One of the oldest Churches in the Cole Camp area located just North and West of Cole Camp, from Highway 52, take State Route U North to Cheese Creek Road, head West and you will find St. John's on the North side of the road. This is approximately a 6 mile drive.
The Sacrament of the Altar
is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
under the bread and the wine for us Christians
to eat and drink instituted by Christ Himself.
As we receive the Lord's Supper together,
witness is also given that we are united in the faith
we confess (one doctrine). For this reason,
the congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
have promised to practice close communion
and guests are asked to speak to the pastor before the service.
is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
under the bread and the wine for us Christians
to eat and drink instituted by Christ Himself.
As we receive the Lord's Supper together,
witness is also given that we are united in the faith
we confess (one doctrine). For this reason,
the congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
have promised to practice close communion
and guests are asked to speak to the pastor before the service.
If anyone has difficulty
going to the altar to receive communion,
please let an usher know,
and the pastor will come to your pew
to commune you individually.
going to the altar to receive communion,
please let an usher know,
and the pastor will come to your pew
to commune you individually.
"To say that one takes and receives the forgiveness of sins
in this sacrament is not speaking incorrectly;
for where Christ is, the forgiveness of sins is.
Here are His Body and Blood according to His Word."
As we receive his gift of forgiveness
we ask guests desiring to commune
to kindly speak with the pastor before the service.
For scriptural reasons,
the congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
have promised to practice close communion.
in this sacrament is not speaking incorrectly;
for where Christ is, the forgiveness of sins is.
Here are His Body and Blood according to His Word."
As we receive his gift of forgiveness
we ask guests desiring to commune
to kindly speak with the pastor before the service.
For scriptural reasons,
the congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
have promised to practice close communion.
The Cole Camp Regional Ministry
consists of four Missouri Synod Lutheran Churches
in the Cole Camp area and an elementary school with grades K - 8.
Several of the ministries of the churches
are being shared in order to better utilize our resources
and allow us to reach more people
in the Cole Camp Area.
Information on upcoming activities may be found
on the Facebook page at the link above.
The four churches are
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
St. John's Lutheran Church
Both served by Pastor Tyler P. Poppen
The third church is Mt. Hulda Lutheran Church
served by Pastor Allan Braun and is located
South of Cole Camp off of Highway B.
The fourth church is Trinity Lutheran Church
served by Pastor Gregory R. Truwe and is
located in Downtown Cole Camp
108 E Butterfield Trail
Cole Camp, MO 65325
660 668 2364
consists of four Missouri Synod Lutheran Churches
in the Cole Camp area and an elementary school with grades K - 8.
Several of the ministries of the churches
are being shared in order to better utilize our resources
and allow us to reach more people
in the Cole Camp Area.
Information on upcoming activities may be found
on the Facebook page at the link above.
The four churches are
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
St. John's Lutheran Church
Both served by Pastor Tyler P. Poppen
The third church is Mt. Hulda Lutheran Church
served by Pastor Allan Braun and is located
South of Cole Camp off of Highway B.
The fourth church is Trinity Lutheran Church
served by Pastor Gregory R. Truwe and is
located in Downtown Cole Camp
108 E Butterfield Trail
Cole Camp, MO 65325
660 668 2364
Our Humble Beginning
On Sunday, September 11, 1871, Henry Hashagen, John Junge, John Brunjes, Henry Peters, Henry Meier, and Dietrich Harms, who had received their release from the mother church south of Cole Camp, met or the purpose of organizing a congregation. The ground work was laid in this meeting and on October 21, 1871, the organization was perfected. At this meeting the name "St. John's Lutheran Church", was adopted. A constitution was read and adopted which was signed by eighteen members. It was resolved to ask pastor Sieving, pastor of the Lutheran Church at Lincoln, to serve the newly organized congregation until a pastor could be secured. Pastor Sieving served until the year 1878. Divine services were conducted in various school houses in the immediate vicinity. However, in the very first meeting it was resolved to build a house of worship. This was realized in a few years when a small building was erected and was dedicated as a church and school. Thus from the very beginning much stress was laid on Christian Education. After the first building was completed a Mr. Jost Meier was engaged to conduct a Christian Day School. In the course of time, Pastor Sieving succeeded in securing a student, a Mr. Lauterbach to conduct the school. For his service, as teacher, the congregation promised to pay Mr. Lauterbach ten dollars a month.
