HISTORY OF ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH

ST. JAMES, MISSOURI

Organization of St. John

            In Goodspeed’s History of Phelps County (1889, p.39) it is noted that the St. James (German) church was organized in 1880 by the Rev. Forrester.  Rev. R. Garhart succeeded him.  The congregation consisted of forty members.  Among the first members were: A. Mueller, L. Schneider, F. Luan, H. Roster, H. Goff, C. Bremer, and F.C. Puschman.  This organization was apparently short-lived, for the last minutes were dated April 22, 1889.

            The beginning work by representatives of the Missouri Synod goes back to the year 1888, when Pastor J.L. Gehrmann of Babtown commenced serving the spiritual needs of German Lutherans in St. James and the surrounding area.  George A. Mueller served the area during his senior year at the seminary in St. Louis, and in 1899 organized congregations in the area.  The minutes of St. John as of April 22, 1899 read as follows: “On this day the German Evangelical Lutherans organized a congregation.  The same was entered under the name of Evangelical Lutheran (St.) John’s congregation of which the following werw elected as board of elders: Adolph Mueller, V.M. Reitz, Henry F. Wolters.

            In May of 1889, Candidate Mueller received the call which he himself had filed on behalf of the congregation.  He was ordained and installed as the first resident pastor of St. John on Sunday, September 15, 1889.  He served as pastor until the spring of 1894.  The last recorded minutes of this organization were recorded December 20, 1891.

            The next minutes (February 10, 1902) record another organization under Pastor Edward Lehmann, who prepared and presented the constitution which was unanimously adopted.  Services were held at various locations in St. James through 1903.  In 1904 construction of a church building was begun.  It was dedicated on January 15, 1905.

            The final reorganization of the congregation took place on January 1, 1906.  At that time a new constitution was developed and adopted.  St. John became a member of The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod in 1925.  The original constitution of 1906 was revised in 1947 and translated into the English language.

            On September 27, 1959 ground was broken for a new church building.  Dedication services for the new building were conducted n Sunday, September 4, 1960 by Rev. Martin H. Rohlfing, pastor of the congregation.  The decommissioning of the old church was also accomplished on this day.

            In 1965 the congregation initiated plans to convert the old church into a parsonage.  Mr. Carl Hertfelder assumed the responsibility for drawing up plans for the necessary changes.  The first occupants of the new residence were Pastor Robert Heil and family.  The dwelling is still in use today as the parsonage, and stand directly east f the church building.  A very satisfying occasion was celebrated on November 21, 1976 with the burning of the mortgage. All the poperty related to St. John Lutheran Church is no free and clear of indebtedness.

 

PASTORS WHO SERVED ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH

                                    Rev. George Adolph Mueller – 1889 to 1894

                                    Rev. John H. Ruff – 1894 to 1898

                                    Rev. Theodore Siek – 1899 to 1900

                                    Rev. Edward Lehmann – 1900 to 1902

                                    Rev. William Maschoff (vacancy pastor) 1902 to 1903, 1909 to 1911

                                    Rev. August C. Barz – 1903 to 1909

                                    Rev. Carl F. Holler – 1911 to 1914

                                    Rev. Henry H. Frohn – 1915 to 1921

                                    Rev. Daniel Oberdieck – 1921 to 1934

                                    Rev. Andrew Szegedin – 1934 to 1946

                                    Rev. Louis C. Castens – 1946 to 1949

                                    Rev. Channing E. Miller – 1949 to 1951

                                    Rev. Golbert B. Seager – 1952 to 1953

                                    Rev. Albert H. Ziegler – 1954 to 1956

                                    Rev. Louis Castens (vacancy pastor) – Spring 1957

                                    Larry Rohlfing (student) – Summer 1957

                                    Rev. Martin Rohlfing – 1957 to 1962

                                    Rev. Robert Preus (vacancy pastor) – 1962 to 1963

                                    Rev. Robert Heil – 1963 to 1966

                                    Rev. William Utteck – 1967 to 1969

                                    Rev. Hilsabeck (vacancy pastor) – Summer 1969

                                    Rev. Rober Schoolcraft – 1969 to 1974

                                    Rev. Frederick Kuegele – 1974 to 1977

                                    Rev. Garth Baker (vacancy pastor) – 1977 to 1979

                                    Rev. Douglas V. Morton – 1979 to 1985

                                    Rev. Norman Heironimus (vacancy pastor) – 1985 to 1986

                                    Rev. Paul E. Goddard – 1986 to 2003

                                    Rev Richard Anderegg (vacancy pastor) August 2003-July 2004

                                    Rev. David Peter (vacancy pastor) August 2004-July 2005

                                    Rev. Jeffrey Schanbacher (dual parish with Cuba) August 2005-June 2009

                                    Rev. David Peter (July 2009-Present)

           

            We thank God for his blessings during the long history and faithful ministry of the pastors and members of St. John.  May our gracious Lord continue to grant us a rich measure of His Holy Spirit as we seek to forge ahead in the awesome and joyful task of making disciples.