About Us
First Lutheran Church of Kennewick is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Eastern Washington /Idaho Synod.
As such we believe Jesus is God's son, sent by God to become human like us. In his life and being he broke through the prison of sinfulness and thus restored the relationship of love and trust that God intended to exist between himself and his children. We invite you to learn more about our beliefs by clicking HERE. (ELCA.org) Readings: Weekly readings may be found in the narrative lectionary at http://www.workingpreacher.org/ For a PDF file of daily readings contact email (Alice Allison) Access: Our facility is accessible, with ramps at both the Falls Street and East entrances. The East entrance has an automatic opener.  |
Our History
The congregation of First Lutheran was organized in 1904, when several Lutheran families of Norwegian descent moved to Kennewick from Genesee, Idaho, and began farming on the irrigated land near the Columbia River.
Their worship services were conducted in Norwegian. Through the years the congregation has met in several buildings and merged with other Lutheran bodies. The first worship services were held in parishioner's homes, then held in a hall above Hawkin's Saloon on Main Street, now known as Kennewick Avenue. Members combined with the German Lutheran Congregation (Bethlehem Lutheran) until the German group established its own congregation in 1909. The two congregations still shared a building and parochial school until 1919 when the Norwegian Lutherans arranged joint services with the Zion Lutheran Congregation of the Wisconsin Synod. Members of the Wisconsin Synod Congregation joined what was then known as First Lutheran of Kennewick, late in 1919, and were served with their first resident pastor. The church building, on Ione Street, is now the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1935 the congregation moved to a building at Second and Auburn Street in Kennewick, which now houses the Pentecostal Church. First Lutheran's current building on Yelm Street and Highway 395, was built in 1957 and was expanded in 1978. Click here to see more historical photos. |
