Our Church

The first activities that led to the establishment of Grace Ev. Lutheran Church of Glendale, Arizona, were services that were conducted irregularly at various places in the Glendale Area between 1921 and 1924.  These services were conducted by the Rev. Immanuel G. Frey who was at that time pastor of Zion Ev. Lutheran church of Phoenix.  According to his best recollections, these services were held largely for the benefit of members of Zion church who lived in this area.  In 1924 Pastor Frey was replaced at Zion by the Rev. H. Koch, who asked Pastor O. Hohenstein to assist him in the work at Zion.  In that capacity Pastor Hohenstein continued to hold services in Glendale from time to time.  On November 21, 1926, regularly held services were begun.  At first the services were held every other Sunday, but in January, 1927, weekly services with Sunday School were begun.  The first of these services, held at the Woman’s Club building at the corner of N. 56th and W. Glenn Avenues, was attended by 19 people with nine attending Sunday School.

On February 1, 1927, a meeting was held at Zion of the parents of the children attending Zion Lutheran School.  It was noted that all the families with children in Zion school, except two, were located in the Glendale area and it was proposed that these families seek a release from Zion for the purpose of opening another school in Glendale which would be associated with the Glendale Mission.  As a result of these discussions seven families of Zion requested transfers to the Glendale Mission.  Because it was felt that granting these transfers would seriously disrupt the economy of Zion and might possibly bring about the closing of Zion’s school, Zion was loathe to grant these releases.  An appeal was made for assistance to the District Mission Board of the Southeastern Wisconsin District of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod.  In a voters’ meeting on April 27, 1927, attended by Pastors Wm. Mahnke and John Jeske, both the Glendale Mission and Zion Lutheran School were promised support from the Synod.  Thereupon a peaceful release was granted the seven families.

With the nucleus of these seven families, including that of Pastor Otto Hohenstein, the Glendale Mission became a growing concern.  In the Fall of 1927 a day school with the pastor as the teacher was opened in a garage building just north of Glendale Avenue on 58th Avenue at the site of  the present city hall.  This building also served as a temporary place of worship.  On September 25th, 1927, in a meeting at the home of Mr. & Mrs. George Keim at W. Bethany Home and 19th Avenue, a constitution was adopted and the mission was named Grace Ev. Lutheran Church of Glendale, Arizona. 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

This congregation has from the very beginning been greatly interested in the cause of Christian education.  A Lutheran elementary school was being conducted before the church was organized.  Pastor Hohenstein was the teacher until his release in 1947.    There are no figures on enrollment before 1950, but it seems that there were usually 10 - 20 pupils. 

In addition to our Lutheran elementary school a Sunday School has been operated and maintained during Grace’s entire history.  This includes a Bible class for the young people and the adults.  To list all who have served as teachers in our Sunday School would be an impossible task. . . and, at best incomplete.  Deep appreciation is given to those who given of their time and talent and energy to teach the children of our congregation the basic truths of the Christian faith.

PASTORS

In the history of Grace there have been only six resident pastors.  Pastor O. Hohenstein was the founder and first pastor.  He continued to serve until 1947.  Pastor R. H. Zimmermann actively served the congregation from 1947 to 1983.  Until his death in 1987 he served in a semi-retirement role by making hospital calls and visiting our elderly and shut-ins.

In February of 1983 Pastor D. L. Halvarson received and finally accepted the congregation’s call to be pastor.  He was installed April 17, 1983 and served until March 2002.  In 1986 the congregation applied for a graduate of our Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to serve at Grace as a second pastor.  T. W. Biedenbender was ordained and installed as second pastor of Grace on August 10, 1986.  He accepted a call to Detroit, Michigan in May of 1991.  In July 1991 Pastor David R. Clark accepted the congregation’s call and moved from White Rock, New Mexico.   He was installed in September of 1991.

In April 2002, the congregation applied again for a graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.  Pastor Hernandez Daylo, Jr. was assigned.  He was ordained and installed on July 28, 2002.

PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS

Even before the congregation was organized, arrangements were made to purchase five lots on N. 56th Avenue, beginning at W. Palmaire Avenue.  In the Fall of 1927 a loan of $6,900 was obtained to build a chapel-parsonage.  Most of the labor was supplied by the members.  By April 30, 1928, the building had proceeded to a point where Pastor Hohenstein and his family were able to take up temporary living quarters in one end of the church.  By the end of May the parsonage was completed and the first services were held in the chapel.  The entire unit was dedicated on November 28, 1928.  Pastor E. E. Guenther of Whiteriver and Pastor C. Albrecht of Douglas were the guest speakers for the occasion.

Beginning in 1946 the congregation embarked upon a period of planned expansion.  All the property in the block on which the church is located was purchased as it was offered for sale.  Only the property on the southeast corner was and has been passed by.  A permanent teacherage was purchased across Myrtle Avenue opposite the school playground.  In March of 1986 additional property was purchased by the church across 56th Avenue.  This was done for possible future expansion.

Major improvements have been the following:

• 1946 - a temporary frame school building, later removed, was built;
• 1947 - a building with stage and storage was built - later removed;
• 1952 - present church was built and dedicated;
• 1953 - present parsonage was built;
• 1956 - the old parsonage was remodeled into a kindergarten room, the first chapel was used as the fellowship hall a kitchen and some rest rooms were added;
• 1957 - the two-room classroom building north of the first church was added;
• 1960 - a pastor’s study along with a conference room (now also a pastor’s study) along with a classroom and principal’s office was built;
• 1964 - the balcony of present church was extended to accommodate 75 additional worshippers;
• 1969-70 - an additional classroom with restroom and a work room was built;
• 1972 - The present organ in the church, a custom Conn complete with three manuals and 10 speakers, was dedicated in December;
• 1973 - basketball/volleyball courts and play area was installed on the northwest corner of the property and also serves as a parking lot;
• 1981 - old parsonage/Kindergarten room was torn down and replaced by Zimmermann Hall.  The old chapel was then remodeled into new conference room (now church/school office), Kindergarten room and storage;
• 1986 - a new four-room classroom building with rest rooms and storage was built and dedicated November 2;
• 1987 - the Kindergarten room in old chapel was expanded by eliminating storage area that was on east end.
• 2005 – new church and fellowship hall built and dedicated.

More work, mostly remodeling will take place in the coming years, on Zimmermann Hall, the 1952 church, and our school classrooms.

Copyright ©2008 Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church | 623-937-2010 (Main Church/School) | 623-937-4390 (FAX)