St. John Lutheran Church


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History of St. John Lutheran Church

March 24, 1914	Plans were laid for organizing a Lutheran congregation with the support of the General Synod.
May 20, 1914	Name of St. John was decided.
September 28, 1914	Constitution proposed by the Home Mission Board was adopted.
March 28, 1915	First class was confirmed.
July 25, 1915	Dr. Ernest H. VonHahmann resigned from serving at St. John Mission and Salem Lutheran.
1915 - 1916	Pastor Walter Schmitt from Salem Church took pastoral responsibility of St. John. The 90' x 100' lot at the corner of Third Street and Washburn Avenue was purchased for $1,350.
July 18, 1916	St. John, Brooklyn, was joined with a church in Lauraville (now Hamilton) to become a two church parish. The pastor was M. H. Frank.
1916	First church building was purchased from Sears, Roebuck and Company.
January 1917	Dr. Paul C. Burgdorf began serving as pastor for St. John Mission, in addition to his own congregation Jerusalam, on Belair Road in Baltimore.
May 10, 1925	Parsonage was dedicated.
June 1, 1925	Pastor and Mrs. J. F. Winklebleck became the first residents. Pastor J. F. Winklebleck served for a year and a half.
May 5, 1927	I. Wilson Kepner was called to be the first full-time pastor of St. John and began work on June 1.
July 17, 1927	I. Wilson Kepner was officially installed as pastor of St. John.
August 26, 1928	Cornerstone for the new church building was laid.
March 24, 1929	New church building was dedicated.
January 1, 1937	St. John became self-supporting.
April 1950	Cornerstone for the new education building was laid.
March 28, 1954	Dedication of the education building was held on the 25th anniversary of the church building.
July, 1957	Corner lot at Second and Washburn was purchased for use as a playground.
September, 1957	St. John's Christian day School began with it's first kindergarten class.
June 1, 1964	The Reverend Edward E. Donald became assistant pastor and served until 1972.
July 15, 1964	Pastor Kepner completed 37 years as pastor of St. John, when God called him to the Church Triumphant.
September 15, 1965	The Reverend John W. Eastlack became pastor and served until 1972.
June 1970	The Day School was expanded to include a nursery program and a day care center.
April 1974	The Reverend John W. Eastlack was called him to the Church Triumphant.
July 1, 1975	The Reverend B. F. Booher became pastor of St. John and served until 1982.
February 21, 1982	John E. Myers, Jr. and Gordon Harris were called as deacons.
June 1, 1982	The Reverend Dennis Schell began his vice-pastorate and served until May 31, 1983.
December 6, 1982	Charles Fitzhugh, who served as Minister of Music for 44 years, entered Eternal Life.
January 23, 1983	Deacon John E. Myers, Jr. entered the Church Triumphant.
November 1, 1983	The Reverend Joseph P. Lettrich began his ministry at St. John.
July 17, 1927	The Reverend Joseph P. Lettrich was officially installed as pastor of St. John.
May 31, 1984	Sanctuary renovations were dedicated and the new alter painting by Stephens Berge was mounted.
May 1988	Parsonage was demolished to clear space for expansion.
May 29, 1988	Groundbreakin was held for a new three classroom addition to the education wing.
October 1988	Renovated education wing was dedicated as work continued on the new addition.
1989	New education addition completed.
June 25, 1995	Retirement celebration was held for Deacon Harris and he was recognised as Deacon Emeritus.
November 1, 1998	New archives room was dedicated.
June 27, 1999	Retirement celebration was held for Principal Mary Wright, who had served the day school since 1965.
June 1, 2000	Pastor Joeseph Lettrich retired and was recognized as Pastor Emeritus.
October 2001	The Reverend Andrea Hagen began serving as interum pastor, serving through April 2003.
May 13, 2003	Former Principal Mary Wright entered Eternal Life.
June 8, 2003	The Reverend Neil O'Farrell began his pastorate at St. John.
July 6, 2003	The Reverend Neil O'Farrell was ordained in Boston.
October 8, 2003	The Reverend Neil O'Farrell was installed as St. John's pastor.

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