Lutheran Service Society: 1907-2007
Compiled and written by Linda M. Hoye, with the help of many volunteers and community stakeholders.
Read By Decade
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1907-1917
An oppressive darkness hung over the city. Disease, inadequate health care, unfit housing, and 12-hour shifts seven days a week were some of the challenges facing Pittsburgh residents. Concerned about their community and wishing to engage in the Church's missionary work, a small group of visionary and innovative men met at the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church to discuss how they could help meet the physical and spiritual needs of their fellow man. And so, on April 18, 1907, The Lutheran Inner Mission Society of Pittsburgh was founded and a spark of hope began to shine in the darkness for the brokenhearted and dispirited.
The Society's mission was "the relief of spiritual and physical needs by means of the preached word and the ministrations of Christian love." Rev. Alexander James Derbyshire Haupt answered the call to service and became the first superintendent at a salary of $1,500. Its budget was meager, but its vision grand. The Inner Mission established a hospice and sought to aid neglected children, delinquent adolescents, unchurched Lutherans, and people in institutions.
As the nation struggled with "The Panic of 1907" and World War I, Pittsburghers were also tested by the Great Flood of 1907. More than 600 perished from typhoid fever as a result of contaminated water after the flood. The Inner Mission was a source of aid, providing food, shelter, clothing, and spiritual support.
In France, Madame Curie isolated radium, and women were seeking a greater say in their world. Likewise, women of the Lutheran congregations were anxious to help the Inner Mission and formed a Women's Guild. Their talents were used in the areas of clerical support, promotion, and fundraising.
Rev. John Mueller assumed the role of superintendent from 1910 to 1914. When Mueller could no longer serve, Rev. Ambrose Hering accepted the position and introduced a monthly newsletter called "The Inner Mission Worker" in November 1914. Its purpose "will consist in doing scout work for the Lutheran Church."
In 1916, "The Inner Mission Worker" list of activities included:
- Institutional Visitation
Hospitals, prisons, public and private institutions - Employment Bureau
- Court Aid Work
Desertion and non-support and police courts - Safeguarding Strangers
Travelers' Aid, police stations, etc. - Evangelistic Services
Rescue missions, store and industrial - "The Inner Mission Worker"
- Student Religious Work
Lutheran students in Pittsburgh educational institutions - Christmas Cheer for the Poor
103 families helped with food and clothing, etc. - District Visitation
Private homes and individuals - Vacation Bible Schools
For neglected children in Lutheran parishes - Fresh Air Work
For poor Lutheran children and adults
In only 10 years the Society went from 156 members to 1,200. Still struggling financially, but confident, Rev. Hering concluded, "The First Decade is gone. We have crossed the threshold. The second decade is here. What latent possibilities and problems it has we have yet to learn."
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1917-1927
As World War I and the draft drained the city of working men, more and more young women were needed to fill their jobs. Young women streamed into the city seeking work and shelter. In late 1917, the Inner Mission began an aggressive seven-day citywide fundraising campaign to raise $50,000 for a young women's hospice "to safeguard the stranger and shelter the imperiled."
To give children and adults time away from the city and their daily struggles, the Society opened a camp in Zelienople, Pa. Here children and adults could enjoy picnics, games, and swimming in the fresh country air.
In 1918, led by five workers and more than 100 volunteers, the Society presented 389 religious services, distributed 569 Bibles in 16 languages, and conducted nine Bible Schools with 1,000 students.
With the end of the Great War, injured and permanently disabled soldiers returned to their homes. The Society's work increased. It did not only help to reunite soldiers with their families, but went further, offering employment, support, and counsel to these broken men.
The Great Steel Strike of 1919 was a call to action, and the Inner Mission Society stood behind the workers and their families, asserting the need for shorter hours, Sunday rest for everyone, and a greater distribution of wealth. Realizing that just as many women as men looked to the Inner Mission for help and appreciating the contributions of women members and volunteers, the Board named three women to help fulfill the Society's mission.
The "Roaring Twenties" saw the beginning of Prohibition and women voting in a national election for the first time. On November 2, 1920, KDKA transmitted the first commercial broadcast. But Pittsburgh was a city under siege as speakeasies abounded and prostitution raged. Guided by Christian love, the Society felt an even greater need to minister to those lost and distant from God.
