Hope Lutheran Church and Student Center, founded in 1952, has a rich history.
The idea to establish a ministry to students and the University of Maryland community in College Park and the surrounding area was first discussed in the 1940s. The Board of American Missions of the United Lutheran Church in America surveyed the area from 1946-1951.
The first service of the mission congregation that would become Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church was conducted by the Rev. Otto Reimherr at the University of Maryland Armory on Palm Sunday, April 6, 1952. The congregation was officially organized on November 16, 1952, at the Memorial Chapel of the University of Maryland with 69 charter and confirmed members.
Groundbreaking for the sanctuary occurred on March 4, 1955, and the cornerstone was laid on April 29, 1956. The church building was dedicated to the glory of God on April 28, 1957. The congregation chose the name “Hope” from a list of suggestions provided by the Board of Missions, because as the congregation was being organized, plans were underway for the first meeting of the World Council of Churches to be held in the United States (in 1954). The theme of that gathering was “Jesus Christ, the Hope of the World.” The doors of the original sanctuary were embedded with a cross, a ship, and compass points, inspired by the symbol for the World Council of Churches. On April 30, 1989, Hope conducted a celebratory service as the mortgage on the building was retired.
The beautiful stained glass windows in our sanctuary were installed in May 1964. Every other window is reversed, with dark colors placed on the bottom and light colors at the top of the panes, to provide more natural light in the worship space.
Five pastors have been called to serve at Hope. Two of Hope's pastors and the University of Maryland chaplain are pictured at right, the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Platz, the Rev. Richard H. Graham, and the Rev. Dr. James B. Vigen.
Pastor Reimherr was the first pastor at Hope and served from December 1951 through January 1953 as the “missionary” pastor of the congregation and from January 1953-September 1959 as the regularly called pastor.
The Rev. Theodore Caspar was called in January 1960 and served until July 1975. In the interim, the Rev. Elizabeth A. Platz served as pastor.
The Rev. Dean Anderson was called in May 1976 and served until January 1985. During the pastoral vacancy, the Rev. Dr. Charles Gravenstine served as interim pastor.
The Rev. Richard H. Graham was called as Hope’s fourth Pastor in December 1986. In June 2007, he was elected to serve as the Bishop of the Metropolitan Washington, DC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pastor Graham resigned his call at Hope in August 2007. The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth A. Platz again served as interim pastor.
In April 2009, the Rev. Dr. James B. Vigen was called as Hope’s fifth and current pastor. Pastor Vigen came to Hope after previous service in Madagascar and Norway and as president and director of the Luther Institute of Washington, DC. (Learn more about Pastor Vigen here.)
Hope is especially proud of its ministry with and among the University of Maryland community. Pastor Elizabeth Platz was the first Lutheran woman ordained in North America, on November 22, 1970. In October 2010, Hope celebrated 40 years of her ministry at the University of Maryland. In August 2011, we welcome the new Lutheran Campus Ministry associate chaplain, the Rev. Ray Ranker.
In May 2007, the City of College Park selected our congregation to receive a Green Award in recognition of our work over the years to help maintain Guilford Run (the creek that flows across the street from us on the downhill side).
After many years of planning, Hope celebrated groundbreaking for the new narthex on November 2, 2008. The renovation project included not only the narthex but also an elevator and additional storage areas for the sacristy and other ministries of the congregation. The new building, the renovation to the original chancel, and the Cross of Witness were dedicated to the glory of God on October 11, 2009, which was also the day that the Rev. Dr. Vigen was installed as pastor.
