History of Hill Avenue Lutheran Church

The congregation was organized under the name of The United Lutheran Synod Church with 44 charter members. The first pastor was N.B. Thorpe. Services were held in a store building on Lake Avenue just south of Washington Boulevard.

The name of the congregation was changed to Grace Lutheran Church.

Property at Summit and Mountain was purchased for $4,000 from the Seventh Day Adventists. This remained the congregation’s home for nearly 25 years.

The construction of the new church began. For two years, services were held in the chapel at the Ives and Warren Mortuary across the street. A cottage was also constructed at a cost of $2,500 to use for Sunday School and as a meeting place for church groups while the church was being built.

The name of the church was officially changed from Grace Lutheran to Hill Avenue Grace Lutheran.

The church begins an intern program allowing third year seminary students to spend a year in active parish work at the church.

The congregation voted to approve the site analysis giving the architect permission to proceed with preliminary plans for the building and remodeling of the church. The plans included a new façade on the sanctuary, the interior to be opened to a garden on the south and the parish hall to be moved from its Hill Avenue location to the west end of the property. The sanctuary also received new upholstered pews and a new chancel.

The remodel construction of the church was completed. A dedication and blessing of the church’s new and remodeled facilities was held.

Grace Day Nursery School opened with 35 preschool students. A Kindergarten class was added in 1969 and enrollment rose to 65 students.

The choir traveled to Austria to sing in the Vienna Advent Festival.

The Pasadena Area Lutheran Parish was organized. Five ELCA congregations joined together to strengthen and support one another’s ministries. Find more about the ELCA here.

Grace Christian Academy opened with 21 students in Kindergarten and First Grade. Second Grade was added in 1999.

Caring Partners Ministry began providing Helping Hands and Helping Hearts to members of the congregation.

The Pastor’s study was remodeled and transformed into a chapel. The Christ Chapel was dedicated, learn more about the Christ Chapel here.

Pasadena City College establishes the PASS program in conjunction with Hill Avenue Grace. More information on this program here.

Hill Avenue Grace Lutheran Prayer Garden was completed and dedicated.

Solar panel installation was completed on the education building.