It was now known as "a relief agency and clearing house for Lutheran welfare." The Society moved to the Pittsburgh Life Building. Family welfare programs were strengthened by adding staff to do family counseling. They also worked with delinquent children and their families, neglected children, and unwed mothers. They started a Big Brother program at Thorn Hill and held open-air services on Saturday afternoons on Pittsburgh's North and South sides.
1927 saw an increase in revenues. Under the direction of M. C. Michelfelder, D. D., the Lutheran Hospice for Women was filled to capacity. As the year drew to a close, board members and volunteers began visiting churches, institutions, and other organizations. With them they carried "sets of stereopticon slides" so the congregations and public would be more inspired to support God's work.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1927-1937
A local radio station, WJAS, was one of only five commercial broadcasting stations in the United States at the time. And in 1928 they offered the Society free weekly airtime. Once begun, Rev. Michelfelder rejoiced, saying that "the thousands of ‘listener-ins' are full of praise and words of appreciation for the service."
The Family Welfare Department and the Institutional Department grew, with 256 new cases and 4,216 personal calls respectively. Income was increasing at the Women's Hospice. Rev. Richter proudly remarked that "the Hospice is a real ‘house of mercy' to many a girl who would find a great city cold and inhospitable." The nation, led by Herbert Hoover, and the Society were prosperous and optimistic.
Then the unthinkable happened. The stock market crashed. It started on October 24, 1929, and within a few days the lives of Americans and the world changed.
During this time the Inner Mission was recognized as "one of the important agencies in the city." They acquired Grace Lutheran Church to provide shelter and employment for men. These men and the department became self-supporting by gathering and processing salvage materials and waste paper. During its 25th Anniversary year, they helped more than 700 families obtain food and other goods. Under the direction of Rev. Clarence E. Krumholtz, they also provided 8,910 separate lodgings, served 39,371 meals, and found 1,993 people temporary employment.
The impoverishment of the community increased dramatically, and the following year they aided 1,300 families. The Society was one of seven agencies in the Allegheny County Emergency Association and distributed food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and fuel to the public. A dedicated group of Inner Mission volunteers made 4,812 garments and donated 2,700 pairs of shoes and 4,400 bags of flour. Ministers and volunteers visited more than 40,000 patients in area hospitals.
One in four was out of work. Luckily for some, steel production did not stop. The steel used for the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge came from the efforts of Pittsburgh steel workers. Those workers also helped support the Society which counseled 250 families a month, helping them address their physical, emotional, moral, and spiritual needs.
Again, Pittsburgh and its citizens would be tested. On St. Patrick's Day 1936, Pittsburgh experienced one of its most devastating floods. The water rose to 46 feet, taking with it telephone and power lines. By the time the waters receded, many had died, nearly 3,000 were injured, and more than 100,000 were homeless. The Inner Mission met the call by providing large quantities of clothing and supplies, shelter, and volunteers.
After the flood, the Industrial Department continued its collection of used materials. They drove a fleet of six trucks. Those trucks bore the phrase, "Save Everything to Save Men." And those simple words helped forge the Society's renewed efforts to increase its missionary function by bringing men and women to the church and Christ.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1937-1947
Known throughout the region for their relief work, the Board, Superintendent Rev. A. W. Stremel, staff, and volunteers of the Inner Mission Society initiated a vast program of evangelism and realized they wanted greater participation in placing children into loving homes.
The city was growing. Some were finding employment. Cotta Hall, the women's hospice, housed 60 young women from 41 different communities. In 1940, with nine trucks, the Industrial Department collected more than 5 million pounds of paper and rags.
But crime was on the rise for young people and others. Many members of the community still relied on the Society for help and support. On a quiet Sunday morning in December 1941, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor and America's sons and daughters were once again called to war.
During the war years the Society's Student House became an entertainment and service center for military persons. Here staff offered refreshments and counseling. And when the time came, counselors also assisted returning veterans with post war issues.
They formed the Inner Mission Youth Council to interest, inform, and educate young people on how to begin service as volunteers. A Child Service Department was created to address the fundamental emotional and psychological needs of families. The Inner Mission became the only private Protestant family agency in the county. In 1942, they increased their reach to also include Beaver County.
Each year more children were placed into Christian homes. There was a one-year probation period during which staff met with the family to chart the child's adjustment and growth. In 1944, 160 children were also placed in foster homes or boarding schools to ensure their safety and care.
