ST. JOHN HISTORY
The history that follows is not written as a record of achievements or a celebration of success. It reflects a deeper conviction about what the Church is and how it endures. We understand ourselves first as a congregation sustained by God’s faithfulness rather than by favorable circumstances. From our earliest gatherings in homes and schoolhouses to seasons of growth, decline, and rebuilding, St. John has continued not because conditions were ideal, but because Christ continued to gather His people around His Word. Hardship, vacancy, and uncertainty are not treated as interruptions in our story, but as ordinary contexts in which God has preserved His Church.
We also understand faithfulness as continuity rather than reinvention. The history of St. John assumes that remaining rooted in the confession of the faith, in regular worship, and in shared life together is itself a form of success. Buildings, programs, and numbers matter, but they are not ultimate. Again and again, decisions were made not to pursue novelty or expansion for its own sake, but to preserve the life of the congregation so that worship, teaching, and care could continue. Pastors have come and gone, languages have changed, and communities have shifted, yet the Church has remained because its center did not move--Christ the Cornerstone.
Finally, we understand the Church as a shared calling carried by ordinary people. This history places quiet emphasis on congregational decisions, lay leadership, and the steady service of families, women’s groups, youth, and volunteers who sustained worship and community life across generations. The Church is not defined by a single leader or moment, but by many acts of faithfulness—often unseen, often unremarkable, and often costly. This is how we understand ourselves: not as a congregation built by vision or momentum, but as one formed over time by Word, sacrament, service, and trust in the God who continues to gather us.
SETTING THE STAGE
Europe was in turmoil between 1830 and 1855. The new steam-powered machines put most craftsmen out of work and blight had destroyed crops across the continent. France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and England were rocked by revolutions. One hope burned brightly in the minds of the suffering -- America -- and they emigrated to the New World by the thousands.
Among them was a group of German Lutherans from Alsace, France, who found their way to the southeast corner of DuPage County in the 1840’s. Their new home was part of the sparsely settled frontier where the only roads were old Indian trails and the houses were built of logs. The Indians had been forced out of the area at the end of the Black Hawk War in 1833 and the Illinois Michigan Canal was being built nearby. The land was fertile and easy to buy, and they were soon joined by friends and relatives who were anxious to leave their homeland. In a short time they discovered other German Lutherans in nearby Cook County. Yearning for fellowship, they banded together and soon began gathering in schools and homes for worship services. Since there was no clergyman among them, they read prepared sermons and other religious instruction books. Their search for a pastor was unsuccessful. In 1851 they accepted the offer of an ex-teacher of the reformed church to take care of their spiritual needs. He was released, however, after one year.
In 1852 they went to Pastor Ernst August Brauer of Zion Lutheran Church in Dunklee’s Grove (known as Bensenville now). Pastor Brauer visited them and thought he could serve them as an affiliate congregation. After a few months he had to stop visiting them, but encouraged them to hold services. In 1853, he was able to help them call their first pastor, Rev. Friedrich Ottmann, a member of the Missouri Synod who was born and trained in Bavaria. He arrived in August and was formally installed on September 4, 1853. Our oldest records are in his handwriting. Services were held in a schoolhouse on Joliet Road and in a building near the Illinois Michigan Canal owned by the Canal Commission. Pastor Ottmann, with true missionary zeal, began gathering Lutherans in Naperville, Lisle, Downers Grove, Fullersburg, Willow Springs, and Lemont. In 1855, Pastor Ottmann followed a call to New Melle, Missouri.
During the next few years the huge parish was served on a temporary basis by Pastor C. Richard Riedel of Yorkville (known now as Long Grove) in Kendall County; Pastor J.A.F.W. Mueller of First Immanuel in Chicago, and his assistant, Rev. Gotthilf Simon Loeber.
In the fall of 1857 Rev. Hermann Liesmann, who had been educated by the missionary society at Barmen, Rhenish Prussia, arrived in the area. Both he and Rev. Carl A. Meyer of Immanuel in Proviso (Hillside) began serving the congregation.
