The History of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Shaker Heights, Ohio
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church has served Cleveland, Ohio, and the surrounding communities of the Ohio since 1883. From its earliest days, the congregation has gathered around the preaching of God’s Word, the administration of the Sacraments, and the confession of Jesus Christ as Savior. Its history is one of steady growth, faithful pastoral care, and the generous service of Christian families who desired a permanent Lutheran congregation in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area.
Founding of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church was founded in 1883 as a daughter congregation of Zion Lutheran Church. Zion is the oldest Lutheran Church of our Synod in Cleveland. It is still in existence and is located at East 30th and Prospect Ave. Our first location was at the northeast corner of East 69th St. and Quincy Ave. in a 2-story frame building. In 1902, St. Peter’s moved to East 79th and Sherman Ave. and built a large schoolhouse as a combination church and school. Church services were held on the first floor.
Early growth at downtown location
By 1910, there were 650 communicants and 1000 souls at this church, as one of the church histories stated. A separate house of worship, a large red brick church, was built and dedicated in 1913.
Mission school developed
From our 75th anniversary booklet: “In 1929. The members of St. Peter’s canvassed the community on behalf of their school. The gratifying result was that enrollment rose to nearly one hundred (it had decreased to 38 pupils), mostly children who came from unchurched, underprivileged families.”
Fiftieth anniversary observed
On May 7, in the very depth of the depression, St. Peter’s 50th Anniversary was celebrated. About 50 men of the church, mostly unemployed, contributed more than 3000 hours of labor: painting, renovating, and remodeling. Festivities continued for an entire week.
Move to Shaker Heights
Experiencing continued growth and with advice from the Synod, St. Peter’s decided in 1937 to relocate to Shaker Heights. The church property was sold to St. Philip’s Lutheran Church. In 1957 that church moved to Regalia Avenue in the Buckeye neighborhood of Cleveland. Our two churches have continued a relationship. Some years we would alternate between our two churches for midweek Advent and Lenten meals and worship services.
Early days in Shaker Heights
This 5 mile move to Shaker saw about half of St. Peter’s membership leave because the location was not convenient for them. This move was made possible by means of synodical loans and district subsidy for the next years. St. Peter’s began services in Moreland School at the beginning of Lent in 1938.
Dedication of the Church
On Thanksgiving Day of 1938, our present house of worship was dedicated with seven festive services all in one day. Dr. Walter Maier of the Lutheran Hour gave four of the messages besides the coast to coast Lutheran Hour broadcast from the church. The narthex walls contain the cornerstones and markers of the congregation’s three former churches. Also, in this corridor are stones from historic churches associated with the beginning of Lutheranism.
Addition of an educational building and parish hall
As church membership increased, there was not enough room to educate the nearly 100 young people in Sunday school nor to do the many activities and ministries of the church. In 1963, St. Peter’s dedicated to the glory of God its new education building and parish hall.
Difficult days and new hope – late 1970s to early 1980s
During its first 20 years at this location, St. Peter’s maintained a communicant membership level of approximately 170. Later, the worshipping community experienced a decline in numbers and by 1981 decided to seek help from the Mission Board of the Ohio District. They enabled our church to call a full-time minister and provided additional resources so that we could rebuild and revitalize the ministry.
Church growth
We experienced renewed growth in the 1990s. At a leadership retreat in 1993 – Pastor Jeff Stephens was now our minister – the mission statement was developed: “Embracing the world around us with the love of Jesus Christ.” As part of our new growth, a Director of Youth education – Ingrid Lewis – was added to the staff in 2001.
