North Community Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded by a nucleus of about 113 people who had been commissioned by Clinton Heights Evangelical Lutheran Church to establish a new mission congregation in a rapidly growing community north of their parish. The first service was held February 2, 1947 in the Beechwold Theater (now Revco) led by the Reverend William Hulme, pastor of Clinton Heights, and Chaplain Edward Kroencke. They served the new congregation until the Reverend Ralph E. Piper was installed November 2, 1947.
Soon a three and one-half acre plot of ground on Morse Road was acquired, and the first unit of a three-unit plan was dedicated on October 30, 1949. After Pastor Piper accepted another call in 1950, Lee Roy Brandes, a seminary student, served until the Reverend H. F. Heidmann was installed in 1951.Debts on the church and parsonage were paid by 1955, and a building fund drive was conducted in May of 1956 for a second unit of the church building to include our present sanctuary, classrooms and offices. The new facility was dedicated February 15, 1959. A new pipe organ was dedicated on November 26, 1967.
In 1966, Pastor Heidmann accepted another call and the Reverend Robert Trump, who had been associate pastor, was called as a senior pastor on May 1, 1966. Associates during his tenure included the Reverends Eldon Person, George Fry and Mel Kirk. The Reverend Carl Roepcke was installed in 1978, and the Reverend Gary Olson as associate in 1979. After Pastor Olson left in 1984, the Reverend Mark Wolkenauer was called and served until August of 1989.
In September of 1990 the Reverend Richard P. Hartmann, Jr. was called to the pastoral staff. Pastor Roepcke retired in January of 1994. Since October of that year, the Reverend Paul M. Meuser was asked to serve as Assistant to the Pastor.
In 1996, Pastor Hartmann accepted another call, and the Rev. Robert E. Karsten was called to serve as interim pastor. Pastor Meuser retired in December of 1996.
In January 1997, the Rev. John F. Kindsvatter, Jr. was called and began his ministry with us. In October of 1997 the Reverend Harold Brown, PhD. Served as Assistant to the Pastor. Pastor Brown passed away in April, 2000. Pastor Kindsvatter retired in June of 2006.
At a congregational meeting in 2001, Denise Edwards was called to serve as one of the pastors. She was ordained at North Community and began her call in August, 2002. Pastor Edwards accepted a call to serve as an interim pastor in October of 2006, and Reverend Arthur Haimerl, PhD. was called to serve as interim pastor at North Community in November, 2006.
Significant additions to the physical plant include remodeling in 1987, a playground in 1992, a free-standing altar in 1994 and remodeling of the parking lot entrance and offices in 1995. A remodeling project of the Fellowship Hall was completed in the spring of 1998, and the updating of the Luther Room was completed in early 2009.
During the years our ministry has sponsored over three dozen refugees; supported Faith Mission and Habitat for Humanity; initiated projects for homeless persons; sponsored a missionary family; became a mission partner with Hosanna Lutheran, Pataskala; and opened out doors to a variety of community programs. In an attempt to strengthen the congregation’s ministry, a TEAMS (Talents of Everyone Applied to Mission and Service) program was successfully developed.