First English / Mount Calvary Lutheran Church

First Location

Fourth Ave. & 3rd Street
Calgary, Alberta

Second Location

1100 Berkshire Blvd. NW
Calgary, AB T3K 3M3
403.274.1080

History

As Immanuel Lutheran was experiencing discord, a group decided to form an English-Language Lutheran parish in Calgary.  On 2 April 1913, in the home of Edward Wolf (223 14th Ave. West), the congregation of First English Lutheran Church was established, but not formally constituted.  They began holding worship services on Sunday evenings in the Swedish Lutheran Church at 6th Ave. & 2nd Street.  The Rev. John E. Herzer was in charge of the services, but he soon accepted a call to Jehovah Lutheran Church.

After holding services in a number of temporary locations, the group formally submitted a constitution to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod to become a member congregation on 19 August 1919.  They chose the name of Mount Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church.  A new building was constructed that was dedicated on 7 November 1920.  Having outgrown that facility, a new church building was constructed and dedicated on 16 March 1958.

In 1981, Mt. Calvary sold its downtown location and became a partner with Ascension Catholic Parish to form the Sandstone Valley Ecumenical Centre.  It's now located in the Beddington community of North Calgary.

Pastors

The following have served as pastor of Jehovah / St. Matthew Lutheran Church:

John E. Herzer (1913-1913)
August J. Müller (1914-1916)
Arnold Bolter (1918-1923)
John E. Herzer, interim (1923-1924)
William Luke (1924-1927)
W.H. Werning (1927-1935)
Theodore Hoelter (1935-1940)
W.A. Raedeke (1940-1945)
Alfred F. Miller (1945-1974)
Robert Gary Watts