Faith Lutheran Church (Bellingham, Wash.)

Faith Lutheran Church was organized in 1954, a merger a First Lutheran and St. Mark’s Lutheran. Faith Lutheran was organized in Fairhaven as the Swedish Lutheran Church in 1892 by Pastor Peter Carlson, pioneer missionary of the Augustana Church. From 1892-1904, the congregation was linked with Bethsaida Lutheran in La Conner, with one pastor serving both congregations. In 1922 it merged the Immanuel of Bellingham (organized in 1908), joining under the name of First Lutheran. St. Mark’s was organized in 1903 under the direction of Theophilus Schoenberg of the General Council of the ELC. It was the first congregation in the area to use English in worship. By the early 1950s, both congregations had outgrown buildings and were looking to a new future. Merger conversations led to a decision to form Faith Lutheran. The present facilities in north Bellingham were dedicated in 1959.