Founded in 1888 as St. John’s English Lutheran Church, the church was formally incorporated in 1890. This was not the first Lutheran Church in Knoxville; a German-speaking congregation had been meeting for some time. But membership was by necessity limited to those who could speak German, and growth of the original church was therefore slow. An English-speaking church was seen as desirable, not only for those who spoke no German, but also for members who preferred to speak English. St. John’s Lutheran Church met first in a leased building on the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue and purchased property shortly before incorporation. In 1910 the church received a donation of a lot which was located just one block to the north. The subsequent purchase of an adjacent lot the next year made it possible to begin construction of a new building, which was completed in 1913.

Back to Member Churches            Back to KICCUP Home Page