Our Pastor and Our History

Our Pastor:

Pastor Matthew is retiring effective July 31. He served Our Saviours's congregation  as its Pastor since November 9, 2015. This continued his call to the former Immanuel-Our Saviour's Lutheran parish, beginning January 1, 1995. 

Our History

• Our journeys began as the First Norwegian Lutheran Church of Port Arthur,  January 28, 1907, and Swedish Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church,  July 20, 1906.

• During the 1920s First Norwegian Church of Fort William merged with its sister congregation in Port Arthur.

• First Norwegian changed its name to 'Our Saviour's' in 1938, reflecting its changing demographics and outward focus. (Immanuel officially dropped 'Swedish' in the 1950s.)

• From 1906-1963, Immanuel formed a joint parish with Zion Lutheran Church of Fort William (Thunder Bay).

• In 1963, Zion became a parish on its own, and Immanuel became a part of a parish with Zion (later called St. Mark's) Lutheran Church of Port Arthur (Thunder Bay).

• In 1981, St. Mark's became a parish on its own, and Immanuel became part of a federated parish with Our Saviour's.

• In 1983, St. Mark's merged into Our Saviour's.

• On Nov. 8, 2015, Immanuel merged into Our Saviour's.

Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church

• We also celebrate the heritage and gifts shared with us by the former Lutheran congregations of Zion - Thunder Bay (Fort William),  Estonian - Thunder Bay (Port Arthur), and Gethsemane - Port Arthur. Gethsemane built the building Our Saviour's now occupies.  So too, we give thanks for the former St. Angsarius Scandinanvian Anglican Church, whose building Our Saviour's bought in 1912 and used until moving to Farrand Street in 1969.