This summary of Faith Lutheran Church (FLC) history will emphasize the physical facilities.

Several documents exist covering the history of Christ Lutheran Church (CLC) up through 1968 when the merger with FLC occurred. The early history of CLC will not be repeated here; copies of these early histories are available upon request. Also several write-ups exist covering the early history of FLC one by Willard Starnes and another by Rev. Paul Hamsher. Information has been extracted from these write-ups; some portions have been used verbatim.

The spring of 1956 was the beginning of a new Lutheran church in the Eastern area of Birmingham, Alabama. The early progress was due primarily to the efforts of three men -Nils Nilsson, Sam Lewis, and Rev. Dermon Sox, pastor of CLC. They approached Dr. Charles E. Fritz, President of the Georgia-Alabama Synod requesting that the Eastern Birmingham area be considered as a possible site for a new Lutheran church.

Following a survey by the Board of American Missions of the ULCA, Dr. Fritz, Rev. Sox, and Mr. Lewis were instrumental in obtaining a house for use as a parsonage at 411 Valley Road, South. In March 1956, the Mission Board sent Rev. Paul O. Hamsher to the area as Mission Developer. After Rev. Hamsher and his family had become settled in the parsonage and become familiar with the area, attention was turned to organizing a new congregation.

The following laymen comprised the Organizational Committee: Nils Nilsson, Jud Wilkinson, C. G. Mench, L. W. Floyd, R. F. Knauss, Sam Lewis, and Willard Starnes. The name, Faith Lutheran Church, was selected by this group. Rev. Hamsher was instrumental in obtaining the auditorium at Howard College, now Samford University (located at that time at 78th Street, South, 4th and 5th Avenues, South), for holding Sunday School and worship services.

The first worship service was scheduled for May 20, 1956. At CLC on the preceding Sunday, Rev. Sox conducted a Service of Godspeed for a group of fifty baptized members to enter into the fellowship of the new congregation. The first service as held as scheduled at II :00 am in the Howard College auditorium with 52 people attending. A constitution was adopted at a fellowship dinner on October 18, 1956. The first Church Council was elected: Nils Nilsson, Sam Lewis, L. W. Floyd, C. G. Mench, Jud Wilkinson, Earl Wilkey, Edgar Morgan, John Burks, and Willard Starnes. Seventy-seven signatures had been obtained on the charter, which has been displayed since that time, either in the narthex, or in the Fellowship Hall.

In December 1956, the congregation voted to purchase a house and lot on Division and First Avenues for $15,200. Several adjacent lots were purchased in January 1957 for $14,000. The house was converted into a chapel with most of the work being done by the members. The first service in the House Chapel was held on Palm Sunday, April 14, 1957.

In February 1959, the congregation authorized the purchase of another house and two lots for $11,500 and the construction of a first unit at an approximate cost of $84,500. In order to make room for the new construction, the recently purchased house was moved from the corner of Division Avenue and 87th Street to a location adjacent to the House Chapel. This house was subsequently rented out until September 1965. For a year and a half a chiropractor rented it for his office.

The construction contract was awarded to Creative Builders, Inc. Groundbreaking for the new church took place on March 20, 1960. The church building consisted of a sanctuary, office, classrooms, and fellowship hal1. A "campus-type" plan was utilized with each functional part of the building in a separate unit, all connected by a covered walkway. The total cost of construction and land was $123,000. The first service in the new church was held on October 23, 1960, with Dr. Raymond Wood, Synod President, preaching the sermon.

The Baccalaureate Service for the first graduating class of Banks High School was held at FLC on January 15, 1961. Rev. Hamsher's daughter, Heather, was a member of that class, as well as the church organist. In June, Rev. Hamsher submitted his resignation effective July 15, 1961 to become the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Coatesville, P A.

On July 30, 1961, the congregation issued a call to Rev. Waldemar Lefstead of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mobile. Rev. Lefstead accepted the call and began his duties on October 1, 1961. It is noted in one of the histories of CLC that Rev. Lefstead was a "son of our congregation. " Prior to this time the congregation had necessarily given much attention to construction and equipping the new facilities. Under Rev. Lefstead, it launched into organizing its records, strengthening its auxiliaries, intensifying its programs, reemphasizing evangelism, and placing greater attention to worship services.

On October 28, 1962, Rev. Lefstead submitted his resignation, effective January 1, 1963, in order to accept a position as an Assistant to the President of the new Southeastern Synod. While Rev. Lefstead was only at FLC for fifteen months, to say he accomplished much would be an understatement.

After occupying the new church, the House Chapel had been remodeled and rented out until 1964 when it was converted to Sunday School use. After the chiropractor moved out in 1965, the "Parish House" was converted for a multitude of uses -Sunday School, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Campfire Girls, and Alcoholic Anonymous. The House Chapel, renamed the "White House" was again rented out until it was razed in November 1986.

