Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Port St. Lucie, Florida began when contact was made between some members of a congregation of the LCMS in neighboring Ft. Pierce, FL (just to the north) and John Petersen (now pastor of Mt. Olive in Mankato; then vicar of our synod’s Grace Lutheran in Vero Beach, FL). The members of that LCMS congregation had contacted Vicar Petersen because they were unhappy about new directions being taken doctrinally in their congregation, and were looking for a church body that continued to teach the doctrine of the Lutheran Confessions.
The first services of the new congregation were held in Port St. Lucie’s Knights of Columbus building throughout 1985, with Vicar Petersen presiding, who was followed by new vicar, Jonathan Madsen for the first year. Music was played on a tape recorder given to the little group by the Vero Beach congregation, along with a young daughter of the congregation playing whatever she could of hymns on an old keyboard. The first service was held on April 28, 1985, with the first communion service following on August 4th of that year. The group met for incorporation in the home of some members in December of 1985 with six voting members in attendance. Charter membership opened in March of 1986.
Throughout 1986, the congregation collected, through donations, the various articles needed for formal worship, as well as a growing building fund. In October of that same year, Christ Lutheran Women’s League was established. In February of 1987, the group’s constitution was ratified and resolved in order to affiliate with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The first confirmation class of 2 was confirmed on June 7, 1987 by the congregation’s first official pastor, Charles Keeler. Property was purchased in August of 1987 (which was later sold), followed in August of 1989 by the purchase of a different piece of property with a building (a Helenic Center) that the congregation had been renting in the mean time. On this site, the congregation broke ground in May of 1989 for a new sanctuary building with the Rev. Bill Mack (then of Marietta, GA) preaching for the occasion. The building was dedicated in November of 1990. In August of 1998, the congregation purchased an Allen organ for that facility at a cost of $30,000.
In 1999, after 13 years as the congregation’s pastor, Charles Keeler accepted a call to a congregation of the ELS in Washington state. He was followed by Phillip Lepak, who became the congregation’s second official pastor by assignment from Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. During Pastor Lepak’s brief two and a half year stay, in 2000, the congregation established Christ Evangelical Lutheran Preschool with Marcella Lowry (a member of the congregation) serving as its first director and teacher. Pastor Lepak took a call from the Home Mission Board in April of 2002 in order to establish an exploratory mission in Suburban Chicago.
Pastor Michael Dale, a new graduate of Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary was assigned to the congregation as its next pastor. He was installed in July of 2002. During his four and half years, the congregation has shifted in age from a predominantly elderly group to a group with many young families, partly as a result of the work of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Preschool. Marcella Lowry continues as director and teacher of the preschool. The Sunday School class typically numbers in the 30s. Vacation Bible School attracts anywhere from 80 to 100 kids (mostly non-members).
The congregation continues to plan for the future. It saw the successful change of land use and zoning on some residential lots that it owns on the western edge of the property in 2007-2008 for the purpose of a possible building project in the near future. Many dedicated servants give time, talents, and treasures in order to continue the congregation’s mission of bringing the pure Word of God and the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ to Florida’s Treasure Coast.
