The church was built in 1915–1917 by a Swedish Lutheran congregation to serve neighborhood families and university students.

In Minneapolis, there was a concentration of Swedish settlers in the Seven Corners neighborhood, around Washington and Cedar Avenues, on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

In 1914, the congregation merged with Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Sharon Church of Minneapolis, located on the east bank of the Mississippi.

Minnesota College donated land at the corner of Harvard and Delaware Streets, and the church retained the firm of Chapman and Magney to design their new building.

The firm was also responsible for designing the Sumner Community Library in 1915 and the Saxe Movie Theater, later the Forum Cafeteria, in 1914.