At 524 South I Street in Tacoma, across from Wright Park on 6th Avenue, First Lutheran Church is a Lutheran congregation whose motto is “Serving Christ through Worship, Learning, and Caring.” Founded in 1926, the church marks a century of mission and ministry at its present location. It is known for worship grounded in Scripture and Holy Communion, a rotating liturgical calendar, and music that carries the congregation from Sunday worship to free public concerts.
A Century on South I Street
First Lutheran’s centennial included a laying of the cornerstone at its present location and marked 100 years of mission and ministry. Pastor Steve called the congregation “a remembering people,” able to look back at God’s saving acts in the Creation, Flood, Covenant, Exodus, Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Church. He also described the congregation as “a people of this day,” brought together as the Body of Christ, “sharing, caring, working in the world, and living in the hope of the world to come.” The paired image captures a church that honors its history without treating the past as its destination.
“Our eyes look back with thanksgiving. Our eyes look forward in hope,” Pastor Steve said. That conviction gives the church’s second century its shape: gratitude for the road already traveled and active faith in the mission still entrusted to it. The motto, “Serving Christ through Worship, Learning, and Caring,” names the strands that continue to shape First Lutheran. Worship remains central, learning takes many forms, and care reaches from the congregation’s own fellowship into Tacoma and beyond.
Saturday in the Chapel, Sunday in the Sanctuary
Worship is simple in schedule and rich in content. First Lutheran gathers for two weekly services:
- Saturday worship: 5:00 PM in the chapel.
- Sunday worship: 10:30 AM in the sanctuary.
Sunday worship is steeped in Scripture as well as the Lutheran tradition. Each Sunday, the church seeks to offer praise to God, preach the word, and share the sacrament of Holy Communion in Christ’s name. All are welcome to sing, pray, share peace with one another, and commune. The people of First Lutheran view worship as a time to renew their call to teach, baptize, and make disciples, citing Matthew 28:16-20. In their understanding, worship does not end inside the building; it sends people out to serve the Lord and share Christ’s light.
The liturgy rotates weekly, and worship styles range from traditional to contemporary. Its readings follow the Revised Common Lectionary, a collection of Bible readings used in Christian Worship across denominations. The lectionary provides a pattern for the liturgical year, including observances for festivals and seasons. That combination gives the congregation a Lutheran pattern of worship while allowing different musical and liturgical expressions from week to week.
Kids are welcome in worship, and children can participate with the whole congregation in singing, prayer, sharing peace, and Holy Communion. Their presence is explicitly welcomed as part of the gathered church.
For people who cannot travel to the chapel or sanctuary, First Lutheran also offers participation in worship by Zoom. The church provides the link after a request by email to office@flctacoma.org. This makes a Saturday or Sunday service available beyond those who can attend in the building.
Learning, Fellowship, and Music Through the Week
Beyond Sunday, the congregation meets in classes, music groups, conversation circles, and service projects. The recurring rhythm includes:
Study and Conversation
- Thursday Morning Bible Study meets at 10:30 AM in the Fireside Room. The invitation is simply to “dive into the bible,” and all are welcome.
- Tuesday Morning Coffee Break begins at 10:00 AM on Zoom for discussion of the history of religion. Participants bring coffee and join the conversation.
- Quilting meets from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on the first Monday in the Fireside Room. The group welcomes people regardless of experience and asks participants to bring a sack lunch.
Music, Planning, and Outreach
- Handbells rehearse at 5:30 PM every Thursday in the sanctuary. Musicians of any ability are welcome.
- Worship and Music Team meets at 6:30 PM on the second Tuesday. The team oversees the Altar Guild, liturgy, worship music, musical groups, choirs, concerts, and special services.
- Social Outreach Ministry Team meets at 11:45 AM on the second Sunday in the Fireside Room. It is an extension of the church council that works to carry the Great Commission into the church and community.
- Food Gathering takes place in the parking lot from 10:00 AM to noon on the first Friday.
- Men’s Breakfast meets at 7:30 AM on the first Saturday at Ben Dew’s Clubhouse Grill.
