Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chicago was organized by the Rev. Gustaf F. Reitrichs, January 18, 1838 at North Market Hall in Chicago. A large number of people had gathered at the call of Rev. Deithrichson and Rev. J. S. Munch of the second Sunday after Epiphany of that year. After the service those who were interested in the organization of the congregations were asked to meet on the day following. An organization was effected and a constitution adopted and signed by fifty-two charter members. After the organization of the congregation it was decided to build a church; $504.00 was subscribed and the size of the church was determined at seventy by forty feet to be built on the northwest corner of North May, and West Erie Streets. Rev. G. F. Dietrichson was called as the newly organized congregation's pastor for one year. He was to conduct twelve services during the year and received $150.00 and two offerings as remuneration. The church was dedicated on March 27, 1859. In the years 1959 to 1863 Rev. A. C. Preus seems to have served as the temporary pastor. In 1873 Rev. Krohn, who at that time was a student at St. Louis, was called as pastor of the congregation and was installed the following summer.

As early as 1860 we find the congregation conducting a parochial school. The congregation grew and prospered and it soon became apparent that the frame structure in which they worshipped was too small and that it was necessary to build a large edifice. It was decided to build a brick church, one-hundred sixteen feet long and sixty-eight feet wide, with a forty-eight foot chancel, a tower one-hundred ninety feet high, and a seating capacity of one thousand at a cost of $24,000. Work was begun in the summer of 1871, but the basement was scarcely completed when the fire of October 9, 1871 swept the city. As a consequence work on the church was postponed, and the basement was temporarily occupied. In the meantime the price of building materials and labor advanced so that when the church was finally completed in 1873, the cost was $42,000. instead of $24,000.

In 1876 Rev. Krohn, after having served the congregation for thirteen years, accepted a call to Filmore Co., Minnesota where he died in 1889. He was succeeded by Rev. O. Juul previously of New York City, who served the congregation until the autumn of 1893. It was during his pastorate that the great controversy, swept the Synod.

Our Saviour's Church was also affected,after several years of unrest about twenty families withdrew from the congregation. In 1889 the congregation received into membership a large portion of the congregation, whose church on the corner of East Erie and Franklin Streets, had been sold, and pastor, Rev. Daniel Krouse, served between the years of 1889 and 1893 as coordinate pastor with Rev. Juul. In the summer of 1393, Krouse accepted a call to Menominie, Wis., and Rev. Juul a call to Brandon, Minnesota.

From 1893 to 1895 the congregation was served by Christian Preus whose congregation in Dane and Columbia Counties, Wis., granted him leave of absence until our Saviour's Church should secure a pastor.The congregation has had a steady growth and has been blessed with peace and good understanding barring the years 1886-1888.

If all those who are technically members of the congregation, that is all those who have become members of the congregation either by transfer, confirmation, or profession and have not formally withdrawn, the number might conservatively be 4placed at between 2,000 and 3,000 souls. If however, we counted only the active members the congregation comprises about seven-hundred souls. During its existence 4,235 have been baptized, 1,453 confirmed, 1849 couples married and 2,174 buried. The congregation is at present in a flourishing condition and in spite of the migration to the north west from the city, it hopes, with the blessings of God, to hold its own for some time to come against the encroachment of adverse conditions.