OUR HISTORY
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1942 as a mission congregation started by St. Paul Lutheran Church in Charleston, WV. The church was originally called St. Paul Lutheran Chapel and met in an old renovated Methodist Church on Chestnut Street in the Spring Hill area of South Charleston. The first service was held on January 11, 1942.
In December of 1945, St. Paul Lutheran Chapel organized as an autonomous congregation. Recognizing that the Chapel was a spiritual child of St. Paul Lutheran Church, our congregation adopted the name Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church, just as Timothy was the spiritual child of St. Paul, the apostle. With forty-eight members of St. Paul Lutheran Church transferring their membership to the mission congregation, the church was chartered on April 1, 1946.
In 1948, ground was broken on Ohio Street in South Charleston for construction of the church. This was followed by the 1958 ground breaking for an educational wing and the 1987 expansion to allow for additional sanctuary seating.
On Sunday, September 29, 2002, ground was broken for a new church to be constructed at 900 Lawndale Lane off Corridor G. With the purchase of the Ohio Street property by Thomas Memorial Hospital, the door was opened to meet the expanding needs of the growing church community. The facility on Ohio St. had over 16,000 square feet. The new facility on Lawndale has 26,000 square feet and is situated on nearly 8 acres. The new facility has a gym/fellowship hall, nine Sunday School rooms and a chapel. The sanctuary seats 400+.
On October 31, 2004, the St. Timothy location on Ohio St. was deconsecrated in a very sad but meaningful church service. The first Worship Service in the new facility on Lawndale Lane took place Sunday morning, November 21, 2004. Later that day with over 600 people in attendance, the new church was dedicated to the glory of God and the salvation of man.
It is our fervent hope and prayer that this church will stand as a witness, not only for today, but for generations still to come. May our merciful God bless this House, built to His glory, so that long after we are gone, our children’s children may here encounter the Lord who graciously comes to His people in Word and Sacrament, for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith.
In the life of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, one thing remains certain: God is faithful and he blesses those who truly love Him and strive to do His will. We do not know what the future holds for St. Timothy, but we do know Who holds the future, and we trust our Lord Jesus Christ and eagerly look for His return.
OUR PASTORS
THE ROSE WINDOW
The "Agnes Dei" (Lamb of God) Rose Window above the altar is a masterpiece of stained glass craftsmanship, designed and executed by the Henry Hunt Studios of Pittsburgh. It depicts, through the use of hundreds of ecclesiastical symbols, the words contained in Revelation 5:12: ". . . Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Glory, and Blessing." The seven attributes of the Lamb are shown in seven sections of the window. The Lamb, symbol of the Supreme Sacrifice of Christ for the sins of all people, occupies the center of the window.
When originally donated, the Rose Window was installed above the altar at St.Timothy Lutheran Church on Ohio Street, South Charleston, WV in 1949. It was presented to the church by the children of St. Timothy Sunday School who collected small coins for that purpose
In 2004, during the construction of the new facility, the magnificent window was removed and installed as the central focus in the middle of the cross above the altar on Lawndale Lane, Charleston, WV.
