Founded in 1755, the Zion Church in Baltimore City is the mother church of Lutheranism in the Baltimore metropolitan region. Our services are in English and German, making it the longest-running church of its kind in the country. The congregation was established to serve the needs of Lutheran immigrants from Germany, as well as those from Pennsylvania who moved to Baltimore. The church participates in the Maryland German Festival and is a member of the Maryland Association of German-American Citizens. On the south side of the church buildings that overlook the square, a new headquarters of the Baltimore City Fire Department was built in a Georgian-federal style that complements the original Zion church around the corner.
In the late 1920s, the entire block south of the church was razed to form a monumental square (known as War Memorial Plaza or, less frequently, as City Hall Square) in front of the Baltimore City Hall of 1875. For more than 250 years, sermons have been offered in German at the Church of Zion, making it the only remaining church in Maryland that still holds weekly services in German. By 1773, a new ecclesiastical constitution had replaced the church's previous central document and, finally, the 1762 structure was also replaced by a larger building, the current Zion Church on North Gay Street, erected from 1807 to 1808 in the Gothic style. For more than a hundred years, Redeemer Lutheran Church has been worshiping in the heart of Irvington neighborhood, between Frederick Road and Baltimore National Pike (Route 40).If you're looking for a Lutheran church in Baltimore, MD, you have two great options: Zion Church and Redeemer Lutheran Church. Both churches offer services in English and German and have been around for centuries. Whether you're looking for a place to worship or just want to learn more about Lutheranism, these churches are sure to provide an enriching experience.