Mt. Olive's Church History

In September 1941, the Rev. Herbert Fritze, then assistant pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, canvassed, with the support of the LCMS Northwest District Mission Board, the northwestern part of Seattle then known as the "Treat Estate," now called Loyal Heights. On September 1, 1942 a store building that still stands at 2410 NW 80th Street was rented for the sum of $30.60 per month as "temporary headquarters" for the new congregation. The first public worship service at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church was conducted by Pastor Fritze on December 6, 1942.

On March 10, 1944, Pastor Fritze received orders to report to the Navy on March 24 for service as a chaplain. When on March 22, Pastor Fritze, dressed in his chaplain's uniform, delivered his farewell address in place of the mid-week Lenten service, many members of the congregation wept.

The Rev. Clarence Langhans became the first pastor officially called by Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, a congregation of 39 communicants, 11 voters and a Sunday School of some 50 children when he was installed on May 4, 1944. Two weeks after Pastor Langhans was installed at Mt. Olive, the congregation was notified that their lease on the property at 24th Avenue NW and NW 80th Street would not be renewed. The last service there was held on June 24. For the next two months, Mt. Olive paid $10 per week to hold Sunday evening services at Northminster Presbyterian Church.

With the help of a $7000 loan from the Northwest District Church Extension Fund, Mt. Olive purchased a vacant store building at the corner of 28th Avenue NW and NW 85th Street. Members volunteered to convert this building into a chapel.

When the Second World War finally ended in August 1945, and non-essential construction again became possible, a fund was established in 1946 to build on the property the congregation owned at 21st Avenue NW and NW 80th Street. Excavation began on January 11, 1946. The structural work on the original part of building was completed by April 25. The last service at the chapel on 28th Avenue NW was held on September 12, 1948, almost four years to the day after its dedication. On September 19, 1948, the new church on 21st Avenue NW opened.

When Mt. Olive's church building was constructed in 1948, people felt the plans called for a larger edifice than the congregation could afford and built only part of the structure that had been designed. After five years, it became apparent that Mt. Olive had outgrown its facility and the congregation would have to complete the building according to the original plans. Work on the expansion began by June 1, 1955. On October 2, 1955, Pastor Langhans was released to accept a call to Pipestone, Minnesota. Pastor Langhans served Mt. Olive eleven years and five months.

The Rev. Harold Steinke was installed as Mt. Olive's third pastor on March 11, 1956. He came at a busy time in the history of Mt. Olive. Work on the new addition to the church progressed steadily, but it soon became evident that the available funds were insufficient to complete the project, especially the badly needed second-floor Sunday School rooms. Pastor Steinke asked the builder whether the congregation could participate in the work. With the builder's consent, the congregation was asked to make an all-out effort to help. In response, men and women turned out as their personal schedules permitted, mornings, afternoons and evenings, Monday through Saturday. Over 3600 hours of volunteer work was done. The completed building was dedicated on November 25, 1956. The new addition increased the area of the church by approximately 4,400 square feet, adding four classrooms to the second floor, and a Fireside Room, a pastor's study, secretary's office and two classrooms on the main floor. 48 increased the seating capacity, with an additional 42 new seats in the balcony. The basement Fellowship Hall was almost doubled in size. Pastor Steinke was given a farewell reception and released to Port Townsend, Washington on April 16, 1961.

The Rev. William G. Houser came to Mt. Olive as its fourth pastor in May 1961. By January 1971, more seating space was needed. An enlargement committee was appointed. The committee decided to remove the Sunday School classrooms and glass partitions from the back of the building and add about sixty seats to the church. Cedar paneling was installed in the chancel, along with a new baptismal font, pulpit, cross, altar and wall candles. The remodeling program was completed by Easter, 1971. New altar paraments embroidered by the women of the Guild were first used on June 11, 1971. Nine new pews were installed on February 13, 1972: one in the balcony, eight in the sanctuary.

On December 9, 1974 Pastor Houser accepted a call to become Associate Professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois.

Mt. Olive extended a call to the Rev. Paul H. Lutz, who was then serving Zion Lutheran at Terra Bella, California. Rev. Lutz was installed as the fifth pastor of Mt. Olive on June 22, 1975. During Pastor Lutz's tenure, a brass covering was installed on the wooden chancel cross as a memorial to the late James Symonds, a charter member who died October 10, 1983. A handrail along the walk from the sidewalk to the front door was installed as a memorial to S. T. Jacobson. The Mt. Olive Lutheran Church Student Loan Fund was set up on May 23, 1983, as a memorial to Dr. James F. DePree, to encourage students from our congregation to study for careers in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod.

There had been discussion for many years on remodeling the entry to the church. The Trustees developed a plan that the congregation accepted. Under this plan, the existing side door to the sanctuary was walled off and a new door cut opposite the door to the secretary's office. The pews were removed from the back of the church to create a narthex separated from the sanctuary by a glass wall. There were four windows in the narthex. Pastor Lutz initiated the idea of replacing the frosted glass panes with stained glass artwork, and selected the Twenty-Third Psalm as the theme to be used. Free-lance artist Karin Messmer created the four stained glass windows dedicated as memorials; two to Alfred O. Gihring, one to Henry C. Nass and one to Floyd Ellis Davidson.

By the mid-1980s, Pastor Lutz's health began to fail. In 1987 he was forced to ask Pastor Richard Weiland of Everett for assistance in carrying out his duties as pastor of Mt. Olive. Pastor Weiland graciously came out of part-time retirement to serve Mt. Olive, first as a relief pastor, and when Pastor Lutz was totally incapacitated, as the full-time vacancy pastor. Our gracious Heavenly Father called Pastor Paul H. Lutz to his heavenly home on June 1, 1989.

Having been forewarned by Pastor Lutz's deteriorating health, a call committee counseled by Pastor Weiland assembled and screened a list of twenty-three candidates. After fervent prayer to God for guidance, the congregation extended a call to the Rev. William F. Ellis, Jr., then serving as pastor of First Lutheran Church in Texarkana, Texas.

On September 24, 1989, LCMS Northwest District President Rev. Erhart Bauer installed the Rev. William F. Ellis as the sixth pastor of Mt. Olive. During Pastor Ellis' tenure the nursery was reestablished to care for young children during church services. The Sunday bulletin format was changed. Large-print bulletins were provided for worshippers with impaired eyesight. The monthly newsletter expanded to carry more news of affairs outside the congregation. Committees were reorganized, with job descriptions and responsibilities clearly defined.

In January 2001, Mt. Olive extended a call to the Rev. Grant A. Knepper, then serving as assistant pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Tucson, Arizona. In February 2001, the Rev. Grant A. Knepper was installed as Mt. Olive's seventh and current pastor. Pastor Knepper has taken an active role in encouraging young families to join Mt. Olive and serves as an effective pastoral presence at Concordia Lutheran Church, a ministry that Mt. Olive supports.