From its beginnings in 1869, historic Lutheran Church of the Reformation has been deeply involved with the life of Washington, DC and Capitol Hill. Through its support of Southeast Ministry, its local commitments and its global connections, Church of the Reformation has had a lasting impact upon the lives of its members and the Capitol Hill community that it serves with a Mission Statement: ..with the help of the Holy Spirit, to gather and support a faith community called in the name of Christ and dedicated to the care and redemption of God’s creation. Below you will find a brief history of this congregation written by George Hutchinson, a long-time member, lay leader and Trustee of Reformation.
On Sunday, October 24, 1869 the first service of the Church of the Reformation (Lutheran) was held in an old Army hospital barracks of the Civil War located at First and C Street SE just a few blocks from the nation’s Capitol building. With limited funds, little or no heat during the winter months, words to familiar hymns printed on cloth which hung in front of the chancel and the words of the Ten Commandments and the Apostles’ Creed displayed on printed placards on each side of the pulpit, Reformation Church struggled through ten difficult years.
But led by Pastor Dr. William E. Parson. who would serve for twenty-six years, and with the assistance of the Lutheran Board of Home Missions, the church prospered and by 1881 had purchased a nearby lot and begun construction of a new church building on B Street at Pennsylvania Avenue SE. This was completed and dedicated on November 13, 1883. Surprisingly just two years later the construction loan had been repaid, contributions had dramatically increased, a new organ and beautiful altar screen had been donated, and the entire Lutheran community in the Washington area became the beneficiary of a thirty-acre tract of land in the northeast section of the city given by one of its members, Mrs. Sara Utermehle, for the establishment of a National Lutheran Home for the Aged. When a new Pastor, Dr. John Weidley, was called in 1906 on the death of Dr. Parsons, the membership continued to expand until plans for a new addition to the church in order to accommodate the needs of the Sunday School were approved and construction of a two-story addition was completed in early 1913.
The period following World War I saw many changes taking place in the capital city, especially on Capitol Hill. By the early 1930’s a new House Office Building had been built, a series of large brick townhouses on East Capitol Street were razed to make way for the Folger Shakespeare Library, and plans were developed for an annex to the Library of Congress which required that Reformation’s building be taken. Condemnation proceedings followed and by spring of 1933 the Church had received notice that it would have to vacate by fall. What followed was probably the greatest decision that the members would have to make: should the congregation accept offers to merge from several area Lutheran churches, should they move to a different locale in Washington with funds received from the government, or should it maintain a presence on Capitol Hill if space could be found. Fortunately, two lots immediately opposite the new Folger Library became available and the decision became an easy one- to purchase the lots for $33,000 and build a new church.
Final services in the old church building were held on October 1, 1933 and two weeks later, upon the retirement of Dr. Wiedley, a new Pastor, Dr. Oscar F. Blackwelder of Christ Church in Baltimore, began his pastorate. With the new building still under construction, the congregation negotiated a lease from Warner Brothers for the Avenue Grand theater on Pennsylvania Avenue between 6th and 7th Street SE for Sunday services. Work on the new building progressed so rapidly that beginning in September 1934 the congregation held services in the completed Parish Hall and on November 11th the building was formally dedicated “to God and to the service of mankind in the spirit of Jesus and the faith of Martin Luther.” Thus began a new era for Reformation Church. By 1937 membership and church programs had so expanded that additional space was needed and two houses on the west side of the church were purchased. About the same time, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Southwest Washington, whose property had been taken by the Federal Government for a new Social Security Building, chose to merge with Reformation and it was proposed to build a Parish House with the funds received from the sale and be named for that Church.
Before plans could be completed and construction begin, World War II intervened and Reformation joined with other churches in offering its services to local officials. An emergency canteen kitchen for civil defense purposes opened, and on Sunday evenings member of the armed services could always find an open house. Over 300 members and friends of Reformation served during the war and four members and five friends lost their lives. Just as the war was ending in Europe in May 1945, the church purchased the house and carriage house on the east side of the main church building for further expansion.
