Our History

Reformation Lutheran Church was founded in 1942 as Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation . 

In December of the previous year, The Lutheran Church sent a pastor, Wilton Ernst, to develop a congregation.  He found a family on the 1400 block of Cardeza Street who became charter members and opened their home for the first service.  By May of 1942, the congregation was organized.  Before the end of the year, a home was purchased on Cliveden Street, which became the temporary church building.  The congregation worshiped there until it moved into its new church facility on Vernon Road.  In 1958, a second stage of the building, educational unit of three large classrooms, was added to the rear of the church.  Pastor Ernst remained at Reformation until 1967.  By the early 1960s the congregation had over 700 members.  By the time Pastor Ernst left, Reformation was ready to make a transition. 

The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a rapid racial change in the East Mt Airy neighborhood as thousands of young African American families moved to the community.  Reformation was pastored by Victor Pieschl (1966-1971) and Larry Miller (1972-1980).  By the end of the 1970’s Reformation was a racially mixed congregation, smaller that it had once been, but active and again rooted in its neighborhood.

Julius Carroll served as pastor from 1981-1983 and William Robertson from 1984-1987.  In 1987, Gordon Simmons began his ministry at Reformation.  Under his pastorate, the congregation was blessed with significant growth and outreach.  Pastor Simmons ended his tenure in February 2006 and was followed by Rev Lamont A. Wells, who served as pastor of Reformation from April 2008-January 2014. 

In March of 2018, Rev Nathaniel Preisinger was installed as the 8th pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church.  Pastor Nate served as pastor until early 2020.

The Rev. Dr. Anthony L. D. Scott was invited to serve Reformation as its 9th pastor, in April 2023.

Reformation Lutheran Church is a congregation with a rich and vibrant history and we welcome you to join us as we continue to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ and in service to our neighbors.  Welcome!