OUR HISTORY

From New Orleans' earliest history as a settlement, much of the community was under water from Lake Pontchartrain to the north and the Mississippi River to the south. Many historians believe that the city's founder, Jean Batiste-LeMoyne de Bienville, got it wrong when he stopped exploring along the Mississippi River at New Orleans' current site, and should have gone about 60 miles farther upriver to where the usually dry City of Baton Rouge, the state capital, is situated.

From 1900-1910, the swamp that would become New Orleans' Lakeview neighborhood was drained and Lakeview Presbyterian Church was formed following a petition to the Presbytery in February of 1912. Prior to the official church formation, Sunday School operated out of a home on West End Boulevard which was essentially a levee area near the New Basin Canal. Thus, Lakeview Presbyterian Church was born and has existed to this day. Initially the congregation worshiped and conducted Sunday School out of a one story building.

1900 - 1910

1920s

The church struggled through the '20's with a succession of evangelists and short-term ministers. However, there were enough resources for a church building to be raised to become a two story building with the sanctuary on the second floor and Sunday School on the first. This building still exits and operates as Fourth Christian Science Church of New Orleans. (pictured)

1930s & 1940s

In 1936 D. Wallace MacMillan was called to minister and the church grew. Then, in 1945, with 175 members, Ray Riddle was called. Under Rev. Riddle's guidance the church continued to grow in members and budget and a building fund was created. In 1946 the church purchased our current site on Canal Boulevard for $25,000. In 1949 a contract was let for the education building on Canal Boulevard which stands to this day. What is now “Fellowship Hall” was originally the Sanctuary with Sunday School classrooms on the second floor.

1950s - 2000s

By 1954 LPC membership was 373 with Sunday School enrollment at 149. The congregation had grown to 507 by 1958 with Sunday School enrollment at 486. In 1966 the congregation reached an all time high of 650 members. From 1961 through 2013, LPC enjoyed the services of 8 pastors. The longest serving pastor was The Rev. Neale Miller, 1996 – 2012.

2005

In 2005 Lakeview Presbyterian Church was dealt a devastating blow by Hurricane Katrina which struck the New Orleans area on August 29, 2005. The property was flooded with 9 feet of water from the ruptured levee of the drainage canal that separates Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. (The church is relatively close to that canal.) Services resumed for the Lakeview congregation in October, 2005 in a borrowed Presbyterian church in the city about 5 miles away which had escaped severe damage from Katrina.

2006 - Present

In 2006, after extensive renovation, the sanctuary building was rededicated and Lakeview Presbyterian Church had a membership of 150, less than half of the membership prior to Katrina. Current membership stands at 106. Music has long been important to the congregation. The choir sings from a loft in the rear of the sanctuary. The church was designed acoustically to maximize the sounds coming from the loft, thus, even a relatively small choir sounds much larger than the number of singers. About 17 years ago the church made a major investment in a custom made pipe organ which contributes greatly to the majesty of the music. Also, shortly before installing the pipe organ a member, in memory of his late wife, donated a very fine grand piano which is located in the front of the sanctuary.