The history of Christian churches in Louisville, KY is a long and varied one. From the earliest days of the city's founding, religious organizations have been an integral part of the community. Baptists, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians were among the first to be established in Kentucky before 1800. The First Christian Church in Louisville received its denomination in 1846, making it the oldest congregation of the Disciples of Christ in the state.
This congregation separated from the Baptist Disciples of Christ in 1833. Over the years, the church has gone through several mergers and name changes. In 1934, it merged and became the Evangelical and Reformed Church. Then, in 1957, this denomination merged with the Congregational Christian Churches to form the United Church of Christ. The church kept its name until 2001 when it was changed to St.
John's United Church of Christ. The church has a number of organizations dedicated to religious administration, service, and education throughout its history. These include the Women's Guild, the Dorcas Class, and the Relief Society. Additionally, there are a variety of publications from this church such as material on its history and anniversary, issues of Evangelischer St.
John's Messenger, letters from the Church, and service programs. The church is often referred to as Six Flags over Jesus by locals, a humorous reference to its large size. The building is designed in a Beaux Arts style which reflects architectural trends from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The stained glass windows in the banquet hall look similar to those found in stone chapels from the 1860s.
Originally, religious services at First Christian Church were held in German; English services began in 1893. Today, Southeastern Christian Church is a multi-site evangelical megachurch based in Louisville that is part of the denomination of Christian churches. The city offers a tour that includes several historic churches and homes as well as important Louisville cultural institutions and monuments. This tour begins where downtown Louisville ends and continues south to Old Louisville and Central Park before returning close to your starting point and taking a tour of Limerick neighborhood.