building was designed by the firm Saarinen and Saarinen, a father and son partnership of Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950) and Eero Saarinen (1910-1961), the project was Eliel Saarinen's last completed building. The sculptured stone panels were designed by William M. McVey (1922-1976). It was dedicated in 1949, and was acknowledged as an architectural masterpiece from the day it opened; gaining further fame as an early example of modern church architecture.

The congregation opted to go with the design after finding out a traditional Gothic Revival building would be too costly. In 1946 a new pastor, Reverend William A. Buege, contacted the elder Saarinen, then the president of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, and convinced him to take the commission. Saarinen had designed the pioneering First Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana in 1941 and used it as a model. It was Eliel Saarinen last building, he died the following year. Upon the church's opening, Saarinen noted "if a building is honest, the architecture is religious."

An addition, consisting of the education building (connected by an arcade and interior hallways) was designed under the supervision of Eero Saarinen by his former employee Glen Paulsen, and completed in 1962. By coincidence it was also Eero's last completed project, he died the year before. The addition is organized around a courtyard and was carefully designed to complement and complete their earlier worship building.

In 1977, the building was awarded the American Institute of Architects Twenty-five Year Award, one of only two places of worship to have been so honored. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The entire building was named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service by the Secretary of the Interior on January 16, 2009.Kempthorne designates 9 new historic landmarksRochelle Olson, Landmark church takes its place in history, Star Tribune, January 17, 2009, Accessed January 19, 2009.

References

External links

• http://www.christchurchluth.org
• http://millcity.pconline.com/ccl/
• National Historic Landmark draft nomination for Christ Church Lutheran

de:Christ Church Lutheran (Minneapolis)

Categories: Buildings | Buildings in USA | Buildings in Minnesota, USA | Buildings in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA | National Register of Historic Places | National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota, USA | National Register of Historic Places in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA