Temple History

The history of this congregation spans 75 years. When the Reverend Dr. Silas Dougherty, a tireless missionary and the Johnny Appleseed of the Lutheran Church, met with a small group of people from North Merchantville, Delaware Gardens and Amon Heights to form a new congregation, Pennsauken was a far different place than it is today. The township was a collection of small neighborhoods, i.e. Jordantown, Bloomfield Park, Collins Tract, Delair, Homestead, East Pennsauken, and Delaware Gardens. Route 130 was called Cresent Boulevard, and had one lane in each direction.

Under the direction of Dr. Dougherty, Temple Lutheran Church was incorporated on December 15th, 1924. The first worship services were held in a coal heated bungalow at 2309 49th Street, where it still stands. On May 1, 1925, the bungalow was rented out and Temple became a store-front church on Westfield Avenue. In June of 1925, the congregation purchased land on Camden Avenue between Browning Road and 49th Street for $28,745.00. Ground breaking was on September 23rd, 1928. When the Great Depression hit in October of 1929, many members of the congregation pledged their homes to the bank to guarantee that the mortgage would be paid.

Messiah Church, Merchantville had been organized shortly after Temple, and located at Cove Road and Githens Avenue. However, on December 27th 1933, Messiah Lutheran merged with Temple Lutheran, By Christmas of 1952 the congregation became debt free and a mortgage burning was held on February 1, 1953. In April of 1956, Temple Church called the Reverend George Garver. Pastor Garver spear headed the project to purchase a weed covered lot at Route 130 and Merchantville Avenue, and erect the unique structure that is the Temple Church of today. He is also remembered as the man who officiated at the then very controversial inter-racial marriage of 60's Rock 'n' Roller, Chubby Checker. An African-American, and the inventor of the Twist dance craze, Checker married Catherina Lodders, a Caucasian, a former miss World, and a Lutheran, at Temple Lutheran Church in Pennsauken.

The Camden Avenue building was sold to an Assembly of God congregation for $100,000. The property on Route 130 cost $120,000 and the building about $300,000. It was designed by Harold E. Wagoner, a world-renowned church architect. The new sanctuary was dedicated on Epiphany Sunday, January 6th, 1963. Over 500 people attended the Service of Entry.