FRIENDS

The Friends of Christ Church Lutheran (FCCL) is a non-sectarian 501c3 (non-profit) Organization.  FCCL was established in 2008 with a primary mission to raise funds to help with capital projects the church could not undertake on its own, such as restoring the bell tower, upgrading the elevator to meet city code, replacing roofs, and rebuilding the court yard. To accomplish this, FCCL solicits contributions from individuals, conducts fund raising events, and applies for federal and state grants not otherwise available to the church. The Friends also contribute to the restoration and repair of original furnishings in the church by leading mid-century designers, including Charles and Ray Eames.

FCCL partners with the church congregation to preserve the National Historic Landmark church buildings designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen. To accomplish this, the Friends solicit contributions from individuals, conduct fund raising events, and apply for federal and state grants not otherwise available to the church. The Friends’ mission also includes working to increase general awareness of and education about the church’s architectural significance by various means, including conducting regularly scheduled and specially arranged tours.

Christ Church Lutheran is located in the Longfellow Neighborhood of Southeast Minneapolis.  The sanctuary building designed by Eliel Saarinen was completed in 1949;  the education building designed by Eliel’s son, Eero, was completed later in 1962. The sanctuary building represents a radical departure from the traditional gothic design popular into the early decades of the twentieth century and is credited with setting the standard for modernist churches built following World War II.

The photos used on the website were generously provided by Pete Sieger and Christian Korab. The website was designed by Kai Salmela.