St Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church and School

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St. Paul’s is the oldest Lutheran congregation in Columbus. It was officially formed in 1821. Their first church building was a small frame structure located in the area known today as the Columbus Commons or former City Center Mall in downtown Columbus. The second church was built in 1844 at Mound and High Streets where the Franklin County Court House is located. That building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt and the congregation remained there for many years.
As the city of Columbus Grew and more businesses opened, the traffic increased and city noise became louder. The congregation decided to relocate to this quiet residential neighborhood, known today as Merion Village. In 1917 the cornerstone was laid for the building at Stewart Avenue and Bruck Street. It was dedicated on June 9, 1918.
Items that were moved from the original downtown church to the present location include two wooden hymn boards, several wooden pews, and four large bells – all of which are still in use today. The original pipe organ also moved over to this location but was replaced in 1965.
Additionally, the church is renowned for its stunning stained glass windows made by the Von Gerichten Art Glass Studio. The Von Gerichten Company had two studios, one in Munich, German, and one in Columbus’ German Village. Many of the pieces in this church were made in Germany and shipped to Columbus to be completed.
Today, the church continues as an active congregation in the community – offering many community programs and services and operating an elementary school.

Location

322 Stewart Ave, Columbus, OH 43206, USA, Columbus, Ohio, 43206
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Please note: The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) does not own or manage any public art. For the purposes of this database many pieces were entered by the Arts Council while we continue to search for the appropriate owner/manager of the work and other information to complete the entry. The Arts Council has tried to gather all available information about the works in this database, however, we acknowledge there may be missing or inaccurate information. If you can help us correct any inaccuracies, or provide more complete information, we would be grateful. Please use “Something missing? Please send us a note” below.

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