The first service of St. John Lutheran Church
was conducted by Hugo H. Quitmeyer with sixty people attending on 8
December, 1935, in the Central Christian Church. Services were
held in the K. P. Hall until 1939. Organized officially on 9
August, 1936, seven men--Charles Rost, Arthur P. Schrank. F. A.
Krueger, William Schneider, Otto Seims, Robert Braun, and W. J.
Schuster--signed the Constitution. By November 5, 1939, dedication
services were held for the church’s first building at 525 East Leslie
Street. Two additional lots west of the church were purchased for
parking. In June, 1948, the auditorium was enlarged, a church parish room,
Sunday School rooms, and a pastor’s study were added. A Hammond organ
was dedicated on 15 July, 1951. On 2 August, 1970, St. John Lutheran
Church bought 3.24 acres of land on East Hwy 22 from Kenneth
A. Sparks. Ground breaking ceremonies were held on 14 January, 1973,
with The Rev. Albert Wuensche, The Rev. Raymond Reich, Vernon Dungan--Congregational
President, Bert Schrank--Building Committee Chairman, Charles
Voelter--Architect, and Mayor T. D. Craddock participating. On
23 September, 1973, St. John’s moved to a new building on East
HWY 22. The first three pastors were H. H. Quitmeyer, Robert P.
Nerger, and Paul Uhles.
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