St. John's Community
A person's deepest need is to be part of a truly meaningful community. St. John's Lutheran Church is a community that offers new life in Christ through the preached Word and sacraments. We are, through Jesus Christ, bound together as a family. We share the Good News of God's forgiveness, the power of the Holy Spirit and a deep commitment to love and serve others. You are invited to become a part of God's family, a particular community of believers, St. John's Lutheran Church.
History
St. John’s Lutheran Church was formally organized and adopted the recommended constitution of the Iowa Synod in August of 1874. The first pastor to serve the new congregation was Rev. C.J. Mehrtens who was born in Hannover, Germany, in 1839 and ordained by the Iowa Synod in 1874. Pastor Mehrtens served St. John’s for only one year during which a small house of worship on Galloway Street was completed.
It was during Pastor Recknagel’s tenure that this small band of German Lutherans decided to build a church, proving their commitment to outreach. When Pr. Recknagel resigned in 1890, the church had 46 members in good standing. The new church on Dewey Street would continue to serve the ever-growing congregation for a total of 71 years.
During days of growth and excitement, inspired by the Spirit of God, that St. John’s made the bold step to further expand its commitment to outreach. In order to do so, the membership realized they needed a more spacious facility. The decision to depart from the Dewey Street church was made in 1951 and on May 1, 1955 the congregation dedicated its present church home at 1804 Highland Avenue.
It is to those who are not mentioned by name that we, the current members of this congregation, owe our greatest thanks. It has been their faithful, everyday, ordinary witness as followers of Jesus Christ and their commitment to the proclamation of Christ’s word that has truly animated the life and ministry of this congregation. Those not mentioned by name are the ones who have given us our heritage and, for the most part, it will be those who are not mentioned by name that will carry us faithfully into the new millennium. As we celebrate God’s faithfulness to us over the past 125 years we say, “Thanks be to God” for all the Saints.