about St. John

St. John Lutheran is a member church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

• We teach that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

• Our one God is Triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

• Mankind is sinful and cannot save himself.

• Jesus, through His death and resurrection is the world’s Savior.

• Our relationship with God is established and maintained through Word and Sacrament ministry.

The historic teaching of Martin Luther and the 16th century reformers can be summarized in three short phrases:

Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.

Our confessional document contained in the “Book of Concord”, can be accessed here.

The early history of this congregation dates back to approximately 1867, when a traveling missionary, Pastor Renicke, either from Nicollet or Henderson, Minnesota, visited a number of Lutheran families living in Rapidan Township and served them with Word and Sacrament. In the year 1868, Pastor K. Schulze of Henderson, Minnesota began serving these families. 

In 1869, Pastor A. Kuhn was installed as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran in Mankato, and Pastor Schulze then handed over this mission field to Pastor Kuhn. During this time, St. John’s Congregation was organized in 1870. Divine services were held in a public schoolhouse a few miles north of Good Thunder.

In the year 1876, the congregation resolved to build the First Church at a cost of $2,000.00, and at an additional cost of $600.00, attached several rooms to the rear of the church.  These were to serve as the parsonage for the pastor.

Late in the year 1876, the congregation extended a Divine Call to its first pastor. Rev. August Wolff of Isanti County was installed as the first resident pastor in January 1877. 

The present church was dedicated on Sunday, October 20, 1895.  The 1876 church served as the school building until 1937, when the present school building was built.

St. John Lutheran School was established in 1885, with Pastor Schulenburg and a congregational member serving as its first teachers.  It was in the subsequent year that the congregation’s first called teacher took up his work.  In 2006, after some 120 years serving the congregation and community, the school closed.  However, the St. John Lutheran Daycare, which was established in 1998, continues to thrive and serve our church and community.

Praise be to God for how He continues to bless St. John through Word and Sacrament.