When World War II ended, Pittsburgh veterans glimpsed an improved downtown. The Moses Plan, a vision for Point State Park and the surrounding area, was announced and had begun. Roads were widened, vistas changed. But the many struggles of daily life remained the same.
Superintendent A. W. Stump wisely remarked, "Let any phase of the Home be thrown out of balance and the Service of the Inner Mission is needed. When and if all the homes are happy ones, then there will be no need for the Inner Mission. But until that time comes we must continue to serve."
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1947-1957
As 1947 neared its end, the Board made the decision to change the Mission's constitution. They added that in addition to the other services they would also offer spirituality. Along with spirituality the leaders of the psychiatry department recognized the healing power of music and began a music ministry.
Two years later these astute men and women also decided that the name of the Mission no longer reflected the depth and breadth of the Mission and so a new name was chosen - The Lutheran Service Society of Western Pennsylvania. The Board voted to increase the board members to 18 and established a special department called the Displaced Persons Program.
1949 was one of the most successful years for Lutheran Service Society in terms of funds, services, and public relations. That year they began to help resettle refugees from Europe. More homes were rehabilitated than in any other single year due to the staff's 1,676 field visits to families and children. The Industrial Department collected more than 6 million pounds of paper and other items.
Construction began on the Point State Park plan. Pittsburghers were optimistic and began to plan for the future. Homes were built and furnished. The Baby Boom was in its infancy, but growing every day.
But the peace would not last. In mid 1950 war broke out in Korea. The war would last for three years. During that time Lutheran Service Society's staff made 23,195 hospital visits. As more and more displaced individuals and families arrived in the city, more was demanded of the Industrial Department and of the agency.
In 1952, to address space needs, the Department moved to East Carson Street. The building allowed room for 75 men to reside there and either work for the Department or find other employment. Clothing collections rose to 48,000 pounds. The fleet of trucks grew to 12 and there were 330 staff and volunteers.
Casework demands continued as child placements and the number of unwed mothers increased. Hospital, jail, and institutional visits were maintained, but Lutheran Service Society began training chaplains, so the chaplains could assume more of the work. In 1956, Lutheran Service Society participated in Lutheran World Relief sponsoring clothing drives and helped 105 Hungarian refugees become acclimated to their new home. But a new group in need had come to the attention of Lutheran Service Society, and that year a program of services to the elderly was introduced.
By 1957 Pittsburghers could boast a major airport, a beautiful park, WQED (the first community television station in the US), and at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Jonas Salk had developed a successful polio vaccine.
The Society had much to celebrate too as it celebrated its Golden Jubilee. "Looking into the next 50 years," Rev. C. A. Holmquist asserted, "the agency plans to expand its services through branch offices in the other areas of Western Pennsylvania and will develop the program services to the aging in the congregation and the community."
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1957-1967
A lasting reminder of the Golden Jubilee was a new look to help volunteers, clients, staff, and the public identify the agency. It bore the symbols of the heart and cross. And in keeping with this new identity the name of "The Inner Worker" was changed to "The Heartbeat." Changes had begun. Change would define this decade as Lutheran Service Society looked to the future and began to evaluate its programs and funding needs.
The Industrial Department continued its work. But salvage retrieval, which sustained the Department, was declining. Still the staff's efforts were rewarded as many of the men in residence were confirmed in the Lutheran Church.
Services expanded into nearby Butler County and Greensburg. Caseloads increased and the prison ministry continued. The greatest changes involved the elderly and services to youth and children.
The Sheltered Workshop Program supported the idea that retired older people could supplement their pensions with light work. The results showed an increase in self-esteem and independence.
1963 was a year of decisions and new direction. Lutheran Service Society would develop a well-rounded family and children's service program focusing first on unwed mothers, child behavior problems, and placement of children for both foster care and adoption. The Society added staff and decided to reevaluate the Sheltered Workshop Program.
In 1964, as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty, the Economic Opportunities Act (EOA) was passed. As a result, Lutheran Service Society opened two new family service offices, added staff, and became a training center for the Neighborhood Youth Corps. Seeking to give the very best professional service, the Society became an associate member of the Child Welfare League of America, Inc.
With greater emphasis in the areas of children and the aged, the Industrial and Institutional Departments closed in 1966. The Social Service staff reached 65 and in addition to their current programs they supported day care centers in five boroughs outside of Pittsburgh.
It was a decade of change. The world saw: rapid scientific and technological advances; IBM introduced its first computer; a President, a Senator, and a man of peace were killed, and racial unrest swept the nation. In the Pittsburgh region, the Penn-Lincoln Parkway connected drivers directly to downtown, the new Civic Arena dome opened to the night sky, and the Big Mac made its debut.
During this time of change the Lutheran Service Society struggled with increasing financial demands, but it never lost sight of the prevailing social conditions and the needs the community members revealed to the Society.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1967-1977
Changes continued for the next several years. Lutheran Service Society moved to new headquarters on Baum Boulevard and introduced a newer, revised organizational structure. New departments were established and services refined. The agency changed from the "inner mission" approach to more direct counseling services.
The Family and Children's Department counseled families, children, and unwed mothers and also engaged in marriage counseling. Adoptions as direct care were phased out, but staff still assisted families in other ways.
Determined to raise awareness of its services Lutheran Service Society enlisted western Pennsylvania Lutherans to raise vital funds. The Community Services Department partnered with government agencies, communities, and congregations. And the Pastoral Care Department continued visiting hospital, prisons, and nursing homes. The chaplains training program grew as staff continued to enlist the assistance of local pastors.
Lutheran Service Society was accepted into the Child Welfare League of America, Inc. where only agencies offering the highest quality care for children are admitted. Always striving for excellence, new services were added to provide better and more professional services.
In 1968 Meals On Wheels started at Trinity Lutheran Church, and in late November volunteers served two meals a day five days a week to 28 elderly consumers. They expected the number of consumers to grow to 50. Volunteers remarked that they had found "true Christian service." Meals On Wheels grew steadily. They added a co-coordinator for the program and by 1971 volunteers were serving nearly 500 consumers. In addition to Meals On Wheels, the Society developed a non-institutional ministry for the aging.
As was envisioned at the Golden Jubilee celebration Lutheran Service Society was expanding to new locations. Branches of the Society were in several areas including, Butler, Hazelwood, East Liberty, and Garfield as well as Greensburg and Beaver County. Services included a marriage and family program to teach communication skills, an anti poverty program, and the agency began a cooperative program with Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
The financial challenges were "a thorn in the flesh." Still Lutheran Service Society insisted on the best training for its staff introducing them to parent effectiveness training and transactional analysis. The Community Services Department, working with staff, congregations, and the public were instrumental turning around the deficit. At the end of the 1972-1973 fiscal year the budget showed a balance if $7,500.
By 1974, Lutheran Service Society had three main programs: Aging Services, Family Life Services, and Social Ministry Services. Personal computers were becoming an integral part of business operations. The Society added a new accounting system and computerization. This enabled the staff to measure the programs effectiveness more easily and efficiently.
Continuing their relief work, Lutheran Service Society provided clothing for the Pakistani people. The end of America's involvement in the Vietnam War was in sight. Refugees fled to the United States and once again the Society was on hand to help resettle 64 Vietnamese families into congregations throughout Western Pennsylvania.
With its more refined vision Lutheran Service Society would go forward reaching out to the poorest and most vulnerable of the community in Christian love and service.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1977-1987
As the nation moved into the next century Pittsburghers were adjusting to major economic changes. Slowly the familiar smokestacks of the steel mills began to disappear from the landscape. More and more people were unemployed and unprepared for their new circumstances.
They needed support and guidance during these uncertain times. Lutheran Service Society was prepared with a staff of 173 and 14 pastoral counselors who provided 3,600 sessions. Family Enrichment became one of 27 program areas.
Senior Member and Retiree Training (SMART) seminars were offered Plus 60 Centers were introduced offering an enriched program focusing on the problems and needs of the elderly. These centers provided health screening, activities, seminars, and socialization. When necessary, protective services were available for those unable to manage their finances and for those individuals in neglected or abusive situations.
The Foster Grandparent and Home and Child Visitor Program was developed with the goal to provide 200 highly trained persons who would offer emotionally and physically disabled children a special kind of love and support. Many of these children demonstrated symptoms of "failure to thrive" and were referred to Lutheran Service Society through hospitals, institutions, and daycare centers.
