Lakeview Lutheran Church

The Beginning

Lakeview Lutheran Church was organized by Reverend L. Habel in 1856 as a sister church of St. John's in Madison and was known as St. John's Lutheran Church of Westport up until 1946. Due to the maple sugar industry in this area, Lakeview was referred to as the "Zuckerbusch Kirche" or Sugarbush Church.

The original constitution of the church was written in German in 1856 and is in our archives in a well-preserved state.

Before the Chapel was built, in a small clearing here on our hill, the congregation erected some hewn benches and an altar where they would meet to join in prayer, read from the Bible, and sing German hymns.

The Chapel

The Historic Chapel was built in 1884. It seats 70 people, and it currently has heat and electricity, but no running water or bathroom facilities.

In 1946, the congregation was reorganized, a new constitution adopted and the name was changed to Lakeview American Lutheran Church. We called our first Pastor, Reverend W. Buth and he accepted the call.

In 1950-1951, a parsonage was built primarily by the members of the congregation and Rev. Buth and his family moved in on March 15, 1951. Lakeview no longer owns this home, but it still stands behind the church on Mandrake adjacent to the parking lot.

Construction of the Parish Hall was completed in 1952 and served as a fellowship building and education unit. To accommodate the growing congregation, 5 rooms were added in 1959 and offices were added in 1966. This building still houses the Lakeview offices and since 2024, the South-Central Synod of WI offices.

The Church

In the early sixties a vision of a larger church began to rise to fulfill the needs of an increasing congregation, Sunday School, and community demands. Three Sunday services were no longer adequate to handle all the people who attend.

In June 1965, Lakeview committed to building a new church that would border Northport Drive. The plans included a large addition to the present Parish hall, a new educational unit, double the parking area, and a new Sanctuary that would be 200 feet long and seat 600 persons. The new church was dedicated on September 1, 1966.

Today

Lakeview Lutheran Church has been in existence for over 169 years and has been an "anchor" on Madison's north side. We are a small, but active congregation that continues to provide important services to the community by running a Food Pantry, supporting a Cemetery, hosting Blood Drives, and providing meeting spaces for several local groups.

Lakeview Lutheran Church - Who We Are

Lutheran History

In the 16th century, Martin Luther, a German monk, became aware of differences between the Bible and church practices of the day. His writings, lectures and sermons inspired others to protest church practices and call for reform.

By the late 1500s the Reformation had spread throughout Europe. Followers of Luther’s teachings were labeled “Lutherans” by their enemies and they adopted

Lakeview Lutheran Church is a member of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin (SCSW-ELCA), which is one of 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The SCSW-ELCA is made up of 133 congregations and worshiping communities across 13 counties in south-central Wisconsin.

Click on the logo at the right to learn more about the South-Central Synod of WI.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with nearly 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region.

Click on the logo at the right to learn more about the ELCA.

Reconciling in Christ

"All Are Welcome in This Place"

Lakeview Lutheran Church is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation.

We welcome everyone of any age, race, ethnic background, gender identity, sexual orientation, political standing, economic status, physical or mental ability or disability, or marital status. We welcome all, Christian or non-Christian. “All Are Welcome” is not just a hymn we love; it is truly what we believe. We believe that faith without action is missing the point. We strive to act with love and kindness towards all who come through our doors, whether to worship, participate in meals, the food pantry, looking for assistance, attend a function at the church, or to work with us to better our community. We aren’t perfect and don’t claim to be, and we don’t require everyone to always agree. We laugh loudly and often, usually at ourselves. We may falter, but we stand up, dust ourselves off and try again.

Join Us. You will be welcomed warmly!