Just SOME of Our History!

Rev. Frederich Schmidt of Scio Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan, gathered the Lutherans in and near Bridgewater to form a congregation, under the name of Saint John’s Lutheran Church. In 1875 it was decided to build a new parsonage. It was also recommended that the church purchase two acres of land. This included the location of the present parsonage and parking lot.

German School was held every day from November through March. Church youth dropped out of regular school during these months to study reading, writing and catechism in German. After German School was over for the season, many pupils returned to their public school for continued education. The last class to be confirmed in German was held on April 5, 1925.   When German School stopped, Catechism was taught on Wednesday and Saturday for a few hours.

After some renovations to the church in the spring of 1913, a re-dedication of the church took place on August 5, 1913, and on the same day the 60^th anniversary of the congregation and the 30^th anniversary of the church were celebrated.

In 1928 the men and women began sitting together in church! Before that, men sat on the west side and women sat on the east side of the church. During 1947, a small group known as the Family Fellowship Circle was formed.  It was also during this period the Ladies’ Aid Society joined the Women’s Missionary Federation of the American Lutheran Church, thus supporting the projects of the W.M.F.

At the end of 1953 our records showed 330 baptized souls and 230 communicant members. In 1954 the church celebrated its Centennial Anniversary of Christian Service to its congregation.  Many new gifts were also given in honor and thanks for our birthday including our first public address system.

In January 1959, the congregation looked forward to the coming merger of the American Lutheran Churches. In August 1965, the congregation decided to hold Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. with our worship service to follow at 10:30 a.m.

In 1971, the church kitchen was completely remodeled. Through the generosity of a member, a new loudspeaker system was installed in September. Now everyone could hear God’s teachings!

The Education Unit was started with the glimmer of an idea implanted by God with Mrs. Charles Kruger back in the 1960. The idea was to start saving so that when the need arose the congregation would have the funds. No one gave much further thought to the idea again until June, 1972, when we began to run out of space in the church basement for classes!

At the Annual Congregation Meeting held January 11, 1976, Pastor Falk spoke again of the need for an Education Unit.  By this time, we were using the parsonage on Sundays for classroom space. The set of plans drawn up included a two-story addition with seven classrooms, two restrooms, a church office and two 36-foot by 23-foot overflow rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs.

In September, the congregation voted to build the new addition on the west side of the church, even though it meant moving several graves. On September 11, 1978, Judge Russ Campbell issued a ruling allowing the graves to be moved under the supervision of Gerald Bahnmiller.  A memorial service was held November 5^th, All Saints’ Sunday, for the remains that had to be moved. We thank God for this unit every day.

1976 was a busy year for celebrating our Nation’s birthday. Our church celebrated with several bi-centennial activities to remind us of our heritage and freedom of religious choice. In the summer we finished the year’s celebrations with an old-fashioned Pig Roast and Picnic, enjoyed by the whole congregation. In this Birthday Year it seemed only natural that we should establish a committee to plan our own 125^th Anniversary to take place in 1979.

January 1, 1977, at the Annual Congregation Meeting, pastor Falk announced for formation of a new group called “The Evangelical Outreach Committee.”  The goal of this committee is to (1) Reach people through prayer, (2) Scriptures, (3) seeking inactive members.

“Time for Children” began as a “once in a while” ministry. Each Sunday a member of the congregation gathers the around the Altar for a five-to-seven-minute message geared to their level.  Pastor Falk’s wife initiated “Time for Children” as a regular part of each Sunday’s service, and it remains as part of our worship service to this day.

Of all the events, the Groundbreaking Service on September 10, 1968, will stand in our hearts for some years.  The ceremonies were held on Promotion Sunday and with the close of the service the whole congregation walked outside and stood on a white chalk line forming the shape of the new Education Unit.  The children then came out and stood in the center where the addition would be built.  After prayers, the Education Committee, pushed the one-horse plow, while the rest of the congregation pulled on a rope that had been attached to the plow. The dry clay ground broke with hardly any resistance; a sure sign God was pleased with our efforts!

This is only a snapshot. St. John’s has so much rich history. In 2004, we celebrated our 150^th Church Anniversary. In 2029, we will be celebrating our 175^th Church Anniversary. However, we hope that you will consider joining us now to worship and fellowship so that you, too, will become part of our church family and the St. John’s legacy.