Our Church

Members of our congregation trace their roots to 19th century immigrants from Germany and Sweden who sought work opportunities in the then-booming brass mill industry in Waterbury. First’s members formed a support community for German immigrants; Zion’s congregation formed a support community for Swedish immigrants. The respective churches became culturally homogeneous community centers for worship and fellowship. As industry grew and thrived in Waterbury, both churches also grew and thrived. The immigrants brought new life and growth to the church and quickly became an important part of the mainstream of Protestantism in America.

More recently, our ministry has been geared toward helping the membership deal creatively with the radically changing economic situation in the city of Waterbury, and with changes in the immediate neighborhood. No longer was attendance at worship services a weekly family tradition. Church membership became regional rather than locally focused. First’s sanctuary and parish house at Cooke and Grove Streets became a financial and physical burden for our congregation.

To counter the changes (similarly faced by many churches), the congregation of First sold the church and property on Cooke Street and accepted the invitation to share Zion’s church on Hamilton Avenue. Separate worship services at first gradually led to joint services with our ministers sharing duties.

After what might be described as a brief “courting” both First and Zion agreed to be “engaged,” in preparation for consolidation. The June 2017 consolidation united the two Waterbury churches into a new, single, stronger Lutheran presence in Waterbury.

Cross of Christ Lutheran Church is a New England Synod member church of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is “one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with about 4 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”