The Lutheran Church of the Ascension is a historic

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

church on

Bull Street Bull Street is a major street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Named for Colonel William Bull (governor), William Bull (1683–1755), it runs from Bay Street (Savannah, Georgia), Bay Street in the north to Derenne Avenue (part of Georgia S ...

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...

, located in the

Savannah Historic District Savannah Historic District may refer to: *Savannah Historic District (Savannah, Georgia), a National Historic Landmark district in Georgia * Central of Georgia Railroad: Savannah Shops and Terminal Facilities, Savannah, Georgia, a historic district ...

. The congregation was founded by Johann Martin Boltzius in 1741, with the current building constructed in 1843.

History

On April 14, 1741, the congregation was organized by Johann Martin Boltzius, who was the

pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

for the Salzburger emigrants in

Ebenezer, Georgia Ebenezer, also known as New Ebenezer, is a ghost town in Effingham County, Georgia, Effingham County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, near Ebenezer Creek, on the banks of the Savannah River. It was listed on the U.S. National Regist ...

. In 1756, the congregation purchased the land where the current building stands, adjacent to

Wright Square Wright Square is one of the Squares of Savannah, Georgia, 22 squares of Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the second row of the city's five rows of squares, on Bull Street and President Street, and was laid out in 1733 as one of ...

. In 1772, the congregation purchased a former wooden

courthouse A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...

building, which they had moved to the site. This building would be the first Lutheran church building in the city. In 1774, noted Lutheran pastor

Henry Muhlenberg Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (born Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg; September 6, 1711 – October 7, 1787), was a Holy Roman Empire, German-born Lutheran clergyman and missionary. Born in Einbeck, Muhlenberg immigrated to the Province of Pennsylv ...

preached to a congregation of about 200 in the building. The current building was built in 1843, with major remodeling occurring between 1875 and 1879. This building features a large stained glass window depicting the

ascension of Jesus The Ascension of Jesus (anglicized from the Vulgate ) is the Christianity, Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus entering heaven alive, ascended to Heaven. Christian doctrine, as reflected in the major Christian creeds and confessional stateme ...

. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, the church served as a

field hospital A field hospital is a temporary hospital or mobile medical unit that takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent facilities. This term was initially used in military medicine (such as the Mobile ...

, and Union soldiers occupied the building.

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

* * {{Official website, www.ascensionsavannah.org/ 1843 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Churches completed in 1843 Churches in Savannah, Georgia Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Historic district contributing properties in Georgia (U.S. state) Lutheran churches in Georgia (U.S. state) 18th-century Lutheran churches in the United States Savannah Historic District

History

See also

References

Bibliography

External links