Hollywood Lutheran Church
A BRIEF HISTORY
Within less than a year, the new congregation purchased a lot on Sunset Blvd. near Van Ness, surrounded by Warner Bros. Studios. 
Hollywood Lutheran Church was founded May 29, 1921, when a group of 24 people, who had been meeting for worship and prayer in a private home in Los Feliz, opened a "Charter" of those wishing to start a new Lutheran congregation. Quickly outgrowing a house living room, they began holding services in the Iris Theater in Hollywood, and found their first pastor, Rev. Milton H. Stine (formerly the President of the California Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America).
But when Warner Bros. began to expand its Hollywood presence, a deal was made. Hollywood Luthean Church sold its lot to Warner Bros. and purchased a permanent site in Los Feliz. Warner Bros. made a generous donation to help with the cost of construction and furnishings. The congregation built its present home in 1924 at a cost of $70,000! The Sanctuary was dedicated November 9 that year and has been in continuous use ever since. A Sunday School building was completed in 1937, and enlarged in the 1940s. A two-story educational and office wing was added in 1968. 
Our property once held a small (equity-waiver) wooden theatre building originally owned by actress Mae West, but she never performed in it. It fell into disrepair, was later condemned by the City of Los Angeles, and demolished before the new wing was added.
Hollywood Lutheran Church has been served by nine different senior Pastors in its eighty-six year history, as well as 4 assistant pastors, 11 seminary interns, and several parish visitors.
Pastors who have served Hollywood Lutheran Church 1931-1932 Assistant Pastor Erwin May | Pastors Stine, Dorn and Kerstetter | |
| 1949–1952 Pastor R. Bertram Reed 1953–1960 Pastor John T. Steinhaus 1960–1991 Pastor Harry D. Durkee 1961-1963 Associate Pastor Fred Daubenbis 1987-1988 Assistant Pastor Ken Edwins | Pastors Reed, Steinhaus and Durkee | |
1991–1995 Pastor John Wagner |  Pastors Boline and Hooper |
| A Son of the Congregation: Eddie Spirer, "the Little Minister" was a son of this congregation. Of Orthodox Jewish descent, Eddie became a Christian, then a carpenter and contractor, and later went on to seminary and became a pastor of the Lutheran church (one of five men from this congregation who became pastors). A memorial book was written about his life. Rev. Spirer was ordained at Hollywood Lutheran Church on July 13, 1930.
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During the Depression and World War II, the congregation continued to grow until it was the largest church in the Synod. The Sunday School had 400 young people enrolled. Over 155 men from the congregation served in World War II; only one was injured, and he recovered and returned to Hollywood Lutheran Church!
Hollywood Lutheran Child Development Center was opened in 1974, and operated until February 2004. Its original mission was to provide quality child care and education for the staff at Hollywood-area hospitals. But later, these hospitals added their own internal facilities, making our center unnecessary and unprofitable, to the point of thousands of dollars in losses for the church.
Hollywood Lutheran Church in 1976
Pastor Harry Durkee: The one pastor whom many people remember well is Pastor Harry Durkee, who served from 1960 to1991 until his retirement from professional ministry. Our fellowship hall, Durkee Hall, is dedicated to honor Pastor Harry and Norma Durkee. (See: Facilities.)
In 2005-2006 Durkee Hall was refurbished. The Durkees now live in Burbank, California.
HLC has also hosted several 12-Step programs -- Alcoholics Anonymous meetings -- for many decades. Hollywood Squares, the oldest and largest meeting in Hollywood has gathered in Durkee Hall for about 50 years. See: Community Schedule.
The buildings have been modernized several times, but retain their historic charm, especially in the Sanctuary, where worship services, weddings, baptisms, concerts and dramas, funerals and community programs have been held continuously for more than 86 years.
Recent History
In 1999 the congregation adopted an "Affirmation of Welcome" to gay and lesbian people, and so became part of the reconciling and welcoming movement of Christian churches that are working for the full participation of sexual minorities in the church. Through the Reconciling in Christ Program of Lutherans Concerned/North America, nearly 400 congregations of the ELCA and ELCIC have adopted similar public statements of welcome. See: What does "Reconciling in Christ" mean in this church?
The church was served by Interim Pastor Paul Kloth from 2000 to 2004. During this period, with the guidance of the Synod staff, the congregation determined that its chief mission priority in the years ahead would be to develop a ministry with GLBT people. In March 2004, the congregational called the Rev. Daniel M. Hooper as Pastor to lead in this effort.
During 2005 we re-formed a Hand Bell Choir. If you can't sing, you can ring! With the arrival of the very talented and dedicated Eldon Turner as our Director of Music in May 2006, Hollywood Lutheran Church observed its 85th Anniversary. Our music program continues to flourish, with plans for the rennovation and expansion of our pipe organ in 2008. (See: Music Program)
In October 2006 we also we welcomed the Silverlake Children's Theatre Group to our campus, and the Way of Life Church (Korean language) as our sister community that Christmas. More recently, we have launched several significant community enterprises, including Hollywood Remembers, Hollywood Callback and the Los Feliz Art Walk program.
Our community has a proud history of diversity, openness and innovation, a tradition which continues today.
We are indebted to our faithful archivist, Joan Riedell, who has carefully kept congregational records for many years. Her handiwork includes wonderful chronological binders of key documents and photographs for each decade of this church's life in Hollywood.
Lutheran History
The Lutheran church draws its name from Martin Luther, a 16th century church reformer and scholar, who pressed for renewal and change in the church but did not desire to see it split into separate factions, and especially did not want his own name attached to a church! In Germany to this day, the Lutheran church is known as the Evangelical Church.
When European settlers came to North America, they brought their faith with them. From Northern Europe came the Danes, the Swedes and Norwegians, the Finns and Germans. For several generations Lutheran churches in America were separated into organizations distinguished by the native languages of these immigrants. But throughout the 20th Century, these ethnic groups of Lutherans gradually merged into the main bodies we have today, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Nearly 500 years later, the churches which subscribe to the Lutherans Confessions are spread throughout the world, and are organized in the Lutheran World Federation. As much as it seems impossible, most Lutheran Christians desire and pray for the re-unification of the entire church of Christ, through ecumenical study and conversation.
For more, see "Why Lutheran? Who was Luther anyway?"
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