Central Lutheran Church (Portland, Or.)

Central Lutheran Church dates its beginning to the mission work among Scandinavian immigrants in the Portland area. From this beginning, Our Savior's was organized August 27, 1876. In 1879 the Swedes left this group to form their own congregation. The remaining congregation located at East 10th and Grant, and associated with the Norwegian Synod. In 1917 the three-way merger of the Norwegian Synod, the Huage Synod and the United Church, of which Bethlehem was a memeber, formed the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. A committee from Our Savior's and Bethlehem explored the possibility of merging these congregations in 1917 and again in 1921. These latter negotiations were successful and in 1924 the merged congregation adopted the name Central. This merger was dissolved fifteen months later, primarily due to the language question. Central continued as a congregation with property at the corner of 10th and Wasco until 1950, at which time the present facility at 21st and Hancock was dedicated.