2041 Larkin Street

1. 1905

   St. John's German Evangelical Church moved an 1860s-era former Presbyterian church onto the lot, bringing it from Franklin and Vallejo streets, where it had stood for sixteen years.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
2. March 1906

   St. John's dedicated the relocated and rehabilitated church building.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
3. April 18, 1906

   Less than a month after its dedication, St. John's refurbished church was destroyed in the earthquake and fire.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. October 1906

   St. John's contracted for a new two-story wood-frame church on the site at a cost of $9,850.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. November 1906

   The cornerstone of the new church was laid, consecrating the site.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
6. 1907

   Built by Hugh E. Pynn.

7. 1907

   Built in 1907 as St. John's German Evangelical Church, and later the home of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, reputed to be the first intentionally interracial congregation of its kind in the United States. It is a designated city landmark.

   African American Citywide Historic Context Statement, adopted 2024
8. May 1907

   St. John's German Evangelical Church held its first service in the newly built church, its second dedication on this lot.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. 1949

   St. John's German Evangelical Church, here since 1907, gave up the building.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
10. 1949

    Banks turned down the interracial congregation for a mortgage on the building, one calling it too bad a risk, so the church paid with a private loan instead.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. January 1949

    The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples bought the church for $30,000, plus $6,000 for repairs, ending five years of moving between rented quarters.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
12. September 14, 1949

    A thirteen-member church delegation, led by Sue Bailey Thurman and including the church's quintet, sailed from New York to attend UNESCO's Fourth General Conference in Paris unofficially.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
13. January 1952

    With the purchase loan repaid, the mortgage was burned at a Sunday service before about 500 people.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
14. 1953

    Howard Thurman left the church to become dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University, the first Black dean at a predominantly white university.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. 1953

    Century Stained Glass Studio rebuilt one of the sanctuary's leaded glass windows on the south side.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
16. 1957

    Century Stained Glass Studio again worked on the sanctuary's south-side leaded glass window.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
17. 1982

    The foundation was underpinned.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
18. Aug 1982

    Permit 8206889 $$$ $5,560

    Building use: church.

19. Nov 1982

    Permit 8209318 $$$ $2,877

    Building use: church.

20. 2003

    Dry rot was repaired, the bell tower's south wall was partly seismically retrofitted, and a ramp and new exit door were added at the front; the work was signed off in 2012.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
21. 2005

    The church revived its theatre productions, among them the West Coast premiere of the play "Lady Day in Love".

    SF Planning, landmark designation
22. Jan 2012

    Permit 201201132212 $$$ $1

    To obtain final inspection for work approved under permit application 200312222801; allwork is complete.

23. 2013

    The church was re-roofed.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
24. Jun 2013

    Issued Permit 201306139454 $$$ $38,000

    Reroofing.

25. June 27, 2023

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 309, The Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples.

    SF Planning, landmark designation

4 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits are omitted from the timeline. 5 expired or cancelled permits are not shown.