Oliver C. Miller of Cedar Rapids, Iowa to San Francisco to organize the first Lutheran congregation in California to use English as its primary language for worship.

On June 13, 1886 a congregation of 39 members formed and began to meet in Irving Hall at 139 Post Street in San Francisco.

Historical records show approximately $3,100 spent to repair the building, most of it coming as a gift from Lutherans on the east coast.

The new sanctuary was dedicated on January 22, 1950.In 2007, the congregation voted to pursue its mission by becoming a "church without walls", and sold the property at 6555 Geary Blvd.

First United had its first worship service at First Unitarian Universalist Chapel at 6:00 p.m. on October 28, 2007--Reformation Sunday—just a block away from the original church location on Geary between Octavia & Gough.

In the summer of 2012, the congregation changed locations once again, and currently worships at St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church in San Francisco's North of the Panhandle neighborhood.

At the same time, St. Francis Lutheran Church in San Francisco was suspended for ordaining two openly lesbian pastors, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart.

Then in 2009, leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to change bylaws by adopting a constitution that allows openly gay men and lesbians to serve as pastors.

While maintaining the fundamentally Lutheran elements of the traditional mass, the community of First United finds richness, vitality and spiritual renewal in using a variety of forms and musical settings in worship celebrations.

Written by the musicians of First United, the setting uses a variety of elements including the spoken word, flute, organ, drums, guitar, piano, and styles ranging from a cappella plainchant to folk to soft jazz/rock.