Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a highly intact example of mid-century modern architecture, with the longtime community meeting place carrying memories for many locals from baptism to burial.
Parishioner Maureen Sanford headed the volunteer effort to pursue the federal listing, applying for state grant funds for the application. The submission was made possible through a grant funded by a state appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
“I think it’s really a feather in the cap for our community,” Sanford said.
A longtime South St. Paul resident, Sanford was baptized in the church and also married there. Her parents, aunts and uncles are buried at nearby General Lutheran Cemetery down the street. She said the architectural significance of the building, and that sense of community, is why she pursued the listing for Luther Memorial.
The church, located at 315 15th Ave. N., was built in two stages, in 1956 and 1964. The latter construction became the period of significance, according to research commissioned by Andrea C. Pizza, owner of Deco Cultural Services and author of the National Register nomination.
Specifically, the church was so named to the National Register as an example of mid-century modern, post-World War II era suburban church construction.
Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)
Passersby can witness this from the outside through the large, angled precast concrete panels bordering the sanctuary, and the curvature of the exterior brick wall along the front of the church.
On the inside, the general design and unique stained-glass windows were particular points of mention in the National Register submission.
Time portal
Much of the church is original and true to its 1964 construction. Taking a stroll through the building’s wood-lined offices feels like walking through a time portal to decades ago.
Luther Memorial Church was formed in 1953, as a merger of St. Paulus Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church, as those congregations began in 1892 and 1928, respectively. The new and growing congregation needed an updated building to accommodate more than 1,000 members, according to Pizza’s research, and as planning stages for new construction continued, church member Awalt Schmidt donated land along 15th Avenue North and Third Street North, with the remainder purchased from the city of South St. Paul.
The sun shines through a stained glass window at Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)
Characteristic of this era, churches at the time were attempting to design spaces that would be more inviting, more welcoming, than the Gothic architecture that had long preceded the period. The design called for the sanctuary and chancel areas to be more open to the parish. Within the sanctuary are floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows, with specific themes expressed within each set of stacked panels.
The themes include public service, labor, commerce, communications, healing arts and education, as well as windows for food production that include an animal carcass signifying the South St. Paul stockyards.
For many inner-ring suburbs, these buildings from the past are lost over time, Pizza said, as societal changes and redevelopment efforts take their place.
“I think it’s important to recognize these places so that we can find out more about our communities. It gives communities a sense of place,” Pizza said. “South St. Paul has lost a lot of its historical buildings, so there are fewer buildings to convey the city’s past.”
When a building like Luther is recognized for its history, that opens an opportunity to discuss and learn, Pizza said: “It opens up an avenue for people to say ‘Why?’ and an opportunity to learn things about a property, or historical topics, that they didn’t know before.”
Community-minded mission
While the construction is historically significant, parishioners and clergy alike are quick to mention that the larger significance of the church exists not just in the surroundings of the pews, but the people who fill them.
“We have a real sense of community,” Sanford said. “It’s a family. If I was sick, I know someone there is going to bring me a meal. And vice-versa.”
Today, Luther Memorial Church counts about 400 members, the Rev. Patrick Joiner said. Church membership has fallen over the past 40 years, a trend that many churches have been dealing with.
For Luther Memorial, Joiner said there has been a stepped-up focus over the last decade to engage with the greater community. Those efforts have included holiday events, civic celebrations and school district collaborations outside of the church walls.
People gather for services at Luther Memorial Church in South St. Paul on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (Claudia Staut / Pioneer Press)
When Joiner is in the sanctuary, he said the stained-glass windows and their imagery bring to mind that community-minded mission.
“The windows allow light through into the parish, but they also allow us to see our community,” Joiner said. “That is a significant thing for us.”
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Celebrate Luther Memorial History
What: Luther Memorial Church will host a luncheon celebrating the church’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places following worship on Sunday, Oct. 12.
When: 10 a.m. worship and presentation; 11 a.m. luncheon, Sunday, Oct. 12
Where: Luther Memorial Church, 315 15th Ave. N., South St. Paul
More information: 651-451-2400
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