125 Years of Life
As of October 2008, we have entered our 125th year of life. Let's look at what it took for the founders to have a church building for St. John Church.
Rev. Schumacher was the pastor we needed. Due to his untiring efforts, the membership grew and the debt incurred in the building of our church was liquidated.
In 1955, Zion Church of Cottonwood was dissolved and the membership, with privilege of transfer elsewhere, was absorbed into our congregation. About twenty members were added to the church rolls as a result.
1957 the Evangelical and Reformed Church united with the Congregational Christian Church and became the United Church of Christ with the theme "that they may all be one".
The Good Friday service in 1959 marked the final service conducted in the German language at St. John.
April 1959 Rev. Schumacher leaves having performed 82 christenings, 27 marriages, 31 funerals, and confirming 21.
August 1, 1959 Rev. Fred J.W. Weltge arrives to become our pastor.
November 16, 1962, a deed from Bertha Rau Strauss and John D. Strauss to St. John's United Church of Christ set in motion a building program on land located directly across the highway from the church. The building program ensued and on May 26, 1963 the new parsonage was dedicated.