Established programs continued to flourish, as did the needs. The Meals On Wheels Program celebrated its 10th anniversary and now served 1,176,000 meals. Its group of volunteers continued to grow as did the number of kitchens providing the meals. Therapists, counselors, and home visitors made increasing numbers of visits as the number of displaced workers and elderly grew. The transit program increased the number of trips and also included children under the age of five. Adoptions increased as more children with special needs and foreign-born children were placed in loving homes. The resettlement programs also grew as more than 300 refugees were moved to surrounding counties within Pennsylvania.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1987-1997
For much of the late ‘80s and ‘90s Americans were faced with unrest in the Middle East and domestic and international threats to personal and public safety. These uncertainties in addition to continued job losses and an aging population locally helped shape the Society's services landscape.
Leaders stated that a "bold initiative, dynamic expansion and strategic divestiture of some programs have positioned the agency for service ministries of the 1990s." They reminded staff, providers, and clients that "the tenor is courage; the feel is boldness; the aura is faithfulness."
Thus began a dramatic focus on a housing ministry with the goal to provide safe, decent, affordable housing for seniors. By the end of the decade this essential ministry would provide several housing complexes including St. Michael Village and Luther Place.
Lutheran Service Society also became a full partner agency with the United Way opening new avenues of revenue sources and partnerships.
Near the end of the ‘80s Meals on Wheels delivered more than 2 million meals with the help of over 6,000 volunteers. Staff members participated in more than 10,000 marriage, family, and individual sessions. Services continued in the areas of adoption (now including placing children from Russia), senior employment, care management, attendant care, and Demand and Response Transit (DART) serving nearly 5,000 individuals.
In the early 1990s Family Caregiver Support became a permanent statewide resource. Lutheran Service Society became the designated agency for the proposed commodity supplement food program that provided nutritional foods for the elderly.
Administrative offices were also relocated to Babcock Boulevard and Lutheran Service Society counseling services continued to increase at its 18 locations. In Bellevue, a former Baptist church became a new, well-appointed and well-equipped senior center. New connections and partnerships flourished as staff, centers, and satellite offices were added. Lutheran Service Society was also contracted with the state of Pennsylvania through its aging, agriculture, and public welfare offices. The Society's highly trained staff now also included more than 40 Masters and Doctoral therapists.
At the 1996-1997 annual meeting of the Synod, staff reported that the "society continues as a strong, dynamic, bold and resourceful instrument of the church. We have committed ourselves and the agency assets to the long haul tasks of being care givers with staying power, imagination, steadfastness, and sincere love."
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007
1997-2007
The Lutheran Inner Mission Society's ambitious beginning in 1907, its innovative and caring leadership, staff, and volunteers, and its keen awareness of societal and individual challenges collectively led Lutheran Service Society to its position as the third oldest social ministry organization of its kind.
Throughout the past 10 years the agency has continued its adoption efforts placing children from Asia, Europe, Russia, and South America.
Its senior centers provide services to thousands of elderly each year and SeniorNet teaches necessary computer skills that give seniors work and networking opportunities. St. Michael Village in Pittsburgh, Lakeview Manor in Stoneboro, Manly Heights in Union City, Luther Place in Oil City, and Von Bora Place in Titusville comprise the primary sites of the Society's premier housing ministry. And as the primary distributor of food to the elderly in the area, Lutheran Service Society delivers more than 1,750,000 pounds of food to nearly 400,000 people each year.
Close to celebrating its 40th year anniversary, Lutheran Service Society manages 75 kitchens throughout the tri-state region. Its more than 5,000 volunteers, many 65 years old and over, not only bring meals to countless individuals, but also offer a smile and a kind word of encouragement and friendship.
Always seeking to improve and expand its services Lutheran Service Society engages in reevaluating, restructuring, and redesigning its scope. With continued advances in data collection and communications Lutheran Service Society continually improves its data and statistical reporting, its email and web site presence, and its newsletters and bulletins. 2008 marks the unveiling of a revised logo to reflect the agency's continuing presence in the social service ministry and its distinctive look that will further enhance the knowledge of the agency among staff, volunteers, and the community.
As Lutheran Service Society prepares to begin a new century of service and ministry it focuses on its strength as a compassionate and benevolent care provider of services to all. Lutheran Service Society - always helping to connect individuals and congregations to the services that will be most beneficial, always mobilizing volunteers for ministry in the community, and always strengthened by its faith-based character and Lutheran identity.
1907-1917 | 1917-1927 | 1927-1937 | 1937-1947 | 1947-1957 | 1957-1967 | 1967-1977 | 1977-1987 | 1987-1997 | 1997-2007