Our Mission

We seek to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and to proclaim the Gospel to others.

Our History

Following outreach efforts by the Community Lutheran Church in Enfield, NH, Our Savior’s Chapel-Lutheran was established in 1955 as a mission to Dartmouth and surrounding communities by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Worship services were held in Rollins Chapel until 1958 when the congregation moved to its current location on Summer Street. The Congregation grew in both its community and student ministry resulting in the construction of a new sanctuary in 1974. Our Savior Lutheran Church withdrew from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1978 to join the Lutheran Church in America, which merged with other Lutheran bodies in 1988 forming the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Affirmation of Welcome—Reconciling in Christ

As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of the world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Our world is a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness, and we are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society.

We affirm with the apostle Paul that in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one. We acknowledge that this reconciliation extends also to those whose affectional orientation is toward a person of the same gender.

Because gay and lesbian persons are often scorned by society and alienated from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following:

• that gay and lesbian people share with all others the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God;
• that gay and lesbian people are welcome within the membership of this congregation upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other people make; and
• that as members of this congregation, gay and lesbian people are expected and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation.

This affirmation was approved by the Congregation Council of Our Savior Lutheran Church and Student Center of Hanover, New Hampshire, on 20 July 1993.