The members of the congregation felt that the time had arrived to secure their own pastor. Thus, in a regularly called meeting, a resolution was passed to extend a call to pastor A. Baepler, who at the time was a missionary in Dallas, Texas. The salary was set at $150.00 per year and each member be obligated to bring one sack of corn, one bushel of wheat each year for the pastor. To the disappointment of the congregation pastor Baepler declined the call. At this time pastor Sieving accepted a call and had left the Lincoln congregation. Pastor Nething, his successor, now served the congregation as interim pastor.
In a duly called meeting the members decided to apply for a candidate from the Seminary in St. Louis. The prayers of the people was answered when they were informed that candidate C. E. Guenther had been assigned as pastor of St. John's. Candidate Guenther was ordained and installed on Sunday, February 18, 1879, by pastor Nething. Shortly after the arrival of their first resident pastor the congregation erected a parsonage and a barn. In the year 1881 the first church building was built. This church served the congregation as a place of worship for forty years.
In the year 1886 the congregation became a member of the Missouri Synod. Pastor Guenther served St. John's faithfully for eleven years. In the spring of 1890 he accepted a call to Eldora, Iowa.
After the departure of pastor Guenther another application for a graduate from the St. Louis seminary was made. The board assigned graduate George Moeller to be pastor of St. John's. Pastor Moeller was ordained and installed September 7, 1890. He served the congregation faithfully until December 1903, when he accepted a call to Corder, Missouri. After the departure of pastor Moeller, a call was sent to his brother, the Rev. Fred Moeller, of Barnes, Kansas. Pastor Moeller accepted the call and was installed as pastor of St. John's January 3, 1904. He served the congregation until April 1912. He accepted a call to Pleasant Dale, Nebraska.
After a comparatively short vacancy a call was sent to pastor Fred W. Schoppe who accepted the call. Pastor Schoppe, with God's blessing, served the congregation faithfully until he accept a call to Traer, Kansas in the year 1917.
After a short vacancy the Lord of the Church provided another shepherd for the flock in the person of the Rev. John Roschke, who was installed in the fall of 1917. Pastor Roschke established the enviable record of having served the congregation faithfully, conscientiously, and with abundant blessings of God, for twenty-nine years - 1917 - 1946. Pastor Roschke presented his resignation to the congregation, which was regretfully accepted, in the fall of 1947, to live in retirement. It was during the ministry of pastor Roschke that the present church was erected in the year 1921 and dedicated in early 1922.
In the summer of 1947 the congregation called pastor A. J. Schauer, from Pasadena, Texas. He was installed in October 1947. It was in this year, 1947, that the erection of a new modern parsonage was begun, completed in the winter of 1948. Approximately seventy percent of the communicant membership is in Bible class every Sunday. It was also during the pastorate of pastor Schauer that the young people become affiliated with the International Walther League. An active men's club was also organized by pastor Schauer which today is very active and a member of the International Luther Laymen's League. The Christian Day School was also reopened in the year 1949. Pastor Schauer accepted a call to Antonia, Missouri, in 1954.
A vacancy existed for almost two years. During this period of time, several students attended Trinity Lutheran School, of Cole Camp. Later, a cooperative school was conducted with Trinity.
In 1956 Pastor Carl H. Wolf from Emery, South Dakota was installed as pastor and served until the end of 1959.
In May of 1960 Pastor W. J. Boehne was installed as pastor and served until 1965 when the Lord called him to his eternal rest.
In 1961 the Lutheran School Association was organized with Holy Cross and Trinity.
In December of 1965 Pastor Walter Moose was installed as pastor. During his pastorate St. John's received the Church of Distinction Award presented by the University of Missouri.
In April of 1969 extensive damage was done to the church building during a hail storm. During the following summer the church was redecorated both exterior and interior.
During the first one hundred years, there were 674 baptisms, 510 confirmations, 198 marriages, and 271 funerals.
The congregation has sponsored an active Sunday School and a very active choir for many years.
In 1971 a century of blessings was observed throughout the year.
Pastor Moose accepted a call to Texas and again left this congregation with a vacancy. Shortly thereafter, St. John's and Holy Cross formed a dual parish and both were served by Pastor William Schultz the resident pastor of Holy Cross who later accepted a call to Wartburg, Tennessee, in 1975.
Then on July 11, 1976 Pastor Richard Lindeman was ordained and installed. He was a graduate from Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois and served the Holy Cross congregation as well.
Dr. Oliver Harms, a son of St. John's congregation, served as President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in recent years.
