St. Paul Lutheran Church Holding German Christmas Service

After a year off due to COVID 19, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect will be hosting a German language Christmas Service on Saturday, December 18 at 5:00 p.m. The church is located at 100 S. School Street on the corner of Busse Avenue and School Street. This is the congregation’s tenth annual German Christmas Service, and it draws worshipers from across the Chicago Northwest Suburbs. While the traditional Lutheran service will be conducted in German, an English translation of the sermon will be available. Musical selections will be sung by the German- American Singers of Chicago Choir. Masks will be required.

St. Paul Lutheran Church was founded in 1912 by German farmers and small businessmen residing in the area that was soon to become the village of Mount Prospect. The first church was built in 1913 a couple blocks east of downtown Mount Prospect on farmland donated by George Busse. Many of the village’s founding families were early members of the congregation. St. Paul was originally a satellite church of St. John’s Lutheran Church which in 1848 was the first Lutheran church established in Elk Grove Township. St. Paul held services in German until the mid-1930’s and the congregation’s Lutheran School taught the German language into the late 70’s.

In 2011, the church reintroduced a German Christmas Service as a kickoff to the congregation’s 100-year anniversary. The service was so well received by the congregation’s members and the broader community that it was decided to turn it into an annual tradition. Senior Pastor Bo Graham noted that the service “is not just for German speakers but for all who would like to experience Christmas worship in the tradition of our area’s earliest residents.”

For additional information call the church office weekdays at 847-255-0332.