About Us

Our sanctuary and chancel recently renovated

St. John's is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  On a more local level, we are part of the South Central Synod of Wisconsin.  We are wholeheartedly Lutheran, following the tradition that came about after a German monk named Martin Luther posted 95 points of debate on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517.

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Following is a history of St. John's as printed in the 1996 membership directory:

The history of St. John's Lutheran Church begins in the middle of the 19th century.  At that time there were Lutheran families living south of Richland Center at Ash Creek.  They were worshipping in the Ash Creek log schoolhouse.  In 1858 they built a "substantial log Church west of the town hall".  On October 9, 1859, the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, the St. John's Lutheran congregation at Ash Creek was organized.

The old log church on Ash Creek was abandoned in 1894 and the congregation decided to build a new church in Richland Center.  The records state: "On July 2, 1893 the congregation decided to build a church in Richland Center, 30 x 40 x 18' high - 67' tower - 10 windows - choir balcony 8' wide - 24 pews - like church in Boaz.  January 4, 1894, the contract for the church building let to Lewis Miller for $1,434.00 - church to be completed by August 1, 1894.  July 22, 1894 the congregation decided to veneer church exterior with brick."  The church still stands at the corner of Burton and Larson streets.

Paralleling the beginning history of the church at Ash Creek is the history of the Lutheran Church at Boaz.  Pastors serving the Ask Creek congregation also served the congregation in Boaz.  A church building was built in Boaz at about the same time the church building was built in Richland Center.  On December 3, 1950, the Boaz Lutheran Church united with the St. John's Lutheran Church in Richland Center.

The present site of St. John's Lutheran Church at Park and Burton Streets came about in 1951.  The church was built and was dedicated on November 25th.  In that same year, the Voice of St. John's radio broadcast was begun over WRCO.

The Parish Hall - Education Building was constructed in 1958 and in 1980 a Pipe Organ was installed in the church, 1989 - Access Lift and in 1995, Handbells were given through Memorial Funds. 

St. John's Lutheran Church celebrated 125 years of God's grace in 1984.  "For this we are grateful to the founders who, because of their Christian faith, felt moved to organize and build a Lutheran Congregation for themselves and for those who came after them ... and to the pastors who have administered the means of grace so faithfully through the years ... and to all who have been and are now members of this congregation.  Thanks be to God."