The members of the congregation felt that the time had arrived to secure their own pastor. Thus, in a regularly called meeting, a resolution was passed to extend a call to pastor A. Baepler, who at the time was a missionary in Dallas, Texas. The salary was set at $150.00 per year and each member be obligated to bring one sack of corn, one bushel of wheat each year for the pastor. To the disappointment of the congregation pastor Baepler declined the call. At this time pastor Sieving accepted a call and had left the Lincoln congregation. Pastor Nething, his successor, now served the congregation as interim pastor.
In a duly called meeting the members decided to apply for a candidate from the Seminary in St. Louis. The prayers of the people was answered when they were informed that candidate C. E. Guenther had been assigned as pastor of St. John's. Candidate Guenther was ordained and installed on Sunday, February 18, 1879, by pastor Nething. Shortly after the arrival of their first resident pastor the congregation erected a parsonage and a barn. In the year 1881 the first church building was built. This church served the congregation as a place of worship for forty years.
In the year 1886 the congregation became a member of the Missouri Synod. Pastor Guenther served St. John's faithfully for eleven years. In the spring of 1890 he accepted a call to Eldora, Iowa.
After the departure of pastor Guenther another application for a graduate from the St. Louis seminary was made. The board assigned graduate George Moeller to be pastor of St. John's. Pastor Moeller was ordained and installed September 7, 1890. He served the congregation faithfully until December 1903, when he accepted a call to Corder, Missouri. After the departure of pastor Moeller, a call was sent to his brother, the Rev. Fred Moeller, of Barnes, Kansas. Pastor Moeller accepted the call and was installed as pastor of St. John's January 3, 1904. He served the congregation until April 1912. He accepted a call to Pleasant Dale, Nebraska.
After a comparatively short vacancy a call was sent to pastor Fred W. Schoppe who accepted the call. Pastor Schoppe, with God's blessing, served the congregation faithfully until he accept a call to Traer, Kansas in the year 1917.
After a short vacancy the Lord of the Church provided another shepherd for the flock in the person of the Rev. John Roschke, who was installed in the fall of 1917. Pastor Roschke established the enviable record of having served the congregation faithfully, conscientiously, and with abundant blessings of God, for twenty-nine years - 1917 - 1946. Pastor Roschke presented his resignation to the congregation, which was regretfully accepted, in the fall of 1947, to live in retirement. It was during the ministry of pastor Roschke that the present church was erected in the year 1921 and dedicated in early 1922.
In the summer of 1947 the congregation called pastor A. J. Schauer, from Pasadena, Texas. He was installed in October 1947. It was in this year, 1947, that the erection of a new modern parsonage was begun, completed in the winter of 1948. Approximately seventy percent of the communicant membership is in Bible class every Sunday. It was also during the pastorate of pastor Schauer that the young people become affiliated with the International Walther League. An active men's club was also organized by pastor Schauer which today is very active and a member of the International Luther Laymen's League. The Christian Day School was also reopened in the year 1949. Pastor Schauer accepted a call to Antonia, Missouri, in 1954.
A vacancy existed for almost two years. During this period of time, several students attended Trinity Lutheran School, of Cole Camp. Later, a cooperative school was conducted with Trinity.
In 1956 Pastor Carl H. Wolf from Emery, South Dakota was installed as pastor and served until the end of 1959.
In May of 1960 Pastor W. J. Boehne was installed as pastor and served until 1965 when the Lord called him to his eternal rest.
In 1961 the Lutheran School Association was organized with Holy Cross and Trinity.
In December of 1965 Pastor Walter Moose was installed as pastor. During his pastorate St. John's received the Church of Distinction Award presented by the University of Missouri.
In April of 1969 extensive damage was done to the church building during a hail storm. During the following summer the church was redecorated both exterior and interior.
During the first one hundred years, there were 674 baptisms, 510 confirmations, 198 marriages, and 271 funerals.
The congregation has sponsored an active Sunday School and a very active choir for many years.
In 1971 a century of blessings was observed throughout the year.
Pastor Moose accepted a call to Texas and again left this congregation with a vacancy. Shortly thereafter, St. John's and Holy Cross formed a dual parish and both were served by Pastor William Schultz the resident pastor of Holy Cross who later accepted a call to Wartburg, Tennessee, in 1975.
Then on July 11, 1976 Pastor Richard Lindeman was ordained and installed. He was a graduate from Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois and served the Holy Cross congregation as well.
Dr. Oliver Harms, a son of St. John's congregation, served as President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in recent years.