Grace Lutheran Church celebrates centennial by looking at church's history with community
1. 6/20/2016 Grace Lutheran Church celebrates centennial by looking at church's history with community
http://downtowndevil.com/2014/02/24/55271/gracelutheranchurchcelebratescentennialhistory/ 1/3
Grace Lutheran Church, the first
Lutheran church in Arizona,
celebrated its centennial with a special
Sunday service. The service also
included an appearance from Mayor
Greg Stanton. (Jasmine Kemper/DD)
Grace Lutheran Church celebrates centennial by
looking at church’s history with community
Grace Lutheran Church commemorated its 100th year on
Sunday morning with a special service, music and a look at the
church’s rich history.
Pastor Sarah StadlerAmmon, the current pastor of Grace
Lutheran, said many of the church’s former members were
present to help honor the special day for the congregation.
Former pastors Bill Dowling and Roger Thompson, former
diaconal minister Ardie Senft and Bishop Steve Talmage spoke
at worship. Additionally, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton was
present to speak at the beginning of worship, StadlerAmmon said.
The celebration began at 7:30 a.m. in Hope Hall with the usual pancake breakfast free to
anyone in the community. Following that was a viewing of the photographic history of the church
in North Room. Worship began in the Sanctuary at 10 a.m.
“Normally we have two services on Sunday, a contemporary service and a traditional service,
and this is going to be a blend of both,” StadlerAmmon said before the worship. “It’s going to
be organ and the choir and the bell choir and we’re going to have brass players. We’re also going
to have the Praise Band playing. It’ll be fun.”
The congregation officially formed on Feb. 22, 1914. Grace Lutheran was the first Lutheran
church in Phoenix and in all of Arizona. Lutheran members in California took note of Phoenix’s
growth in 1911, and they wanted to establish a Lutheran presence in the city.
StadlerAmmon said the Lutherans recruited a pastor to start the church and they purchased
the lot on Third Street in 1925 after renting in different buildings.
Grace Lutheran is considered to be the mother church of six other congregations across the
Phoenix area, StadlerAmmon said.
After the worship, the church hosted a catered lunch with a slideshow of photos. Three pastoral
By Jasmine Kemper - February 24, 2014