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Responding in faith to our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, the people of St. John's Lutheran Church, through the
work of the Holy Spirit, seek to unite all of God's people in the grace
of our God through the ministry of Word and Sacrament, to share our
Lord's love and meet the needs in our community.
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The congregation of St. John's was organized July 5, 1840, by the Rev. George Klapp. At the time, Sidney had 713 inhabitants and forest still covered large portions of the county. The first church council was installed on November 1, 1840. A list found in the first record of the congregation, dated October 30, 1842, contains the names of 33 communicant members.
During the first fourteen years of its existence St. John's congregation had no church building of its own and services were conducted in the homes of members, halls, and churches of other denominations. The congregation finally secured a church home of its own in 1854 by purchasing the modest frame building and lot on Water Street vacated by the Associate Presbyterians, who had built it in 1835. This building is seen below.
First Church Building
The congregation continued to grow, reaching 200 communicants by 1885, and a new church building was constructed and dedicated October 14, 1888. The congregation grew to a membership of 600 by 1923 and the second building was used until 1927 when the congregation outgrew that building. The cornerstone of the building that stands today was laid July 17, 1927. The educational wing was constructed in 1960.
Second Church Building
1888 - 1927
Today, the congregation consists of 1,579 Baptized members, 1,089 Confirmed members, and has an average weekly attendance of over 500.
Pastors Who Have
Served
St. John's Lutheran Church
| Rev. George Klapp | 1840 - 1844 | Pastor |
| Rev. Isaac Hursch | 1844 - 1850 | Pastor |
| Rev. George Spangler | 1850 - 1860 | Pastor |
| Rev. George Lowenstein | 1860 - 1862 | Pastor |
| Rev. J. Graessle | 1862 - 1868 | Pastor |
| Rev. J. Bundental | 1868 - 1870 | Pastor |
| Rev. J. Dingeldy | 1871 - 1879 | Pastor |
| Rev. Frederick A. Groth | 1879 - 1885 | Pastor |
| Rev. A. H. Minneman | 1885 - 1905 | Pastor |
| Rev. Emanuel Poppen | 1905 - 1915 | Pastor |
| Rev. D. F. Schultz | 1915 - 1923 | Pastor |
| Rev. H. W. Swinehart | 1924 - 1970 | Sr. Pastor |
| Rev. Larry Hoffsis | 1964 - 1967 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Milo A. Strozensky | 1970 - 1972 | Sr. Pastor |
| Rev. Adolf Quast | 1971 - 1972 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Carl A. Roepcke | 1972 - 1978 | Sr. Pastor |
| Rev. Monty Kaufman | 1973 - 1976 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. G. Karl Gaston | 1977 - 1980 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. T. Rene Meyer | 1978 - 1980 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Darryl Adams | 1978 - 1984 | Sr. Pastor |
| Rev.
Jonathan Schriber |
1985
- Present |
Sr. Pastor |
| Rev. Ron Chelton | 1980 - 1983 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Richard Genzman | 1986 - 1992 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Thomas Danklefsen | 1993 - 1999 | Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. William D. Morrissey | 1999 - 2000 | Intrim Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev.
Alicia Nierman |
2002
- Present |
Assoc. Pastor |
| Rev. Richard
Jesse |
1993 - 2003 |
Visitation Pastor |
We pay tribute to all of the professional and lay people who over the decades have given faithful leadership and service to St. John's Church in order that it may continue to be a Christian influence and inspiration to its members and to the Community of Sidney.
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Front from Water St. and West
Ave.
Rear and Educational Wing
Front as seen from Water St.
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