St Andrew's Lutheran Church

The St Andrew's Lutheran Church, Brisbane City is part of the Queensland District of the Lutheran Church of Australia. In' 1857, the first Lutheran service was held in the city, and this led to the formation of the congregation in 1858. The congregation was formed with twelve men by the Rev Charles F Schirmeister in 1858, who are understood to have met in the 'European Hotel' (no details are known about this venue or its location). The Rev Schirmeister was the pastor and the first Lutheran minister registered in Queensland. He ministered in German and English. Churches were then erected in 1861 and 1882. In 1872, the first Scandinavian language service in Queensland was held on this site, conducted by the Norwegian, Christoffer Gaustad in Danish (Old Norse). The foundation stone of the second church was laid on 30/11/1881, St Andrew's Day, by the Rt Rev Mathew B Hale, Anglican Bishop of Brisbane. Due to the extension of Turbot Street in 1969, the 1882 church building was demolished in 1975. It had served the congregation for 93 years. The present church building was opened and dedicated on 11/4/1976, Palm Sunday, by Pastor N C Shultz. The new church building followed the land resumption and the amalgamation of the two previous congregations in the city ( St Andrew's and Bethlehem, Fortitude Valley. The church today also hosts a Korean congregation. The congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008. More historical information/photographs of the church/congregation are invited. Photographs uploaded 25/10/2016.

For more of the Church story see - https://heritage.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/citation/st-andrew-s-lutheran-church_2232.pdf?t=1764635512