Saint John's Lutheran Church

Folder includes newspaper clippings regarding the church, dedication book from dedication of the education building in 1977, church statistical record, and 75th anniversary booklet.

The history of the Lutheran Church in the American Falls area began in Pleasant Valley in 1910 when services were first conducted by Rev. E. Berthold, who at the time was serving a congregationof the Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio in Walla Walla, Washington. Organization of the Martin Luther congregation took place in 1911. Rev. Berthold and several other pastors of the Ohio Synod continued to serve the congregation until 1912, but since the Ohio Synod could not fill the congregation’s application for a resident pastor, the congregation applied to the Iowa Synod for a minister. Services at that time were held in the home of Ludwig Adolf, Sr. and later in the Pleasant Valley School. St. John’s was organized in May of 1913 with 12 voting and 61 baptized members. In February of 1947, Martin Luther and St. John’s united under the name of St.John’s. A building for the newly combined congregations was completed and dedicated January 27, 1952, and a new parsonage was completed in August of 1963.