In the spring of 1893, Rev. E.E. Ide was sent by the Board of Home Missions of the General Synod to canvas the Southwest Baltimore area. They wished to have a new Lutheran Congregation. The first service was held on June 18, 1893 in Radcliffe’s Hall on the northwest corner of Fulton Avenue and Pratt Street. The first council consisted of the Pastor Ide with J.G. Vogt, W. Harris, C. Sponsler, W. Ealey, H. Vogt, F. Brinkman, H. Kornman and G. Romoser. The church was organized with forty members on September 10, 1893. On October 1^st of that year, they formed a Sunday School and on October 3^rd, the new little church was admitted to the Synod of Maryland. On May 22, 1894, the church was incorporated. That year also saw the foundation of the Ladies Aid Society under the direction of Mrs. A. M. Kriete and Mrs. E. E. Ide. They grew and it became necessary to find a larger meeting place, which they did when they moved to a little chapel located on the corner of Hollins Street and Calverton Road in December of 1894. The congregation purchased a lot for $3,000 in the spring of 1895. The lot was located at the northwest corner of Baltimore and Pulaski Streets. It was dedicated on July 17, 1896 and became home. The new lot was seventy six feet by one hundred feet. The frame chapel was built on July 26, 1896 at a cost of $4,500. It was the first building in the square. On July 31, 1899, the mission declared the church self-sustaining. A new stone building was built and the cornerstone laid on July 31, 1904. This building included the Sunday School rooms and was dedicated on November 13, 1904. The cost including furnishings was $25,000. The completed church was dedicated on March 21, 1915.

The church was very active with over 2100 weddings, 1900 baptisms, 950 confirmations and 1100 burials since the dedication and subsequent closing. They also gave seventy three men and women to their country’s service during WWI, with all returning home.

We visited the area in July 2015 and the church is still in good shape and is currently being used by 'The Tabernacle of the Lord'.

Reverend Edwin E. Ide became their pastor. He was born in 1863 and died on January 3, 1939. He married Bertha Timmerman and is buried at Loudon Park Cemetery.

If you have any additional information, photos or stories, please send them to me at Germanmarylanders@gmail.com.