Houseman, Campus Ministry Pastor Jason Bazzle, Organist and Director of Music The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Charleston, South Carolina, was incorporated on December 3, 1840.

The church was founded by Johann Andreas Wagener and 49 other German-speaking citizens wishing to worship in their native language in the port city of Charleston, South Carolina.

Wagener's first intent was to form a German language, "ecumenical, cosmopolitan" congregation for all faiths: Lutheran, Reformed, and Catholic.

[6] The Lutheran congregation's first church building was a classical Greek Revival structure on the northwest corner of Hasell and Anson streets.

[9] In 1868, the church purchased its present site from Father Patrick O'Neill and contracted the Irish-born architect John Henry Devereux[10] to design a Gothic revival sanctuary with suggestions from Ludwig Müller, the congregation's pastor.

A program of singing, entertainment, and a social hour were held each Sunday evening during the duration of World War II.

This commission served as the official military agency of the council and worked to provide spiritual ministry to service personnel.

Professor Stefan Engels of Leipzig, noted Germany scholar on the works of Sigfrid Karg-Elert, has performed many times on the 61 rank Austin Organ.

However, increasing winds spread the fire to the steeple, and at 10:00 pm the structure fell directly in front of the church, plunging 18 feet (5.5 m) into the courtyard where it remains as a memorial of the event.

The destroyed gallery stained glass windows were replaced by Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, Germany, and executed by the studios of George L. Payne of Paterson, New Jersey.

[15] The destroyed windows in the front of the church were replaced by the Hunt Stained Glass Studios of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who had installed the originals.

When Hurricane Hugo’s 135-mile-per-hour (217 km/h) winds swept across the peninsula of Charleston at midnight on September 21, 1989, no building was left untouched, including St. Matthew's sanctuary.

On Sunday morning September 24, 135 members gathered in the water-logged and darkened nave to assess the damage and offer prayer that the structure was basically still intact.

On September 21, 1990, two years to the day after the "storm of the century", the nave and the educational building were rededicated, with South Carolina Synod Bishop James Aull leading the congregation in a service of praise and thanksgiving.

[16] In 1999, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church launched a $1.2 million capital fund appeal to purchase and restore a historic circa 1810 building adjacent to the sanctuary to function as a Community Outreach Center.

Current activities include English as Second Language instruction, a Lowcountry Food Bank-affiliated Emergency Food Pantry, Holiday Care bags for the homebound elderly, and ongoing support for Charleston's Cinderella Project for teen girls now held at John Wesley United Methodist in West Ashley, which originated at the center in 2001.

The Community Center is the host for the Next Steps of Barnabas ministry program to work with individuals to end their homelessness.

In addition, the Community Center also provides direct emergency financial relief via a Sharing With A Neighbor (SWAN) program for items such as eviction and water shut off, utility bill assistance and other human concerns for families and individuals.

This successful collaboration involved the city of Charleston, the U.S. Department of State and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS).

The spire was originally topped by a wrought iron finial made by German-born Christopher Werner, who also created the Palmetto Monument[23] on the state capitol grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

The Austin Organ Opus 2465 stop list: GREAT (unenclosed): 16 Gemshorn, 8 Principal, 8 Bourdon, 8 Gemshorn (ext), 4 Octave, 4 Spitzflote, 2 Waldflote, II Rauschquint, IV Fourniture, Cymbelstern, Chimes, Gt-Gt 16, 4, Sw-Gt 16, 8, 4, Ch-Gt 16, 8, 4, Pos-Gt 8 SWELL (enclosed): 16 Lieblich Gedackt, 8 Geigen Principal, 8 Hohl Flute, 8 Gamba, 8 Gamba Celeste, 4 Principal, 4 Rohrflote, 2 Flautino, IV Plein Jeu, 16 Contra Fagotto, 8 Fagotto (ext), 4 Clairon, 8 Trumpet, Sw-Sw 16, 4, Ch-Sw 8, Ch-Pos 8 CHOIR (enclosed): 8 Nason Flute, 8 Flauto Dolce, 8 Flute Celeste, 4 Koppelflote, 2 2/3 Nasard, 2 Blockflote, 1 3/5 Tierce, 8 Krummhorn, 8 Bombarde, 8 Trumpet en chamade, Tremulant, Ch-Ch 16, 4, Sw-Ch 16, 8, 4, Gt 8, Pos 8 CHANCEL (enclosed): 8 Gedackt, 8 Viole d'amour, 8 Viole celeste, 4 Principal, 4 Chimney Flute, III Mixture, 8 Trompete, Tremulant, Chancel on Great, Chancel on Choir POSITIV:8 Suavial, 4 Praestant, 2 Prinzipal, 1 1/3 Larigot, III Cymbel, 4 Schalmei PEDAL: 32 Resultant (ext), 32 Lieblich Gedackt (electronic), 32 Contra Bombarde (electronic), 16 Principal, 16 Bourdon, 16 Gemshorn (Gt), 16 Lieblich Gedackt (Sw), 16 Flauto Dolce (Ch ext), 8 Octave, 8 Gemshorn (Gt), 8 Gedeckt (ext), 4 Choralbass, III Mixture, 16 Bombarde (Ch ext), 16 Fagotto (Sw), 8 Bombarde (Ch), 4 Krummhorn (Ch), 16 Gedeckt (Chancel), 8 Floete (Chancel), Chimes (Gt), Gt-Ped 8, 4; Sw-Ped 8, 4; Ch-Ped 8, 4; Pos-Ped 8 In 2001, St. Matthew's obtained the Ontko Pipe Organ Opus 19a for use in the Education Building Chapel.