History of Our Organs
The congregation celebrated its 250th Anniversary in 2002. The original log meeting house was erected in 1755. In 1791, the Lutheran and Reformed churches dedicated a frame building to be used as a union church. A Tannenberg organ was used in this building and served for 86 years, until a fire destroyed both the building and the organ. In 1877, a new brick church was dedicated and a new M.P. Moller organ was installed.
In 1896, the two congregations separately incorporated. They continued to share the same building until the Lutheran congregation began a building fund and the present church home of St. John’s Lutheran Church was built. It was dedicated in April 1957. A Fritzche organ was purchased and installed in the new building.
During the 1990s, the congregation began to experience problems with the organ. In 1998, a committee was established to investigate whether to refurbish the present instrument or to purchase a new instrument and relocate it to the balcony. It was decided that the Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio be retained to build a three-manual, 37-rank pipe organ with 2,501 pipes.
