Augustana Synod
(1860-1962)
Albany Park (Olavus Petri, All Saints)
Augustana
Austin Messiah
Bethany
Bethel
Bethel English
Bethesda
Bethlehem
Calvary
Capernaum (St. Mark's)
Central
Christ the King
Concordia
Ebenezer
Ebenezer (Oakdale)
Elim
Emaus (Jefferson Park)
First Gethsemane
Grace
Gustavus Adolphus
Immanuel
Irving Park
Lebanon (Cragin)
Lebanon (Hegewisch)
Messiah (North Side)
Messiah (South Side)
Nebo
Olivet
St. James
St. John's
St. Luke's
St. Mark's (Capernaum)
St. Matthew
St. Paul's
Salem
Saron
Tabor
Trinity
Zion

First Gethsemane Lutheran Church

Gethsemane began as a mission congregation led by Rev. P. Ericson, former assistant pastor at Immanuel Lutheran in Chicago. Services were first held in Immanuel's old building on East Superior Street. The congregation was formerly organized on May 15, 1870. Services were later held in a church on the corner of White (now Locust) and Dearborn Streets, and later yet at the Norwegian Lutheran church at the corner of Franklin and Erie Streets. By mid-1871 the congregation had begun building a church at Sedgwick and Superior Streets. The Chicago Fire in October 1871 destroyed this building.

Lots were found at May and Huron Streets in 1873 and a parsonage was constructed at the rear of the lot, the first floor of which was used for service purposes for five years. Construction on a new church building (pictured below) began in 1880 and the dedication service was held May 1, 1881.

Gethsemane switched to English-language Sunday School classes in 1910 and held all services in English beginning in 1912.

Faced with the outward migration of the Scandinavian residents in Chicago, as well as the decision of the city of Chicago to extend Ogden Ave. from Union Park to Lincoln Park, cutting through the church property, Gethsemane decided to merge with Lebanon Ev. Lutheran Church on March 21, 1921. The name "Gethsemane" was retained. Services were held in the Lebanon Church building at 4857-59 Homer St. and then at Falconer School until a building (pictured at top) was completed in the winter of 1923 at the corner of Oakdale and Lamon Avenues. St. Paul's German Lutheran Congregation of Cragin purchased the old Lebanon Church property.

In 1966 First Gethsemane merged with Belmont Park Lutheran to form Holy Communion Lutheran Church at 3010 N. Lavergne Ave. In 1998 Holy Communion merged with Gladstone Park (1936, ULCA), Medill Avenue (1927, NLCA), Nebo (1901, Augustana), Our Lord's American (1934, ALC), Our Saviour's English (1909, United Norwegian), Peace (1923, ULCA), and St. Andrew (1924, ULCA).  to form United in Faith Lutheran Church.

Original records
Original record books should be found at United in Faith Lutheran Church, 5447 W. Addison, Chicago, IL 60641-3292. Microfilm of early reocrds has been produced and is available from  the ELCA Archives and from the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. The film, Augustana #A20, has church minutes from 1870 to 1930 on reel 1, and additional minutes from 1890 to 1940 and membership records from 1870 to 1930 on reel 2. The ELCA Archives also has congregation histories and other materials from First Gethsemane.

Sources
Fiftieth Anniversary Album of the Swedish Ev. Lutheran Gethsemane Congregation, Chicago, 1870-1920, Rock Island, Ill.: Augustana Book Concern, 1920.

First Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sixtieth Anniversary Souvenir and Annual Directory, 1930.