Under Pastor Liesmann’s leadership, the families in the Downers Grove area organized themselves, with 15 charter members, under the name of GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN ST. JOHN CONGREGATION. They purchased three acres at 67th and Clarendon Hills Road on January 22, 1859 for thirty dollars. During that summer they erected their first church building and laid out a cemetery. The church still owns the cemetery.
On October 17, 1859, they signed their first constitution. Since all congregations compute their ages from their first constitutions, we use this date for our anniversary. The congregation in Willow Springs was formally organized in 1865 as Trinity Lutheran. In the summer of 1860, Pastor Liesmann followed a call to Iowa.
The new congregation seemed to have a bright future as the area was now “civilized” and becoming prosperous. When the Civil War broke out, more than ten men from the congregation served in the Union Army. The war and the great move west afterward increased the scarcity of Lutheran clergymen and for the next 19 years St. John was served mainly by pastors who just happened to be in the area.
THE ORIGINAL ST. JOHN CHURCH FORGES AHEAD
In the spring of 1879 Pastor Carl A. Trautmann, who was then serving Trinity in Willow Springs, agreed to serve St. John as an associate congregation. When Pastor Trautmann was called to Columbus, Indiana in October 1882, St. John turned to the pastor of St. Matthews in Lemont, Rev. William Ufenbeck. He served the congregation from November 1882 until March 1883. At that time, Rev. Frederick Brueggemann agreed to serve both the St. John and Trinity congregations, which he did until his death of tetanus on May 17, 1892, roughly 9 1/2 years.
The area prospered and the village of Lace sprang up at 75th Street and Plainfield. It soon boasted a general store, blacksmith shop, town hall, and creamery. A post office was established there on November 13, 1884. Since most of the inhabitants were German Lutherans, St. John held all its church services in German and became a center of social activities. After Pastor Brueggemann’s death, the members of St. John resolved to have their own pastor who would live nearby. They were unable to find a Lutheran pastor to serve them, however, so the congregation called evangelical pastors from 1892 to 1906.
The first of these, Pastor J. Maierle, was called on July 10, 1892 and served until November 28, 1892.
The congregation called Rev. August Fleer on February 26, 1893. Under Pastor Fleer’s leadership, the congregation decided to build a parsonage and add a steeple with bells to the old church. The new steeple was 10 feet square and 48 feet high. The new bell, donated by Conrad Buschmann, great-grandfather of the Coulman family, was delivered on November 22, 1893. It weighed 921 pounds and cost $168.56. This bell now hangs at the front of our present church.
In the spring of 1893, the work on the new parsonage was begun. The choir paid for a barn and the Ladies’ Aid, which first organized that year, paid for the digging of the well. In 1894 a schoolhouse was built at the rear of the parsonage at a cost of $570. Originally this school was used for instruction of children on Saturdays and during the summer months. This rear addition also served the purpose of a general meeting place. The parsonage stood where Churk’s Imports meat market now stands but was subsequently moved to a new location. Our Olive Fleetwood currently lives in what was the old parsonage although it has been remodeled several times.
The area continued to prosper and new families joined the church. The small size and deteriorating condition of the original church probably prompted the idea for a new church building. In 1896 and 1898 the idea of any further repairs on the old church were rejected. In 1898, the Deacons suggested that a new church be built in Lace. In the meantime, Pastor Fleer accepted a call, staying until December 31, 1898. The congregation called Pastor J.J. Meyer on November 21, 1898, but he did not arrive until Easter, 1899.
At a special congregational meeting on February 12, 1899 (and without an official pastor present), it was resolved that a new church be built in Lace. Some of our current members had relatives present for this momentous occasion: Edwin Andermann’s grandfather -- C. H. Warkentein; Edith Eggert’s grandfather -- Fred Andermann; and Arnold Oestmann’s grandfather -- Henry Hogrefe, Jr. The northeast corner of 75th Street and Cass Avenue was finally chosen as the new site, because the land was donated by Conrad Buschmann, great-grandfather of the Coulman family. He also donated the new bell, which now hangs at the front of our present church.
