Constructed in 1873 to serve the large German community that was settling in Ohio City, architects Griese and Weile are thought to have designed the church and its tall entrance tower with inspiration from the New England meeting house, executed in brick on a more dramatic scale. Part of the German Missouri Synod Branch of Lutheranism, this church dates back to 1858, one of many that grew out of its mother church Zion Evangelical. Designated a Cleveland Landmark in 1973, the church has evolved from offering services in German only to adding English, then later dropping the German in favor of Spanish for Latin American residents, and now also Kirundi, an African language spoken by members of the Burundi refugee community on the west side. Since 1969, the church has focused on serving residents of Ohio City who are in need through the influential and mission-driven “Building Hope in the City” organization founded in 2000.