St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating 150th anniversary of its founding

St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church and School has a rich 150-year history marked by steady growth, beautiful artistry, and a deep commitment to the Merrill community.

Founding and early years (1870s–1880s)
Preliminary work to organize the church began in 1872 under Pastor Wilhelm Rehwinkel, who conducted early services in private homes and an armory building in the town of Jenny, before the town was incorporated and renamed the city of Merrill. The congregation was officially established on April 24, 1876, during a meeting at Boettcher’s Hall. In 1880, the population of Merrill was 822 residents. Services were held at the public school which was located at Third and Mill Streets.
The congregation purchased land and dedicated its first 24-by-40-foot church building in 1881, located on the north side of Second Street, between Lake and Nast Streets. The first Christian Day School was established in 1883 directly next to the church, initially enrolling 30 children. Just a year later, a second school building was erected in a more central location on the east side of Cleveland Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, and the congregation officially joined the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Turn of the century growth (1890s–1910s)

To accommodate a growing congregation, a larger “brick” church with a tall steeple was constructed at the northwest corner of Third and Poplar Streets, dedicating it in December 1892. This building no longer exists, as the congregation later built a second parsonage on the exact site in 1956. However, one of the three bells from the old brick church’s steeple was donated back to the congregation in 2016 and now sits in a tower behind the current church’s sign. Continued growth in the school led to the construction of a four-room brick school building in 1903 on the northwest corner of Spruce and Fifth Streets, handling an enrollment of 200 pupils with just three teachers. Bible history and Catechism were still taught in German, along with German reading and writing. It was not until December 1909 that English Sunday School began, and it would be another two years before services in German ended.

Mid-century modernization and artistry (1950s–1970s)
The need for even more space resulted in the groundbreaking of the current stone church building in October 1951, constructed in Gothic architectural style, which was dedicated on April 26, 1953, at its modern-day address of 1104 E. 3rd Street in Merrill. This beautiful, still-standing sanctuary is adorned with intricate stained-glass windows crafted from Genuine Antique Glass imported from Europe. Acting as visual “teachers,” the windows cast a spectrum of colored light onto the church’s interior. The striking rose window in the chancel was designed by Professor Anton Wendling of the University of Aachen, Germany, and executed by the T. C. Esser Company of Milwaukee. A notable feature of the east window in the choir loft is that the morning sunlight passes through it, casting an image of Jesus directly onto the chancel cross.
The current school, attached to the church, was begun in 1967 and dedicated in 1968.

Recent decades and present day (1980s–2020s)

The church underwent a significant expansion in 1997 and 1998; the city vacated a block of Fourth Street, allowing the congregation to construct an elevator and a major building addition. Over the years, the church has also owned various residential properties, though many have since been sold to outside parties. Today, the Day School continues to educate children through 8th grade, achieving National Lutheran Schools Accreditation and eligibility for the State of Wisconsin School Choice program in 2019.
In 2016, the congregation landscaped its outdoor space into the St. John Prayer Garden, inviting community members to stop to sit, pray, and just enjoy the quiet serenity of the space which features a cross as the focal point, representing Christ as the center of their faith.

Church groups, ministries, and instrumentation
St. John sustains its community through numerous active boards and ministries:
• Altar Guild & Ladies Aid: The Altar Guild serves as caretakers of the church’s worship life, preparing Holy Communion and changing paraments, while the Ladies Aid (organized in 1895) focuses on community support, fundraising, funeral luncheons, and charitable works. The Ladies Aid originally began by sewing crazy quilts and rag rugs to sell at the school picnic.

• Eagles N.E.S.T.: Founded in 1958 as the St. John Mothers’ Club, this group raises money for the school and Sunday School through bake sales, rummage sales, book fairs, and a wide variety of other fun activities.
• Youth Group: A highly active group that participates in field trips, service projects, Trunk or Treat, and soup suppers.
Music and instrumentation have always played a central role in these ministries. In the early years, the St. John’s Church Band (organized in 1889) used C.G. Conn Co. instruments to accompany hymns at church and community events before disbanding in the 1930s. Early organ music was provided by a Carl Barkhoff organ in the 1892 church, followed by a $6,550 Verlinden organ in 1932.
When the current church opened in 1953, the old Wangerin organ was moved into the new sanctuary, but an unfortunate roof leak in the early 1970s caused severe damage. In 1976, the church installed a magnificent custom Schlicker mechanical pipe organ for $65,000. The organ features 24 stops, 32 ranks, and 1,513 pipes installed on the east wall; replacing it today would cost approximately $1.3 million. Additional modern instrumentation includes a baby grand piano donated anonymously in 2024, and a custom 37-bell set of Malmark handbells donated in 1991, which are actively played by the 9-member Bell Choir. The Choir and Bell Choir, which has historically fostered communal worship, continues to lift spirits today.

150th Anniversary events

The congregation will mark its sesquicentennial with a weekend of special events on April 25 and 26, 2026:
• Saturday, April 25: A casual gathering for all will take place in the gym from 4 to 7 p.m., featuring pizza, desserts, and beverages.
• Sunday, April 26: Two special anniversary services with Holy Communion will be held at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., led by Guest Pastor the Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast. The services will feature special instrumentalists, the handbell choir, and the Choir presenting God is Light, He Shines Unshadowed, a piece specifically composed by Lowell Schultz for the 150th Anniversary. Cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes, fruit, and beverages will be served in the fellowship hall after the 8 a.m. service, and hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and beverages will be served in the gym after the 10:30 a.m. service until 3 p.m.
• Activities: Throughout the weekend, attendees can enjoy historic displays, open house tours of the church and school, a photo slide show, a scavenger hunt, and stained-glass window coloring pages.
• All events are free and no reservations are needed.
• U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany read a proclamation honoring the church on April 1, 2026, at the U.S. House of Representatives.