The end of World War II revived interest in the St. John’s Parish House and by May 1953 the three-story building housing various education and Sunday School rooms, a children’s chapel, and fellowship rooms had been opened. That same year Dr. Blackwelder asked to be relieved of his duties because of ill health and Dr. Lawrence D. Folkemer, head of the Department of Religion at George Washington University, was called to be the new Pastor. This period also saw the revival of foreign mission interest by Reformation and renewed support of missionary endeavors in Japan and India and established new missions in Liberia and British Guyana. Further expansion occupied when the adjacent property to the east was purchased for additional office space. Reformation’s outreach into the community took on added importance with the establishment of a Lecture Series, active participation in community civic groups, and addition of noonday services during Lent and Advent.
When Dr. Folkemer resigned in 1960 to teach systematic theology at Gettysburg Seminary, the congregation called Rev. J. Bruce Weaver, Director of Evangelism for the United Lutheran Church in America. The next few years saw major physical improvements with the addition of air conditioning throughout the church, the rebuilding of the church organ, initiation of social ministry programs such as the Information and Referral Service to assist people of the community, organization of a Capitol Hill Day School and the formation of boys club called “The Tigers” for supervised recreation. Reformation received a grant to institute a program known as the Cooperative Lutheran Ministry and in 1965 acquired the house at 226 East Capitol for much needed space for the outreach services. When Pastor Weaver resigned in 1967 to teach theology at Hamma School of Theology the congregation called a former Assistant Pastor at Reformation in the late 1940’s, Dr. Arnold F. Keller, Jr. pastor of St. John’s Church in Allentown, PA.
The observance of 100 years on Capitol Hill in 1969 prompted an extensive restoration and redecoration of all the church property. It was at the same time that Reformation opened its doors to church and peace groups who were coming to Washington in the aftermath of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. Further activities within the church included sponsorship of a Back Alley Theater group. a coffee house known as The Pipe’s Beard opened by the young adults in 220 East Capitol, and a Public Affairs ministry program bringing together people in the government sector to discuss relevant issues of the day. This program was headed by an assistant pastor who was called by Reformation as a director in 1976.
During the period of 1975-1987 Reformation also began sponsoring refugee families who were housed in a nearby home owned by one of the members. A generous bequest from a non-member of Reformation, who had remembered the part that the Church had played in his early life, became the source of new outreach programs which benefited individual churches, various ministries and programs within the Lutheran Church and special appeals. The church building became a center of neighborhood activities from use as a polling place for local elections to aerobics classes. When the Day School moved to larger facilities in 1979 part of the Parish House became a Wholistic Health Center headed by a Lutheran minister with a physician and nurse. Then in 1983 members of Reformation and other local Lutherans formed The Luther Institute, an inter-Lutheran program focusing on intersections of church and state. Sister relationships with churches in London and Geneva were also instituted in this period.
Continuing its commitment to inclusiveness and justice, in 1987, under the leadership of Pastor Keller, Reformation became one of the first “Reconciling In Christ” congregations within the Lutheran Church, signifying an intentional welcome to the GLBT community – gays, lesbians, bi-sexual and trans-gender persons. In 1990 Reformation and the Metropolitan Washington DC Synod of the recently formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America began a joint venture to focus on the problems in Southeast Washington which resulted in Reformation calling Assistant Pastor Wanda McNeill who would devote one-half time to this ministry and one-half time as a staff member. A long time need of the church was fulfilled in 1992 when an elevator was installed on the east side of the main building through the generosity of a member.
When Dr. Keller retired in 1993 after 47 years in the ministry, Dr. Paul A. Wee, formerly Secretary for Human Rights and International Affairs for the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, was called as Senior Pastor and the many community and global outreach programs continued, especially a tutoring service for youth in a nearby housing project, “Christmas in April” where young adults annually restore a house for a local family , a food pantry which serves many needy individuals in the local area, and the Southeast Ministry program. Upon Dr. Wee’s retirement, Reformation congregation was served on an Interim basis by Rev. Roger Dahlin. During this period the congregation entered into a large project to completely renovate the heating and air-conditioning system of its facilities.
In the summer of 2001 Rev. Conrad A. Braaten was called as Senior Pastor. In these last years many young adults and young families have become involved with Reformation, prompting the congregation to expand its staff to include a Youth and Family Program initiative. Over the years Reformation has provided a learning environment for seminary students serving their Internship year. Thus as Reformation approaches it’s 140th anniversary of service to congregation and community, and the 75th anniversary of its worship facility, there is cause for much celebration for “all the past acclaims our future” which in itself becomes the challenge of a future into which we are “All Called” by the Holy Spirit.
