Photo by Jody Isaackson Members of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Omro Township, met with their pastor, the Rev. Allen Lonnquist last week to discuss the church’s 135th anniversary plans. The event will be Sept. 24 in a 10 a.m. worship service followed by a catered meal. Pictured are Delmore and Bethal Fenske, Florence and Leon Werner, Luther Wurster, the Rev. Allen Lonnquist and David Wiegers.

OMRO TOWNSHIP — “The Word of the Lord Stands Forever” (1Peter 1:25a) will be the theme for the 135th anniversary of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church starting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 24.

The Rev. Allen Lonnquist, organists Luther Wurster and Pam Lonnquist, as well as the entire 25-member congregation are already making plans and preparations for the upcoming celebration.

“We’ve hired Doug Pearson from Dawson to cater it,” parishioner Bethal Fenske said. “We now have all our dinners catered.”

Fenske told of the congregation’s low-key planning strategy. It decided not to send out written invitations, but go with the word-of-mouth advertising. Everyone in the congregation was encouraged to call their relatives and friends and invite them to the autumn event.

Because of this strategy, former members and guests will be asked to call 320-855-2564 to RSVP for the catered dinner.

The congregation hopes to pack the pews as it did when Bethal and Delmore were first married. It was full, especially at Christmas time when the congregation used to sing some of the Christmas songs in German.

Fenske said that when the church was first established in 1882, there had been two services held, one in German and one in English. Eventually, German-speaking members disappeared and the remaining congregation continued on in English.

The membership of St. John’s ranges from 7-month-old Dylan Berglund to 96-year-old Edmund Leppke.

Leon Werner, and his wife, Florence, said they were next in line for eldest at 95 and 90, respectively.

Congregational members are still proud of their German Lutheran heritage and the fact that they all believe that the Bible is the true word of God. It accounts for how well they work together, Bethal Fenske said.

“We’re all friends and we all believe the same,” she said. “Most of our parents were charter members of this church.”

“Most of us are also lifetime members,” Leon Werner said.

There are four children in St. John’s Sunday school, and they give the Christmas Eve message every year that weather permits. Due to a holiday snowstorm this past year, though, there had been no Christmas services.

At its peak, the congregation numbered 250 baptized members. From 1905 to 1963, the church also operated a Christian day school.

Leon Werner remembers driving a pony and cart to school during that time.

“I would tie it in the stable during school,” he said, “and get it out again after school to go home.”

“They had to clean the stable on Saturdays, too,” Florence Werner said.

Florence also remembers that back then, families would drive to church with horse and wagon or sleigh and tie their horses to hitching posts outside.

“As membership declined with the changes in the farming economy and rural communities,” Lonnquist said, “St. John’s has shared ministry as a dual parish partner with several congregations (that have) since closed. It currently functions as a single parish.

“As the years pass, the church counts each one a gift from God and an opportunity for worship and service,” he said. “Together with the Wisconsin Synod, our mission remains to share the good news of Jesus here and throughout the world.”

In addition to serving as St. John’s pastor, Lonnquist also works as a paraprofessional at Montevideo High School.