Less than a month after the decision to build was made, plans and specifications for the new church were shown to the church council. It cost approximately $4,000 by the time it was completed. Rev. J. Jacob Meyer was installed as Pastor of St. John on April 16, 1899.
The cornerstone was laid on Sunday, May 14, 1899 and the new church was dedicated on Sunday, September 3, 1899.
EARLY 20TH CENTURY DEVELOPMENTS
Pastor Meyer served until June 15, 1902. The congregation called Rev. M. Weber who served from July 27, 1902 until February of 1906.
During the vacancy months the congregation was served by Pastor C. Fricke of Aurora. Under his leadership the congregation, on February 18, 1906, decided to call a Lutheran pastor and return to the Missouri Synod.
On April 22, 1906, a call was sent to Rev. Martin Nickel who accepted and was installed on May 5, 1906.
In October 1906 a constitution was adopted in which the congregation declared and confessed that the Bible, the inspired Word of God, alone was and should be norm and rule of doctrine and practice among them. Pastor Nickel made plans for a Christian Day School which started in October, 1906, with 25 students. The Lutheran League was organized that same year. In 1907 the church was remodeled and decorated. Soon after, Pastor Nickel and the members of St. John helped gather Lutherans in Downers Grove who organized Immanuel congregation in 1909. Pastor Nickel served both congregations until November 1913 when he accepted a call to Zion Lutheran in Lyons, Illinois. At the time of the 50th anniversary in 1909, the congregation at St. John numbered 255 baptized souls, 132 communicants and 36 voting members.
In 1912 our congregation was received into membership of the Northern Ill. Dist. Lutheran Church, Mo. Synod. The congregation was now firmly established and took its regular course.
St. John’s next pastor, Rev. Walter Burmeister, was installed on December 11, 1913. He also continued to serve Immanuel and teach the day school. In August of 1915 it was decided to introduce one English service a month.
ST. JOHN WITH A BACKDROP OF TWO WORLD WARS & A DEPRESSION IN BETWEEN
Soon the nation was involved in World War I. Several young men from St. John served in the Armed Forces. This is the hard-times setting that Reverend Burmeister found himself entering as St. John continued strong in its faith. In 1917 the envelope system was introduced for a better regulation of finances. In October 1917, a furnace, paid for by the Ladies’ Aid was installed in the parsonage. In 1920, the church basement was converted into a suitable meeting place for the societies of the congregation.
Pastor Burmeister was called to Hinkley, Illinois, in November 1921; and the congregation installed Rev. William L. Kupsky on December 11, 1921. Church statistics for the year 1921 read: 255 baptized souls, 164 communicants, and 49 voting members.
The aftermath of World War I brought many changes. The great migration from the farm to the city began and during the 1920’s, the village of Lace dwindled and died. In 1922 it was decided to conduct regular English services on the 1st and 3rd Sunday mornings of each month. St. John continued its day school and in 1924 began its Sunday School program. In July, 1925, the congregation made a missionary canvas in Westmont; and as a result, helped organize Bethel Congregation. Still, St. John’s own membership dropped steadily to 197 baptized souls, 143 communicants and 42 voting members in 1926.
Pastor Kupsky left St. John in December 1926, for a call to Bellwood, Illinois. The congregation called Rev. Herman A. Laufer of Woodstock, Illinois to fill the vacancy. Pastor Laufer served St. John from his installation on March 6, 1927, to his death 24 years later on January 18, 1951. The church constitution was revised and translated into English in January 1929 -- the year of the Stock Market Crash and the beginning of The Great Depression. That same year, the steeple on the church had to be removed because of damage done by wind and lightning, and the Luther League youth paid for the installation of electricity in the church.
The parsonage wasn’t wired until 1931 for which the Ladies Aid deserve the credit. During the depression years, the congregation struggled along and the only projects undertaken were those of maintenance and repair. English services were now held every Sunday and German every other Sunday. In September 1934 a confirmation reunion service was held; and the schoolhouse was altered by the Men’s Club so it could be used for Dart Ball games. In 1934 the Ladies Aid had 15 members and the Luther League membership totaled 29. The church membership was 175 baptized souls, 145 communicants, and 38 voting members.
