Our History

Historical Dates At Celebration Lutheran Church

In 1979, Peace Lutheran of Puyallup gave 4.9 acres on South Hill to the American Lutheran Church, ALC, (which merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in 1988) to help facilitate a new Lutheran congregation.
September 1980, Rev. George Larson was called as the Mission Development Pastor.
March 4, 1981 the first gathering of a potential congregation was held at the Dugger home. Five people attended. This date was intentional as “We March Forth”.
Easter Sunday 1981, we chose the name “Celebration.”
On All Saints Day 1981 we became an official ELCA church.
December 2, 1984 we moved from Sunrise Elementary gym to our newly completed Sanctuary.
In 1988 – 2019, we provided Retirement Ministries first at Meridian Hills and later at Willow Gardens.
September 1989 Celebration Friends Preschool was established.
Also in 1989, the Piecemaker Quilting Group started. Annually they make over 200 quilts for Lutheran World Relief.
Twice, in November 1990 and again in February 2003, we expanded our Sunday School classrooms.
In the fall of 1992 we had a change of pastors, as we welcomed Pastor Paul Freese.
June 1997, our mission to homeless families in Tecate Mexico began. Over the years we have built seventeen three-bedroom houses.
January 2001, our mission to the children of Lwengo Uganda began as we partnered with World Vision to sponsor 40 plus HIV-AIDS orphans. Mission goals in health, housing and education were met in April 2009.
September 2017 Celebration Friends Preschool enrolls a record 140 students this year!
Nathan Himes joined the Celebration Staff as our Director of Youth and Family Ministries in September 2017.
Fall of 2018, we welcomed Pastor Kyle Merkle as our interim pastor.
June of 2019, we installed Pastor Kyle Merkle.
October 23, 2022 was Pastor Kyle Merkle’s last Sunday at Celebration, having accepted a Call to serve elsewhere.
On January 21, 2024 we welcomed Pastor Christopher Smith as our new pastor.