A history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John

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May 28, 1876 - The Rev. Henry H. Norden gathers a small group of German Lutherans in his home near Hinckley for worship. That summer, the growing congregation moves to the jury room of the old DeKalb County Courthouse. Dec. 10, 1876 - The group is organized into a formal organization calling itself the German Lutheran Society. May 23, 1885 - For $1,300, the church purchases a vacant church building at Main and Exchange streets in Sycamore. It was the second-oldest church building in Sycamore and needed substantial repairs. The church is called the St. John Congregation. 1932 - St. John's Ladies Aid Society, organized in 1914, has raised enough money to improve the church's kitchen with a gas stove, sink and cupboard. April 1936 - The congregation by this time is known as St. John's Lutheran Society of Sycamore. As it celebrates its 60th anniversary, it counts 121 baptized members, 82 confirmed members and 28 voting members. The congregation begins planning to build a new church to replace its 86-year-old building. By the end of the year, Ladies' Aid has raised $1,000 for the building of a new church. 1937 - Church member Paul A. Nehring, owner of the First National Bank in DeKalb, announces that his family has purchased two lots at the northwest corner of Main and Ottawa streets and donated them to St. John's. The Nehring family also gives the church $50,000 toward the project of building a new church. Nehring's wife, Elizabeth, donates the family's former home across the street to be used as a parsonage. Oct. 11, 1937 - Ground is broken for the new church building. June 12, 1938 - The first service in the new church is held. April 12, 1950 - The congregation officially changes its name to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John at Sycamore, Illinois. 1951 - St. John's celebrates its 75th anniversary. It now has 440 baptized members, 284 confirmed members and 57 voting members. 1976 - St. John's celebrates its 100th anniversary. April 25, 1982 - The church rededicates its pipe organ, which was first built in 1938 and rebuilt by the end of 1981. September 1994 - Ground is broken for the church's building addition. Sept. 10, 1995 - The completed building addition is dedicated in a special service. 2001 - St. John's celebrates its 125th anniversary. Feb. 8, 2004 - A malfunction in the church's pipe organ causes a small fire in the church's basement. The Rev. Don Phelps, the Sycamore Fire Department's chaplain and a paid on-call firefighter, and parishioner Tal Hickey, a lieutenant with the department, control the fire until firefighters arrive. Feb. 9, 2004 - A fire destroys the church. --- Source: "The Historical Highlights of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John," published in 2001.