World War II began in Europe on September 1, 1939. Then, along with the rest of the nation, the members of St. John suddenly found themselves caught up in World War II. Many served in the Armed Forces and others were involved in the war effort. Our annual church picnic was held on our own church grounds for the first time in June of 1942. Previously various families had volunteered their farms for this event. Slowly prosperity returned.
PROSPERITY RETURNS
After the war, the area began to grow. New homes were being built in the vicinity and membership began to increase once again. In June 1946 plumbing was installed in the parsonage. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League was organized on October 23, 1947. The Men’s Club became affiliated with the Lutheran Laymen’s League. In October 1947 an oil burner was installed in the furnace at the church. In May 1948 the old barn was torn down and a garage built. Shortly before celebrating its 90th Anniversary -- in September 1949, the church was redecorated and new carpeting was purchased. In 1950 a new roof was put on the church and parsonage at a cost of $680. That same year German services were discontinued.
On June 3, 1951, Pastor R. Brenner was installed. In 1952 additions and improvements were made to accommodate growth. Housing developments continued to spring up. The old schoolhouse was sold for $400, moved and remodeled into a residence.
In 1952 the Men’s Club undertook as their project, the remodeling of the church basement and the installation of the water system. The church basement was enlarged and an addition built to the rear of the church.
In March of 1953 the Adult Bible Class was organized and instructed by Mr. E. Jorn. In December 1953 Mr. E. Andermann was elected new Sunday School Superintendent. On Sunday, November 7, 1954 the congregation celebrated its 95th Anniversary with a special service in the forenoon.
When 75th Street was widened in 1954, the old parsonage was sold. The congregation received $15,000 from the Highway Department for the land and then purchased its present site of four acres from the Andermann estate for $5,000. In 1958 the present parsonage was erected at a cost of $23,362.
More improvements came along. A public address system was installed in the church as a donation by the Ladies’ Aid Society. In 1956 the congregation purchased a new electronic organ at a cost of $4,140. The organ was dedicated to the worship of God in the name of the Triune God on Pentecost, May 20th. Pastor Wm. Kupsky of Bellwood, Illinois preached the sermon. Teacher Arnold Bathje of Chicago, Illinois presided at the organ that day and Mrs. Ralph Grabowski served as organist thereafter, with Miss Clara Andermann as assistant.
In 1957 the congregation agreed to pay partial tuition for children attending the Christian Day School at Zion Hinsdale.
At the time of the church’s Centennial in 1959, the congregation numbered 254 baptized souls, 150 communicants and 30 voting members.
The roster of church officers contained the following names: Pastor R. Brenner; Deacons: Messrs. Henry Faulhaber, Emery Faulhaber, Robert Kolar; Trustees: Messrs. Walter Molkentien, Celes Fleetwood, John Andermann; Secretary: Raymond Bluedorn; Treasurer: Edwin Shapin; Financial Secretary: Richard Roberts; Chairman: Arnold Oestmann; Sunday School Superintendent: Edwin Andermann.
Pastor Brenner left on September 11, 1961, to accept a call in Sherill, Iowa. St. John then called Rev. Edwin R. Schwanke who was installed on May 6, 1962. Membership grew by leaps and bounds during the next seven years. The tremendous growth of the membership was responsible for the building programs undertaken in the next few years.
AGAIN ST. JOHN MOVES FORWARD WITH AMBITIOUS BUILDING PROJECTS
In 1964 it was decided to build the educational wing at a cost of $135,000, which was dedicated on October 10, 1965. At that dedication it was said, “God willing, at the proper time, the Lord will lead us in the erection of a church structure adjoining our education building.”
It soon became apparent that the old church was no longer adequate as a house of worship. A substantial offer for the land at 75th and Cass was received and on July 2, 1968, the sale was completed. A month and a half later, on August 25, 1968, the last service was held in the old church which was then razed in the summer of 1969. At the end of this service, a processional was led down to the new Educational Wing by Pastor Schwanke and Mr. Pinos. Worship services were held in the educational wing from then on. Plans for a new sanctuary were begun in 1968. Pastor Schwanke accepted a call to Denver, Colorado and left on June 12, 1969.
