Our History

Celebration Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

 

The History of Celebration Lutheran Church

Pastor J. Howard Mettee was called to be the mission developer for Celebration. He had been serving as Associate Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, in Warren, Michigan.

December 1, 1980 – Pastor Mettee arrives in Mt Juliet and begins to gather people interested in starting a Lutheran congregation.

February 1, 1981 –The first worship service was held and was attended by ten people (five of which were the Mettee family) and was held in the Mettee home.

By March 1, 1981, the fledgling group rented space in the storefront location that used to be a shoe store. They were affectionately dubbed “The Shoe Store Ministry.” Over the next eight months, many families joined the new group of Lutherans.

November 22, 1981 – The congregation is officially organized with forty baptized members. The congregation was named Celebration after the radio show hosted by Pastor Mettee while he was in Michigan. It was the second congregation to be named Celebration Lutheran Church in the entire United States.

June 1, 1986 Celebration completed the first building program and moved out of the “shoe store” onto the current site on Mt Juliet Rd.

September 1990 – The second building program that added a fellowship hall/day school area to the existing sanctuary, education, and office space was completed. Celebration reaches 200 Members.

September 30, 1992 – Pastor Mettee accepted a call to Greenville, Tennessee.

October 11, 1992 – Pastor Joyce Arnold began her tenure as part-time Interim Pastor. She served until the arrival of Pastor Doug Hill.

July 1, 1994. – Pastor Doug Hill arrives. Celebration was a first call for Pastor Hill who had just graduated from Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH.

2004 – Pastor Doug Hill accepts call and leaves Celebration.

2005 – Pastor Larry May is called.

2007 – Pastor Larry May Resigns / Pastor Howard Mettee takes over as interim Pastor.

August 1, 2007 – Pastor Kevin Martin is called and arrives in Mount Juliet with his family.

July 15, 2017 – Pastor Kevin Martin accepts a call and moves to Georgia.  Celebration enters the call process for a new pastor.

October 1, 2017 – Pastor Erik Fieg takes over as interim Pastor.

June 30, 2019 – Rev. Ed Myers is installed as Pastor of Celebration Lutheran Church.