About Milwaukie Lutheran Church

Who We are and How We Worship

As We Gather

Community is where a group of people choose to be together with those that they wouldn’t have necessarily curated for themselves. There is no single described box that God can be fit into, and likewise, God’s love for all people shows we cannot fit into a perfectly described box either. Liturgy and worship knits our unity, welcoming diversity honors Christ our Lord. Being in the world with our greater community is often meeting the stranger, and in the stranger we meet the experience of Christ.

You Are Welcome Here

Milwaukie Lutheran Church welcomes all, as God welcomes all. Each one of us is a beloved child of God: unique, valued and accepted. We welcome you, regardless of race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, relationship status, or any of the factors that so often divide us. We welcome you, whatever your past, present, or future circumstances, wherever you are in your journey of faith. We accept you as you are and invite you to participate fully in the life of our community. We celebrate diversity and find our unity in Christ's love and grace.

Our Values

And so, our values attend to exemplify the Gospel as experience:

  • We welcome all and embrace diversity.

  • We experience God in scripture, worship, music and art, and each other.

  • We serve our neighbors in the local community and around the world.

  • We share God’s love by the things we say and do.

Our History

The Milwaukie Lutheran Church of Milwaukie Oregon was formed on February 10, 1946 and became a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC).  In 1960, Milwaukie Lutheran became part of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and in 1987 joined the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Buildings
The first church building was erected in 1948 with the first service in the building held on Easter Sunday, March 28. There were 320 in attendance. This building was located across from Milwaukie High School in downtown Milwaukie. The building served the congregation from 1948 to 1963 when the congregation outgrew the original building.

Our present site was purchased at 3810 SE Lake Road. The first worship service here was held on August 25, 1963. Following the completion of the Educational Unit, Fellowship Hall and Church offices, work began on the sanctuary itself which was completed in 1968.