Lake Avenue Congregational Church Explained

Lake Avenue Congregational Church
Fullname:Lake Ave. Church
Coordinates:34.1518°N -118.1323°W
Location:393 N. Lake Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101
Country:United States
Denomination:Conservative Congregational Christian Conference
Churchmanship:Congregational
Attendance:4000+
Status:Church
Functional Status:Active
Architect:Barasch Architects & Associates
Style:Late Modern
Completed Date:1989
Seniorpastor:Rev. Dr. Mathew P. John

Lake Avenue Congregational Church is a historic church located at 393 N. Lake Avenue, Pasadena, California. It is a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.[1] Lake Avenue Congregational Church was founded in Pasadena in 1896.[2] The congregation's first minister was Allen Hastings. William Waterhouse, the mayor of Pasadena, was one of the earliest members and donated property to build their first building.[3] The Worship Center and Family Life buildings were completed in 1989. The former sanctuary, now known as the Chapel, is used for a Sunday morning service by the Spanish-speaking community, Communidad de las Américas.

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Ties with Fuller Theological Seminary

Charles E. Fuller joined Lake Avenue Church in 1933 and became friends with the Senior Pastor James Henry Hutchins, a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute. Hutchins kept the church away from the Liberal Christianity that was common in Congregationalism at the time.[4] Fuller held its first classes in the Sunday School rooms of LACC.[5] According to C. Peter Wagner, many members of the Fuller faculty and some Board Members were members of the church, including Wagner himself who would be ordained by the church's denomination.[6]

Notable Ministers

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Policy: Commissioning of Christian Workers . Lakeave.org . 2013-07-24 . 2017-04-19.
  2. Web site: Pasadena Congregational Church Will Break Ground on $15-Million Expansion . . 1986-07-27 . 2016-11-23.
  3. Web site: Brief History . Lakeave.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20240214145119/https://www.lakeave.org/about/brief-history-of-lake-ave-church . 2017-04-19. 2024-02-14 .
  4. George M. Marsden. Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing; 1 March 1995. . p. 18–.
  5. https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/great-mighty-things/ Letter From the Editor: Great and Mighty Things
  6. C. Peter Wagner. Wrestling with Alligators, Prophets, and Theologians: Lessons from a Lifetime in the Church- A Memoir. Baker Publishing Group; 1 September 2011. . p. 67–.
  7. Web site: John Piper . Thanks to God for Ray Ortlund . Desiring God . 2007-07-26 . 2017-04-19.