Warning: Historical content

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In the summer of 1950, William Behrens moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, and upon learning that there was only one Lutheran Church started conducting a survey to determine the possible need for a mission church.  In a short time, Mr. Behrens presented his figures to Dr. Berkner, President of the Mission Board in this district.  The following summer the Mission Board sent a seminary student to seriously canvas Chillicothe.  About six families from Chillicothe and Waverly met for two or three months in the home of Richard and Elaine Hoffman.  Then, a room was rented in the basement of a store room on S. Paint Street.  Pastor Don Buelow, a new graduate from St. Louis seminary served as pastor for several years and led us through our purchase of a residence at 183 E. Fourth Street, which was converted into a sanctuary, pastor's study, and Sunday School rooms. 

Articles – Headline: Church to be built on University Drive

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, which presently holds services in the Central Cinema theater building will hold groundbreaking ceremonies Sunday for its own building.

The church is to be constructed on a four acre plot on the east side of University Drive just south of the branch of the First National Bank.  The land was purchased in 1965 from Dr. M. Dow Scholl.  Robert Hasselbring, chairman of the building committee said the building will be a wooden, prefabricated building with three modular sections. "The materials are due to arrive sometime this month and we hope to begin construction in mid-January," he said....The building will be in the shapes of octagons, with the sanctuary standing about eight feet higher than the other sections...The groundbreaking ceremonies are to be held at 3:00 p.m.Sunday at the University Drive site.  Pastor of the church is Harvey Deater.  The church has a membership of about 70.  (The original article in its entirety appeared in the Chillicothe Gazette on December 13, 1973.)

Articles - Headline: Lutherans hope to occupy new church by early June

Our Savior Lutheran Church hopes to occupy its new--and highly distinctive--church early in June, according to the Rev. Harvey Deater.  The three-part structure, located on University Drive and rsembling a collection of permanent, enclosed circus tents, is a pre-cut modular design created by Game Time of Litchfield, Mich....The Rev. Otto Toelke, executive director of the Ohio District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, viewed the design and felt it lent itself to the needs of mission churches, such as Our Savior...Situated on four acres, the tri-partite church symbolic of the Trinity, consists of 4,000 square feet...(until then) the church will continue meeting in Central Cinema.  (The original article in its entirety appeared in the Chillicothe Gazette in the spring of 1974.)

Mission statements – Our Savior Lutheran Church of Chillicothe, Ohio was founded in 1953 as the first Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation in Ross County.  Since it's humble beginnings, residents of the Scioto-Paint Valley region together with people from the four corners of the United States and overseas, have been called to establish a ministry committed to the needs of the saints, the community, and the world.

This church family, justified by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, is motivated by the love of God.  In the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we strive to serve the Lord by being a spiritual home for people of all ages and stations in life.  We center our mission around preaching and teaching the Word of God and the administration of the sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

We accept as our responsibility to share His message and strive to live as examples of His goodness. (transcribed from