Rev. Harold J. Meyer was called by the Home Mission Board to start a new congregation in East San Jose in the summer of 1954. The first worship was held at Foothill community Presbyterian Church on Aug. 1, 1954. Two months later on Sept. 26th the congregation was organized with 41 baptized members and adopted the name of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. One year later Aug. 1, 1955 the new congregation took possession of the property at 121 South White Road. It had been a chicken ranch with two acres of walnut trees in the back. Some 30 walnut trees (mostly dead) were cut down and sold to raise funds to pay the taxes. Ground breaking for the first unit happened on Aug. 7th and on Sept. 15th the Meyer’s moved into the house, which became the parsonage as well as classrooms for the Sunday school. The Meyer’s did most of the refurbishing of the home themselves. Ground was broken for the first unit on Aug. 7, 1955, this first building was dedicated on Sept. 23rd with 170 baptized members. In October 1956 Pastor Meyer left the parish and for the next 9 months we were again without a pastor. A man by the name of Phil Hokenson was a lay pastor during that period. In those 9 months without a pastor the membership fell off and attendance dropped.
The History Of Our Church
On June 16, 1957, Pastor Raymond Swanson accepted a call to be our pastor and came directly from the Seminary. Pastor Swanson worked hard to again build up the congregation. Then his wife was seriously injured in an auto accident and the family was forced to move to Owatanna, MN. where he could better care for her. Again we were without a pastor for approximately 8 months. During this time Pastor Kluver and his wife from Patterson, Ca. came to help us out. Again our membership fell and attendance was small. The Mission Board met with us from time to time and we almost decided to close up the church at this point. Then the Mission Board came to us and said they had the name of one man who might accept the call to be our pastor.
The Call Committee issued the call and on Aug. 18, 1963 Pastor Clifford Larson was installed as the Pastor of the Church. On Dec. 22nd, 1963 a second worship service was added and few months later, at the annual meeting, Pastor Larson reported remarkable growth for the last 4 months of 1963: Attendance from less than 50 to an average of 184 per Sunday, offering from less than $100 to $180 per Sunday. In September 1965 we called a retired pastor, Christian Iverson, to be our Visitation Pastor and to assist in the ministry of a growing congregation. Pastor Iverson served until 1971 when he retired for the second time. As the church grew we needed more help an so again the call went out, this time to Pastor Gary Gould who was installed as Assistant Pastor in April 1976 and served until June 1978 when he answered a call from another Lutheran Church in Madera, California. Pastor Gary and his wife Mim worked mainly in the area of Youth Ministries and visitation.
During these years many changes continued to take place at this property. The city built Rose Avenue all the way through from White Road to Capitol. Ground was broken for the new Educational Building on May 5th, 1966 and then dedicated in May 1967. The parsonage was moved from the front of the lot to the back, turning it so it faced Rose Ave. Then at the congregation’s meeting on April 30, 1967 the members made two significant decisions: 1) -To accept plans for our new sanctuary and 2) To borrow $130,000. Ground was broken on Nov. 19th, 1967 and the new sanctuary was dedicated 13 months later on Jan. 5, 1969. Leland Mikkelson, a general contractor, together with a host of fellow members worked many long hours on the beautiful new building. And now it was time to rename the “first unit” and it became Luther Hall. It had served as the worship center for 13 years. Pastor Larson retired on Dec. 31, 1981 and Pastor Andrew Olsen was called and installed as pastor of the congregation on March 21, 1982.
This page was last updated: 8/3/2008
Pastor Andy had served as Assistant Pastor for three years and then for another twelve years as Sr. Pastor until he retired in 1994 and moved to Willits, CA. with his wife Ardys. After he left, we were again in the call process for about a year while a Synod appointed interim Pastor served the congregation part time. The Lord answered our prayers when the Rev. Patrick Fitzgerald accepted the Call and came to San Jose from Hilmar, CA. Pastor Pat was installed in June 1995 and continues to serve this congregation.
Today this congregation has come full circle. Where as we began by using the facilities of another church in the area, today we are home to three other congregations (Hispanic, SDA Korean, & Shalom). The Gloria Dei Church “Campus” is also home to many other groups who minister to the spiritual and bodily needs of the community. Just to name a few: Brown Bag Senior food program, Job Corp. Bible Study, CODA, “Friends Together” and more recently a Parish Nurse program established in cooperation with local hospitals.
Looking back over the past 50 years, every person who was or is a member or a guest at Gloria Dei Church has been “marked” because they heard the Gospel of God’s saving grace and forgiveness. Those same people also left their mark on the ministry of our Church. God has used each one of us, our gifts and our talents, to build His Kingdom. Our prayer is that God will continue to live in and through Gloria Dei Lutheran Church for many years to come and will continue to bless the community through our service.
September 22, 1954
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church was organized with 41 Baptized souls.
August 7, 1955
Ground was broken for the first multipurpose unit.
September 23, 1956
Our first Sanctuary was dedicated (building later to be re-named Luther Hall)
May 28 1967
The Education Building was dedicated.
November 19, 1967
Ground was broken for the new Sanctuary.
January 5, 1969
The new Sanctuary was dedicated.
2002
Sanctuary interior was remodeled.
Milestones Of The Congregation
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
1954 through 2005
Pastor Harold J. Meyer And Family
June 22, 1954 thru October 14, 1956
Pastor Raymond A. Swanson And Family
June 16, 1957 thru January 10, 1963
Pastor Clifford O. Larson
August 18, 1963 thru
December 31,1981
Pastor Christian Iverson
(Visitation Pastor)
September 5, 1965
thru June 11,1971
Pastor Gary Gould
Assistant Pastor
April 4,1976 thru
June 19, 1978
Pastor Andrew Olsen
May 4, 1979 thru
July 31, 1994
Asst. Pastor
1979 thru 1982
Sr. Pastor
1982 Thru 1994
Pastor J. Patrick Fitzgerald
June 1995 thru Present
During the fifty years this congregation has been in existence there have been virtually hundreds of men and women who have dedicated thousands of hours of service. Some of the functions were paid positions but many were not, and yet, all were critical to the outreach and growth of this church. There is not room enough to list all of these folks by name but let that not diminish the huge importance of their efforts in the history of this Church. We owe each of them our eternal gratitude for taking the time to provide for the overall welfare of every person who has passed through the doors of this sanctuary. We dedicate this Web Site to Them and let us here take a moment to thank God for the love, the time, and the dedication they gave us over the years and in fact are still giving to us today. Jesus said the fields are ripe for harvest and the labors are few and so the people of Gloria Dei went forth and organized the worship, glorified God through song, maintained the facility and the grounds, cleaned the bathrooms, provided the meals, visited the sick, cared for our youth and Yes, in the hot noonday sun, gave drink to our Lord Jesus Christ…
Thank you Gloria Dei and may God Bless You through the coming years of your ministry!
Ministers Of The Congregation
Over 50 Years In Ministry
In loving memory of all those who over the years have contributed to this ministry and passed on. They came to us and all to briefly shared a part of themselves and then, they moved on to be with our Lord. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you.
Until We Meet Again Beside The Still Waters
Martin Luther
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