Rev. Donald J. Myers who was serving a four-church parish around Forest, MS. Rev. Myers and his family moved to Birmingham in March 1963 followed Rev. Lefstead and he assumed his duties on April 1. During his tenure, Rev. Myers ' interest in the music program resulted in considerable growth of the senior choir. He also introduced us to the Chrismon Tree, with the tree at FLC being the first in Birmingham. Appearances on radio and television by Rev. Myers and Doris McMillan (who spent considerable time on this project) describing the tree and its purpose resulted in the appearance of such trees at other churches. Rev. Myers resigned effective February 15, 1968 to accept a call to Reformation Lutheran Church in Savannah, GA. The parsonage on Valley Road was sold and another house purchased on Glennwood Street in Center Point.

Our next pastor was Rev. Dennis Gillespie who came from St. James Lutheran Church in Brunswick, GA. Pastor Gillespie began service on June 1, 1968. In October of that year the merger with CLC took place which resulted in a net increase in our membership of 68 baptized members. The highest membership in the church's history occurred in 1971 with 329 baptized members. A significant event associated with the merger was the installation of the chancel furniture from CLC (altar, lectern, pulpit, and baptismal font) in the chancel at FLC. Rev. Gillespie left July 8, 1971 to accept a call to Faith Lutheran Church in Warner-Robbins, GA. The parsonage was again sold in later 1971.

Following Rev. Gillespie's departure, Rev. Dan Phifer was appointed by the Synod President to serve the congregation as Vice-Pastor. In October 1971, Rev. Phifer began service in an interim capacity and became full-time pastor on March 15, 1972. Rev. Phifer was the second "son of our congregation" to serve as pastor, having grown up in CLC. Rev. Phifer resigned effective July 15, 1975, to accept a call as a U.S. Army Chaplain.

Rev. Frank C. Wise followed Rev. Phifer as pastor, taking over on October 1, 1975. During Rev. Wise's time at FLC two significant expansions of the physical facilities took place. In 1982, the Fellowship Hall was doubled in size and a transept was added on the right side of the church chancel. The Fellowship Hall expansion provided much needed space for meetings and social events. The transept allowed the choir and the organ to be located together and also allowed a piano to be added as a musical accompaniment. Moving the organ from beside the altar improved the focus on the altar in the chancel. Cost of this project was approximately $81,000.

In 1989, the Educational Building was added adjacent to the Fellowship Hall. This building provided three classrooms, a new two-room nursery nearer to the sanctuary, handicapped-accessible restrooms, and a large meeting room that was designated as the Youth ' s Room. A new narthex was added to the front of the church, which increased the length of the sanctuary, by about nine feet. Total cost of this project was $175,000. Following completion of the Educational Building, the Parish House was razed in March 1990.

In 1993, a Long Range Planning Committee was appointed "... to develop and recommend future policies, strategies, etc. to be implemented over a 5 to 10 year period. These plans should take into account the changing nature and needs of the congregation and the surrounding area." This group made its report in January 1996 with the following primary recommendations: "... that FLC begin positive steps to relocate to an area which is growing and is closer to the area in which our members presently live or to which they are gradually relocating." Following a recommendation by the Church Council, the Congregation voted in April 1996 to begin the relocation process. Approval to relocate was obtained from the Synod Council in February 1997.

Following Rev. Wise's retirement on June 30, 1996, Rev. Kinley O. Eittreim served in an interim capacity for two years. During this period, relocation activities were limited to a search for suitable property to purchase. In March 1997, the original lot on which the House Chapel had been located was sold to Dialysis Clinic, Inc. for $38,000.

On July 1,1998, Rev. Gary M. Schimmer, from St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mobile, began service as our seventh pastor and since that time relocation activities have became intense. By the end of the year, contracts had been signed to: (1) purchase a 3.26 acre piece of property on Deerfoot Parkway for $266,000; and (2) sell the church property to the New Testament Missionary Baptist Church for $340,000. The purchase of the Deerfoot property closed on May 5, 1999; the sale of the church is scheduled to be the last week of May 1999. The church property must be vacated by June 28, 1999. Our last service here is planned for June 20, 1999.

While this will close a chapter in the life of FLC, a new chapter will be beginning in the Deerfoot Park way area. Arrangements have been made to hold services in the cafeteria of the Clay-Chalkville Middle School with our first service there on June 27,1999. Does this sound familiar? Same tune, second verse.

Examination for the Parish Register reveals the following occurred during this "first chapter":

225 Baptisms
158 Confirmations
81 Marriages
79 Funerals

Over the years, there have been a number of memorials contributed, which will remain with the church. These are enumerated below:

April 1973 Stained Window Panels in the Sanctuary in memory of J. J. Burks by Relatives and Friends
May 1976 Expansion, Remodeling, & Carpeting of Fellowship Hall in memory of Mrs. J. J. Burks by Family and Friends
July 1982 Choir Pews in memory of Oster McMinn, Lena Laatsch, & Olga Fuller by Friends and Relatives
May 1985 Refrigerator in Kitchen in memory of Sam Lewis by Mrs. Sam Lewis
February 1990 Cupboards for the Nursery in memory of David E. Ehrensperger, Jr. by Relatives and Friends

We are entering what could be very exciting times, with our success depending on our diligence and dedication to grow our congregation in a new location. If we are true to our name, our move will be successful.