This historical recap is largely drawn from St. John’s 125th Anniversary booklet.
Prior to organizing a congregation in spring 1882 (exact date unknown), services were conducted in area homes including that of August Habedank, Sr., who helped purchase the church and cemetery site, and those of Henry Ruebke, John C. Schroeder, and August Haberdank. About a year later, the newly organized congregation decided to erect its first church, to be 18’x28x10′ costing $400, a sizable sum in that day. A member carpenter directed the construction done by donated member labor. In January 1884, Pastor Engle, who oversaw multiple congregations in the are, helped St. John’s write a constitution, incorporate, and begin building a parsonage.
On August 5, 1885, St. John’s ordained and installed Rev. Paul Wichmann as their first pastor. He lived with the Henry Ruebke family until the parsonage was completed. He also conducted services in Ada, Mary Township, Warren, Argyle, Wylie, and Crookston. During his stay, the parsonage was enlarged.
In 1891, the congregation realized the need for a larger church building and soon erected one that was 34′ x 40′ with a spire height of 111′. It cost $3500 and seated 260 people. A large organ was added few years later.
A church school operated in St. John’s from early on, with pastors also teaching classes from October to Easter. In 1919, St. John’s helped organize and support a new congregation in Ada, Zion, now a partnered congregation. In 1921, the congregation voted to erect a separate school building that would stand until 1959, then later be added to the north end of the church to provide additional Sunday school space.
In September 1926, lightning struck the spire, starting a fire that destroyed the church. The rebuilt church had a shorter tower. Ole Haaland, who had helped produce the first chapel’s altar retained plans and pictures that were used to carefully reproduce it for the new altar, which work was done by Emil Zimmerman, Oscar Haaland, and again, Ole Haaland. No money was owed after construction of church. In 1929, a new parsonage was begun. In 1941, rural electricity arrived for both church and parsonage. In 1986, an addition was begun that would add a fellowship hall, lounge, upstairs expanded kitchen, pastor’s office, new restrooms, and allow the church basement to be renovated with educations rooms. Around this same time, a group of talented girls formed the Gospel Lite Singers, sang in worship services, in the community, and also made a 33-1/3 record. (Records are still available. Contact us.)
A dual parish was established with Bethlehem in Mahnomen and was in effect until a few years ago. A new organ was installed in 1989. 1992 saw the addition of air conditioning, handicap accessibility including a lift, and expansion of the cemetery with general cleanup and restoration of old stones and redecorating the chapel. More recently, improved furnaces, study, a storage garage, steel siding, the three outdoor crosses with lighting, and a new sound system have been added. In 2016, St. John’s established a dual parish agreement with Zion Lutheran in Ada.
Although St. John’s faces the common difficulties of declining rural population and other current demographic changes, we remain a viable, faithful congregation that still proclaims the eternal gospel to our community.
Pastors: (missing dates will be added as they are located)
- Carl Engle (1880-1884, served area before formation of congregation)
- Paul Wichmann (1885-1890, first called pastor to newly formed congregation)
- Gottleib Harre (1891-1897 )
- Herman Stark (18879-1916)
- F.W. Janzow (1916-1921)
- Theodore Schubkegel (1923-1943)
- C.D. Uetzmann (1943-1948)
- A.A. Drevlow (1948-1977)
- Don Johnson (1978-1981)
- Lyle Klemz (1982-1988)
- James Strawn (1989-1995)
- David Truenow (1996-2001)
- Arvid Salvhus (2002-2012)
- Dean Bell (2012-2017)
- Ronald Hobbie (2017- )
Interim Pastors:
- Earl Schmidt