St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Records (MS-623)

The following was adapted from “A Brief History of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church” (also found in ms623_e0006), provided by Pastor Robert Miller.

In January 1852, the Deutsche Evangelishe Lutherische Kirche St. Paulus (The German Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul Church) was incorporated with 73 charter members, having split off from St. John’s. Its first house of worship, a frame structure once belonging to the English Methodist Congregation, was moved to the new location on Wayne Avenue. In June, this small frame structure was dedicated as the congregation’s first place of worship.

The parochial school started in 1864. It continued until 1920, when the congregation then established an innovative course of religious instruction that served as a model for other Christian congregations. In 1988, the congregation initiated and established the Lutheran School of Dayton.

On August 15, 1869, the most recent sanctuary was dedicated, and in 1883, the steeple and the three famous bells were dedicated. Ninety-nine years later, the steeple was given its new copper appearance in 1982, and a new steeple cross was made and re-installed in 2014.

The first parish building was dedicated in 1892. It was located on the site more recently occupied by the church’s playground and parking lot on the corner of Jackson Street and Wayne Avenue. In 1954, the congregation authorized the construction of a new parish building to be located on the south side of the sanctuary. The original parish building located on the north side was taken down. The new building was completed and dedicated in this same year. In 1965, as a result of vandalism and burglary, the new Parish Hall was set afire. The congregation continued to meet in Stivers High School until the Parish Hall was restored that same year. In 1988, it became the location for the Lutheran School of Dayton and continued to be used by the congregation for activities of fellowship, learning, and outreach.

Beginning in 1900, services in the English language were offered for the first time on Sunday evenings. All the other services were continued in the German language. In 1939, amidst the rumblings of war, the congregation adopted the recommendation of the church council to discontinue the use of the German language.

On March 25, 1913, the Great Dayton Flood submerged the sanctuary to the depth of 14 feet, causing extensive damage. Repairs were completed within the year. At that time the congregation considered moving to property it owned south of its Wayne Avenue location. That property was located on a ridge outside the flood plain and is the present location of the Kroger store on Wayne Avenue near Wyoming Street. Total repairs were $10,000.00. In 1938, having sold the more southerly Wayne Avenue property, the congregation reaffirmed its commitment to remain a downtown church at its location at 239 Wayne Avenue, remodeled its worship space, and rededicated it.

In 1952, the sanctuary was refurbished, and in May of that year the congregation rededicated the sanctuary as it celebrated the 100th anniversary of ministry in and around the near east side of Dayton. The sanctuary was refurbished and rededicated again in 1964, the 112th year of the congregation’s existence.

St. Paul’s membership peaked in the year 1958, with 1700 Confirmed members and 1199 Baptized members.

In 1978, the congregation began a new era of ministry and mission by joining Hope Lutheran Church on Hickory Street in a neighborhood outreach and assistance ministry that was named East Dayton Lutheran Community Ministry. The following year in 1979, “Project Blessing,” a program of free noon lunches for the hungry and homeless, was initiated. In 1985, the East Dayton Lutheran Community Ministry became the Hope/St. Paul Cooperative Parish Ministries. After school youth programs, Project Blessing, a summer program for youth, camping, counselling, and assistance in networking became a part of the neighborhood ministry. Later was added the Learning Club of Dayton, an after-school tutoring program in math and English for elementary aged youth.

On May 10, 2002, over 225 people attended the church’s 150th anniversary celebration, which included worship and a catered meal.

Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Pastor Bob Miller helped coordinate several mission trips to help with rehabilitation in Slidell, Louisiana. Seven trips took placed over the next six years.

In November 2016, at the annual congregational meeting, Pastor Bob outlined the difficult choices St. Paul would be facing soon as to whether to stay open or close its doors, due to membership age and numbers and financial concerns. These concerns were evidenced in changes to the administrative structure over the preceding decade or longer, such as reducing the number needed for a quorum from 35 to 25 and changing the leadership structure.

On June 11, 2017, the congregation voted 52 to 8 to hold its final worship service at the end of the year and divest its assets to other non-profit ministries. On September 12, 2017, a purchase proposal was received from Weyland Ventures to purchase the church property to repurpose its use while keeping its architectural integrity as a church building. The proposal was unanimously approved by the congregation and thirteen non-profit ministries were then chosen by them to “pay-it-forward” to when the final assets are ready for divestment.

On December 20, 2017, Project Blessing concluded its 39-year ministry after serving over 600,000 meals. On December 31, 2017, the final worship service was held in the sanctuary with all thirteen recipients of the divest assets in attendance to celebrate their ministries along with St. Paul.

Over a three-month period beginning January 8, 2018, more than 35 churches, organizations, or individuals received over 4,000 physical items as the “pay-it-forward” process began. For instance, the church pews were cut to size and gifted to Zion Lutheran in Tipp City for their remodeled sanctuary. The other items included paraments, communion ware, hymnals, crosses, music, hand bells, kitchen items, industrial cooking utensils, pot, plates, silverware, trays, bus carts, and metal cabinets just to name a few.