Together, these gatherings show a rhythm of regular participation rather than a single Sunday-centered program. Study is paired with conversation, music-making, planning, and service, while several groups meet in the Fireside Room or online and others extend into the parking lot or a breakfast location around Tacoma.
Scripture, Communion, and the Great Commission
First Lutheran states its mission through the language of Scripture and the Lutheran tradition. Matthew 28:16-20 is cited directly in connection with the church’s call to teach, baptize, and make disciples. Holy Communion is shared “in His name,” and worship is understood as the means by which the congregation renews that call. The church also describes itself as the Body of Christ, sharing, caring, working in the world, and living in hope for the world to come.
This is a mission expressed in both belief and practice. Teaching happens through Bible study, conversation about religion, liturgical planning, and the work of the music teams. The outward expression appears in service projects, support for families in transition, donations made through quilts, and concerts that welcome people from beyond the congregation. The centennial charge ties these activities together: looking back with thanksgiving, looking forward with hope, and dedicating life to the mission God gives the church as the Church of Jesus Christ in this place.
A Tradition of Music
Music has a deliberate place in FLC’s identity. The church quotes Martin Luther’s description of music as “the greatest gift of God.” Its choir, bell choir, instrumentalists, and soloists are gathered for one purpose: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ for all to hear and to move people deeply. Numerous gifted amateur and professional musicians are among the church’s membership, making music both an offering to God and a shared talent that visitors encounter in worship.
The sanctuary’s fine acoustics and Steinway grand piano allow it to serve as a concert venue as well as a place of worship. Rainier Ringers perform there, and First Lutheran hosts other concerts throughout the year. A stained-glass nativity scene forms a vivid backdrop for music in the sanctuary, while the chapel provides a separate setting for Saturday worship.
Listen Live at Lunch carries that musical emphasis into a free-to-attend summer series. Concerts take place at noon on Wednesdays in the sanctuary, last about an hour, and range across genres with a strong emphasis on classical music. Admission is free and donations are accepted. The church’s YouTube channel also carries performances from the series.
The sanctuary additionally welcomes the Northwest Edvard Grieg Society’s Nordic Chamber Music series, whose concerts explore composers and themes from Nordic and Baltic countries. These events expand the musical life of First Lutheran beyond its own roster of choirs and ensembles, while the free noon and chamber music programs make the building a gathering place for Tacoma musicians and listeners.
Quilts, Household Needs, and Shared Service
The quilting circle turns a monthly meeting into direct service. Finished quilts are donated to the Phoenix Housing Program twice a year, Tacoma’s Homestart Program, and Lutheran World Relief. The circle’s openness to every level of experience, combined with the invitation to bring a sack lunch, makes this one of the clearest examples of First Lutheran’s “learning and caring” rhythm: people gather around a table, share a meal, develop a skill, and prepare useful work for others.
HOMEstart is a First Lutheran ministry serving families in transition. It provides household items for setting up homes, free of charge, giving families the material support needed to establish their new spaces. The ministry extends the congregation’s commitment to care into a practical form that can be used immediately by the households it serves.
The Social Outreach Ministry Team meets monthly to work on the Great Commission in the church and its community. The first-Friday Food Gathering takes place in the church parking lot, adding a regular presence to the outreach schedule. First Lutheran also belongs to the SW Washington Synodical Organization and the Narrows Cluster, which sponsor workshops, retreats, and conventions offering opportunities for all women in the church. Online giving is another way to participate in stewardship, and the Give option makes that contribution available online.
Preparing the Sanctuary for Worship
The Altar Guild prepares the chancel and its furnishings for worship, with members serving one month at a time. Its goal is to keep the worship space beautiful so the congregation can worship in a meaningful setting. The Worship and Music Team builds on that work, overseeing the Altar Guild, liturgy, worship music, musical groups, choirs, concerts, and special services together.
Pastor Steve’s centennial words express the same shared character: the church is a remembering people and a people of this day, brought together to share, care, work, and live in hope. At First Lutheran Church in Tacoma, that character appears in a 5:00 PM Saturday chapel service, a 10:30 AM Sunday sanctuary service, and the many forms of learning, music, fellowship, and service gathered around them.