HISTORY

St. John’s Lutheran Church dates back to 1848 just after the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States was organized. Several Lutheran men of Northern Jefferson County decided to meet with Dr. C.F.W. Walther, in regard to calling a Lutheran Pastor to our area. With Dr. Walther’s help a call went out and was accepted by J. Michael Johannes who graduated from Concordia, Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was ordained and installed on June 4, 1848.

In 1848 a log church and parsonage were built on land that was donated for that purpose and our records show that in 1882 the log church was renovated and enlarged. The church purchased its first organ in 1885. A farmer donated a log house in 1888 to be used as a school building.

1923 brought a Diamond Jubilee celebration for the church and the beginning of a building fund for a new church.

The old church had a seating capacity of 130 and the congregation had expanded to 300 communicant members. The cornerstone for the new church (which now serves as Founders’ Hall) was laid in 1929.

The population explosion in the Jefferson County area gave St. John’s the incentive in 1994 to begin the Capital Stewardship Campaign. Because of the magnitude of the dream the “Building Our Mission Together” divided the expansion into three phases. In 1997 a groundbreaking service for the first expansion of St. John’s was held. This phase included enlarging the narthex, adding an elevator, additional meeting rooms in the basement and installing additional rest rooms.

St. John’s celebrated its 150th anniversary in October, 1998.

A groundbreaking ceremony for phase two which included a 650 seat Sanctuary, church offices, additional classrooms and the remodeling of the 1929 Sanctuary into Founders’ Hall was held in October of 2002. The cornerstone was unveiled during a Special Service held in October, 2003. A final service from the 1929 Sanctuary was held January 11, 2004. The service included thanksgiving and praise to God for 74 years of His blessings in that Sanctuary. The dedication service for the current Sanctuary was April 4, 2004.

St. John's celebrated 10 years in the current Sanctuary in November, 2014.