Our history

  • The site for St Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church was purchased in November, 1961 on Regent Street in Fredericton NB.

  • The Rev. Del Beier was called that same year the by Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) to be the Mission Developer for the region.

  • In 1962, the name “St Matthew” was chosen.

  • Rev. Burgoyne installed as pastor January 1966.

  • The congregation worshiped in St. Anne’s Parish Hall (Christ Church Parish Church) while the building was being designed and built.

  • The ground breaking for the church building was June 19, 1966.

  • The first church service was Christmas Day 1966.

  • On October 1, 1967, the original building was completed and dedicated.

  • A tenth anniversary service was held October 2, 1977.

  • The church remained a mission church of the ELCIC from 1979 to 1998.

  • In 2004, the congregation began a project to raise money for AIDS relief in Ethiopia. Almost $10,000 was raised by the fall of 2006. The money was designated to a develop a health monitoring system in Addis Ababa.

  • In 2004, the original church building was found to be in serious need of repair. The repairs were too expensive to be practical.

  • In 2004, the ELCIC and the Anglican Church of Canada called on the government to create 25,000 affordable housing units annually.

  • The congregation decided to redevelop the site and build a facility that would provide affordable housing and a new place of worship.

  • A non-profit housing corporation was created by the congregation, Lutherplace Apartments Inc. A 40-unit apartment building plus chapel was planned. A portion of the units were to be subsidized housing for Social Development clients.

  • The building design was revised to create 45 housing units, and a common area that includes a chapel for the congregation of St Matthew. All units are subsidized house units.

  • Construction began in March 2008 and was completed in March 2009.

  • We worshiped at Christ Church Parish Church while our building was under construction.

  • The new building was dedicated Palm Sunday, 5 April 2009.