Mission Statement: The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour desires to be a community of Christians whose faith is active in love.

History of the Congregation

Beginning 1925, seminarians conducted services in the rented facility of Women’s Christian Temperance Unions building corner of 9th St and 1st Ave. West and organized in 1933 with full-time clergy serving to present 2019.


Lutheran Church Women (LCW) was organized in 1935 and disbanded in 1939 when women and men worked through committees reporting to the Congregational Council. It was believed that the work of the church could be covered under one umbrella. LCW was revived again 1947 for a short period of time.

In 1949 the first parsonage was purchased on 4th Ave. E and in 1964 the Pfeffer home (a much larger home) at 1051 4th Ave. West was purchased, which was used until 1977 when it was decided that pastors preferred to be investing in their own homes.

The summer ministry at Sauble Beach began in 1965 with intern Karl Kappes, who was also assisting in Owen Sound.
Fund raising for the new Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Owen Sound began under Lutheran Layman’s Movement with ground breaking for the new building at 1049 4th Ave. West. The Cornerstone was laid on Dec. 17th, 1965, was dedicated on May 15th, 1966. The Intern was Richard Holm for 1 year, working at both Sauble Beach and Owen Sound, and the church organist was Wm. Scoffield.

In 1976, preaching point was established in Port Elgin. Lutheran members from the beach area were included with Owen Sound parish until their church was built. Rev. Marvyn Dubrick was their organizing pastor.

In 1969, The Seven Stars Thrift shop opened and was operated by a staff of church volunteers and located on the second floor of the Parish Hall with Mary Golem setting the programme and maintaining it until her retirement. The first Montessori school in Owen Sound opened on the second floor of the Parish Hall. A new addition provided an enlarged fellowship hall, a modern kitchen and doubling upstairs classroom space.

In 1971, Melbourne Place Nursing Home opened in the renovated Grey County Board of Education Building on the lot next to the church. A new venture and an exciting time. Rev. Lloyd Wiseman was the leading stalwart and Dale the Head Registered Nurse.

In 1978, The Wiarton church separated from the two- point Parish and Owen Sound became a one church Parish.
In 1980, the dedication and opening of a new Lutheran Nursing Home on 4th Ave. West with 29 residents, an infirmary, medical examination room, whirlpool bathing system were among the services and conveniences. In 1983, the Mary Shipley Memorial Solarium (an addition to the Lutheran Nursing Home) was built. Weekly Holy Communion was instituted in 1984.
In 1986, the process began toward a Non-Profit Corporation Lutheran Social Services (LSS) and the building of a Seniors’ Apartment Complex, as well as physically challenged adults now known as St. Francis Place. It has 78 units and opened in l988. Lutheran Social Services was incorporated in 1999.
In 1990, Lutheran Church of Our Saviour adopted Holy Communion of the baptized in accordance with the ELCIC.

In 1996, Lutheran Nursing Home was sold to Versa Care Limited, Cambridge, Ont.
In 2001, The Parish Nursing Committee was created by Lutheran Outreach Ministries Corp. and this has become a full- time commission for a Registered Nurse.

In 2005, a motion was passed to share our facilities with the Korean Presbyterian Church of Owen Sound. This is reviewed annually and continues to date.
A pictorial directory has been successful at four-year intervals, which is helpful for both parishioners and pastors. The 2009 directory revealed 81 family units and in 2014 we had 82 family units.

In 2010, the Incorporation documents were completed for Lutheran Church of Our Saviour and all voting members are voting members of the Lutheran Outreach Corporation and Lutheran Social Services Corporation.

In 2011, at the Annual congregational meeting, it was voted to use the Ecclesiastical ballot system for congregational council when an election is necessary.

In 2012, LSS purchased property at 1050 1st Ave. West to build a 24- unit Life Lease Non-profit Condo – the four-storey building is now known as ‘Corbet Place’.

In 2015, Summer service program began sharing with the Anglicans in Owen Sound and to date we use July and August, one month each.

In 2016, 75 years of historical documents including congregational council minutes, history of Seven Stars, Lutheran Church Women, scrap books and lots of memorabilia were moved to Wilfred Laurier University Archival for safe storage. The documents came from various corners, under stairways, and crevices in our fellowship hall. This was long overdue and was requested many times at Synod Conferences, and it was a satisfaction to get it done.

%d bloggers like this: