In 1929, a handful of Lutheran families from Fairview Village and North Olmsted met with a young pastor to plant a new church within easy distance of their homes. They called it Messiah, the Hebrew form of the word "Christ."
Ever since Messiah has been serving western Cuyahoga County as a place to worship God, to practice the Christian life, and, above all, to hear the good news of Jesus Christ communicated with clarity and conviction.
When World War II ended Messiah grew dramatically as returning soldiers married, established families, and found attractive, affordable housing in communities just west of the City of Cleveland. Over time it emerged as one of the largest and busiest Lutheran congregations in the Greater Cleveland area.
Today Messiah’s members come from Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Cleveland, and over 20 other communities. Together they touch lives from their own backyards and neighborhoods to communities in other states and overseas. Messiah's own church community is a rich mix of intergenerational families and single-person households, of toddlers and grandparents, teens and empty-nesters. Two of our older members were present as young girls at the congregation's first-ever worship service in September, 1929. Others started coming here in just the past 12 months.
Education plays a decisive role in Messiah’s life, with weekly opportunities for people of all ages to learn and grow in their grasp of the Christian faith and message. Recent years have seen an increased emphasis on music, mission, youth ministry and community outreach as areas in which to excel and serve the Lord.
Messiah established its own K-8 elementary school in 1954. Over the years the school has earned a strong reputation for affordable excellence, a reputation enhanced by the opening in early 2008 of new middle school classrooms and an Art & Science facility. A pre-school component for three- and four-year olds launched in the fall of 2011. In the spring of 2024, Messiah made the difficult decision to conclude its middle school classes to be better equipped to handle the growing needs of pre-school to fifth grade education.