St. John’s next pastor, Rev. Edward Runge, was installed on August 3, 1969. Planning for the new sanctuary continued and in 1970 a $335,000 mortgage was taken out and work on our present church was begun. On September 12, 1971, our current sanctuary was dedicated. We all know what it looks like but let’s take a moment to remember what it signifies.
Our chancel is Christ centered in the words of Saint Paul: “for in Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities, or authorities -- all things were created through Him and for Him.” Christ is the tie between the first creative acts and the second in the New Testament, culminating in the final great creative act, the resurrection.
As you face the worship area -- the windows on Christ’s right hand is the creative acts as recorded in the Old Testament -- the one on His left represent the New Testament creative acts.
The two smaller windows represent the various areas of vocation in which Christ’s redeemed followers can find an opportunity to serve Him.
On March 15, 1978, Pastor Runge resigned and moved to Missouri.
Rev. A. F. Grothe was installed as St. John’s next pastor on August 6, 1978. Pastor Grothe had been serving as assistant pastor since April of 1977. Under Pastor Grothe’s leadership, the congregation stabilized. Foundations were laid for new programs in evangelism and stewardship. Pastor Grothe left on August 15, 1979, to teach at the seminary in St. Louis, Missouri and Pastor John Spomer, Assistant Pastor at Immanuel in Downers Grove, served as the vacancy pastor.
Rev. Victor A. Bohlmann from Irving, Texas, assumed the responsibilities of pastor here on October 14, 1979. Due to health problems, Pastor Bohlmann was able to serve St. John only ten months before resigning and returning to Texas.
LATE 20TH CENTURY
Once again, the congregation was vacant for an extended period of time with Rev. Laurence Boseck serving as Interim Pastor. In January, 1981, the congregation extended a call to Rev. Larry W. Rockemann, Campus Pastor at Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois. Pastor Rockemann accepted the call in February and was installed in June, 1981. About this time, St. John purchased the organ we use today.
At the time of the 125th Anniversary in 1984, the new structure was appraised for almost $1,000,000; and the membership was 900 baptized souls with 710 communicant members.
On Palm Sunday, 1985, our sanctuary cross was dedicated.
In 1987 Pastor Rockemann accepted a call to Peoria. The next Pastor, David M. Bottorff, was installed in November 1987.
In recent decades, the wider cultural shifts affecting Christianity in America have also been felt at St. John. Patterns of regular church attendance weakened, generational ties loosened, and the surrounding culture grew less formed by shared Christian assumptions. As in many congregations, this did not arrive as a single crisis, but as a slow narrowing--fewer families passing on the faith by habit, fewer people shaped by the rhythms of weekly worship, and a growing sense that the Church had moved from the center of communal life to its margins. St. John did not experience these changes as a sudden collapse, but as a gradual testing of what truly sustains a congregation when momentum fades and cultural support recedes.
That testing intensified during the COVID pandemic. The closure of the preschool marked a real loss, both practically and emotionally, and forced the congregation to reckon honestly with what could and could not be maintained. Yet this season also opened unexpected doors. Partnership with the Lithuanian church brought new life into the building and reminded the congregation that the Church is larger than any single language, culture, or generation. More importantly, the disruptions of the pandemic clarified what the Church actually is. When programs paused and calendars emptied, what remained was the gathering of God’s people around Word and Sacrament. Worship was no longer assumed as one option among many, but received again as the heart of congregational life.
During these years, St. John was served faithfully by associate pastors Kirst, Guass, Swanson, and Serbus, who later became senior pastor before accepting another call. Each carried the ministry through seasons of transition with steadiness and care. Today, under the pastoral leadership of Eli Voigt, the congregation continues to be shaped by the same convictions that have sustained it from the beginning. Christ has preserved His Church at St. John through immigration and war, growth and decline, uncertainty and renewal. We confess with confidence that He will continue to do so. As in every previous trial, the future of this congregation does not rest on programs, trends, or strength of numbers, but on the promise that Christ Himself will gather, preserve, and prosper His Church until the end.
