Learn about the history of St. Matthew Lutheran Church.
The birth of St. Matthew Lutheran Church took place on November 30, 1958. There were eighty-two adult members and fifty-five child members who signed the charter to formally bring this congregation into being.
The organizing pastor was Richard A. Swanson who had come to the area as a mission developer for the Augustana Lutheran Church. The congregation extended him a call to become the first pastor of the parish.
Services started in the summer of 1958 at Fenton High School, Bensenville, Illinois. This was where the congregation came into being, where the organizational structure took place, where the charter was signed. In 1960, the congregation moved their worship center to Washington School, Itasca, Illinois. The building in which the congregation now worships was erected in 1962. During this same year the Augustana Lutheran Church joined with three other Lutheran bodies to become the Lutheran Church in America.
The congregation has been served by Pastor Richard A. Swanson, 1958-1966, Rev. Dr. Robert R. Lesher, 1967-1993, Rev. Dr. Timothy Hubert, 1995-2001, Pastor Scot Turnball, 2003-2006, Pastor J.T. Miller 2007-2009, and interim Pastor, Pastor Ken Pohlmann and interim Pastor Paul Pfeffer 2009 – 2013, Pastor Rebekah Costello 2013-2019, and interim Pastor Art Puotinen, 2019-Present. We are now entering a period of transition in preparing to call a new pastor who will continue the ongoing spiritual growth of St. Matthews.
During its Sixty years of ministry, St. Matthew Lutheran Church has had the opportunity to be a part of many lives. There have been nearly 500 baptisms and over 300 persons received by confirmation. There have been over a 1,000 persons as members at one time or another. This congregation of ministers has a very distinguished past as members have served, and are serving, in various community organizations and on the Congregational Council for the betterment of the people.
The future holds many more things as we continue to serve those around us. We look forward to reaching out further into our community through P.A.D.S. volunteer work, Itasca Food Pantry volunteerism, and the Linda Susan Benson Fund. Our goal is to continue to grow and continue serving Itasca and surrounding suburbs by being involved in ecumenical events and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
