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Swedish Zion Lutheran Church, 4501 7th Avenue
Most Significant Unprotected Structures:
Connection to the Swedish community in Rock Island and an example of Swedish-American architect Olof Cervin's church architecture
Architectural Style:
Craftsman
Construction Date:
1907
Architect/Builder:
Olof Z. Cervin, Architect; Emil Peterson, Contractor
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The Swedish Zion Lutheran Church, now known as St. John’s Lutheran Church, was completed in late 1907 at a cost of $11,343. The architect was Olof Z. Cervin, a graduate of Augustana College, who was appointed official church architect of the Augustana Synod in 1896. The general contractor was Emil Peterson.
Their Swedish heritage was the common bond of the first members of the church. Sunday morning and afternoon services were conducted solely in Swedish and English services were not conducted until after World War I. In 1928, Swedish Zion Lutheran Church merged with Grace Church and the new congregation was given its present name of St. John's Lutheran. Grace Church was organized in 1888 by members of the Augustana College faculty. Up until this time, most of the college and seminary worshiped in Swedish at the First Lutheran Church in Moline. The stimulus to organize Grace Church was to have the services conducted in English. The church was located at 4401 7th Avenue, Rock Island, and it was the hope of the charter members that it would serve the community as well as the English speaking members of Augustana College. When the Swedish Zion Lutheran congregation abandoned the use of the Swedish language in their services in 1928, the two congregations merged.
Olof Cervin designed the Swedish Zion Lutheran Church in the Craftsman style with Gothic Revival influences. The tall bell tower with crenellated (toothed) edges topped by a steeple, the corner wall buttresses on the tower, the pointed arched door and window openings, and the use of brick with contrasting stone trim are all features of the Gothic Revival, but within the Craftsman influence. The interior of the sanctuary is especially interesting because of the original stained glass windows, the ceiling beams similar to hammerbeam ceiling designs in late medieval English churches, and the large painted altarpiece by Olof Grafstrom.
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