On November 4th, All Saints’ Day (observed), Christ Lutheran Church celebrated 130 years of Word and Sacrament ministry in Pascagoula, MS. Many things have changed, but the central message has not: It’s still all about Jesus.
We were blessed to have District President Eric Johnson join us and proclaim the Word for our special anniversary service, as well as many members (old and new) and friends from our community. Organized in 1888 by Pastor Doescher from New Orleans, Christ is one of the oldest extant Lutheran churches in the state of Mississippi. The current sanctuary dates to 1893 and was renovated in 1954 and again in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. To date, twenty pastors have served this congregation, and eight sons of former pastors have also gone into the ministry.
Following the 130th anniversary worship service, the congregation, which included many visitors, were treated to a lovely reception in Memorial Hall. A display of photos, worship bulletins, newsletters, baptismal and marriage certificates and the original baptismal font from St. Paul’s in Escatawpa were available for everyone to enjoy. A member of the congregation, Lionel Dale, gifted the church with a detailed diorama of the church. In 2018, his replica of the church – a true labor of love – won the Grand Champion Award at the Jackson County Fair.
