This congregation started with the founding of Grace Lutheran Church, in Dormont, by the Martin Luther Extension Society of Pittsburgh in June of 1908 to serve the South Hills area. After holding services in homes and the Country Club House, a permanent congregation was started with 6 charter members on March 13, 1910. In November of 1911 the cornerstone for the new church building was laid on Pioneer Avenue. This building was completed and dedicated on April 14^th 1912.

In 1945, recognizing the growing Rolling Hills community as potential for expansion, Grace members started a Sunday School to serve this area. A house was purchased on Newport Dr to hold this Sunday School and regular services. The Rev. R. A. Plautz was assigned by the Mission Board to this new congregation officially organized in 1947 as Pilgrim Lutheran Church. As this congregation grew a larger meeting space was found at Rolling Hills School and, with a $50,000 donation, a new building was started at the end of Country Club Dr. in Mt Lebanon and dedicated on December 6^th, 1953.

At this same time, in the early 1950’s, Missouri Synod families living on Thompsonville Road, in Peters Township, found it difficult to attend Church without traveling many miles. In August of 1952 the interested families and the ministers and heads of the Mission Board met for the purpose of discussing the formation of a Lutheran Congregation in the area. The meeting was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gall of Thompsonville Road, who were instrumental in getting our endeavor started. As a result of the meeting, a permanent committee was appointed to make a determined effort to obtain a temporary meeting place for worship services. The firemen, at the new fire hall at Donaldson’s Crossroads, agreed to make the hall available free of charge for our services. Our first divine worship service was held on Sunday morning August 17^th 1952 with Rev. Wilber Weber, Missionary at large of the Church Extension Society. It was necessary to come quite early to prepare for service as the altar and lectern had to be assembled and dismantled for every service. The firemen furnished folding chairs for the congregation and the children sat on the running boards and in the driver’s seat of the engines. Rev Weber was our Pastor until February 1953. Rev. Elmer Elliott became our pastor, coming from St. Paul’s in Washington PA. quite early in the morning before the services in his own church. He urged the Mission Board to place a bid on the Pleasant Valley School property, which was to be auctioned and we were fortunate to obtain it for the sum of $7,100. It was a typical one room school with the heating system in the middle of the floor and outside plumbing. The men of the congregation immediately built on a addition at the back of the building to house the furnace, restrooms and a kitchen. Our first addition of communicant members was our confirmation class of three on Easter Sunday in 1954. Rev. Elliott stayed with us until the end of 1954. From them on we were served by:

Rev W.W Gritzke from 1-2-1955 to 10-9-1955

Rev Ralph Plautz until 4-1-1956

Rev Frank Brasch of Squirrel Hill until 1-26-1958

Rev Paul M Kavasch until 2-1-1958

At this time in the mid 1950’s, the members of Grace, recognizing the changing characteristics of their community and the close proximity of Pilgrim, began to consider a relocation program. During this same period the members of Pilgrim, undergoing a pastoral vacancy, recognized the possibility of joining Grace to better serve the religious need of the South Hills of Pittsburgh. After may hours of hard work, discussion and prayer, both congregations voted to merge and on February 15, 1959 these two sister congregations founded Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mt Lebanon. Rev Paul M. Kavasch was call to be the first pastor. He was installed on March 8, 1959 at a service to celebrate the merger held at the former Pilgrim site. Over the years many improvements were made to this building, including stained glass, a Christus Rex and a magnificent pipe organ.

Pastor Kavasch stayed until August, 1964 when he took a call to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Westlake, Ohio. From them we were served by:

Rev. Dr. Robert C. Sauer 1965 to 1974

Rev. John L. Murphy 1974 to 1999

Rev. Jamison Hardy 2000 to 2008

As a number of members from Grace and Pilgrim moved further south of Pittsburgh they joined the new church in Peters now know as Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church. With the sale of Grace’s building and the property of Pleasant Valley Church, new property, a farm on Old Washington Road and Carole Drive, was purchased. The Rev Ottis Sauls was called to serve as Missionary-at-Large in this area by the Mission Board. After eight months of work by Pastor Sauls and members of the congregation, a new constitution was written and we were to proceed as a congregation known as Hope Lutheran Church. The new farmhouse on Carole Drive was used for our services until a building program began. The altar and a rented organ were placed in the dining room and the seating area extended into the kitchen, living room, hall and sometimes on the stairs. Since the farmhouse stood on the spot where the new church was to be built, it was necessary to again find a place to worship. We found an empty storeroom on Route 19, across from the church property.

On Charter Sunday, September 11, 1960, 55 communicant members were listed on the rolls of the new church. On February 25, 1962, ground was broken for the church building and the cornerstone was laid on May 20^th. Hope Lutheran Church was officially dedicated a year later in May of 1963 with Pastor Sauls serving the congregation until November 1964. In May 1965, Rev. Garth D Ludwig was installed as Hope’s second pastor. In September of 1969, Pastor Garth was joined by his father, Rev. Daniel R Ludwig, as assistant pastor.

In the fall of 1972 a spiritual planning committee was formed to explore the possibility of renovating and expanding the existing facilities. The members of Hope met the challenge of expansion and in thanksgiving to God, dedicated the new facilities on October 3, 1976.

Hope’s first vicar, John Hohe, joined the congregation for one year in August, 1980. In October of 1981 Pastor Garth accepted a call to Tucson, Arizona.

In 1983 the Rev. Carl A Krueger was installed as Hope’s third full time minister.

Rev. Neville Mirtschen served as our fourth full time pastor from 1984, until he took a call to St. Matthews in Toronto Canada in November 2001.

Rev. Robert McCanless lead our congregation from January 2003 until February of 2006.

In 2006, without a pastor, Hope Lutheran Church leaders met with the leaders of Our Savior Lutheran Church. Since both churches were facing declining attendance and giving, they decided to work together to further the evangelizing efforts of both churches in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. This lead to several joint fellowship and worship events lead by Our Savior's pastor, Rev. Jamison Hardy. As these discussions continued, it became clear that a merger of the two congregations might be beneficial. To allow time for merger talks to continue, it was decided to call a vicar to assist Pastor Hardy as he shepherded his own congregation and served as vacancy pastor for Hope. In the fall of 2006 Timothy Fitzner was called from the Ft. Wayne Seminary to serve as vicar. With these two spiritual leaders, services were provided at both locations every Sunday. During the summer of 2007, several committees were sent up, consisting of members of both congregations, to investigate all aspects of a possible merger as joint fellowship and worship events continued. On Oct. 28^th, 2007, both congregations general assemblies voted to merge into one congregation with the mission, Excited about Christ, we are an evangelizing congregation. As we said good by to Vicar Fitzner in Nov. 2007, it was decided the best way to come together as one congregation would be to worship together at one location. With this in mind and after carefully considering the value and location of both properties, it was decided the best plan would be to sell the Our Savior property and worship as one congregation at the Hope site.

As a result of the merger vote, a provisional council was set up to prepare the details of the new church. A finance committee, constitution committee and call committee were set up to help with this work. The elders and deacons began working together to review the spiritual needs of the members. On April 13, 2008 a new constitution and bylaws was presented and approved by the general assemblies of both congregations. On May 4, 2008 a formal call was approved to Rev. Jamison Hardy to be the first Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church. The merger was completed on May 15, 2008 with a celebration dinner.