St. John's Lutheran-Parkville

Source:  Centennial History of the Evangelical Church in Maryland 1820-1920, Wentz

Church Website: http://www.stjohnsparkville.org/

St. John's Church was organized July 24, 1887, with thirty two members. Previous to the organization two services were held in Hiss Methodist Episcopal Church, Harford Road, by the first pastor in charge, Rev. Louis Rymarski, the first on Sunday afternoon, June 19, 1887, when sixty persons were present, and the pastor preached on the sermon from Psalm 22:31, "They shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born.”  The second meeting was held on July 17, when seventy attended. At the close of that meeting the people present voted to be organized as a congregation. July 24 was set for that purpose. On that day a constitution was presented by the pastor, which was received and adopted by the members.  The newly organized church was called "Deutsche Vereinigte evangelishe (lutherischen-reformierte) St. Johannes Genieinde" German United Evangelical Lutheran Reformed St. John's Congregation. According to this constitution. Art. 1, sec. 3 Luther's Small Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism shall be used as text-books for the instruction of the young, and Art. VIII provides that both bread and wafers shall be used at Holy Communion.

On the day when the organization was effected the sum of $1,000 was subscribed by the members for the erection of a church building, a mark that surpassed the hopes of many for the day.

The corner stone of the church building was laid Sunday afternoon, September 11, 1887, by the first pastor, who was assisted in the service by the Revs. Edward Huber and Nicholas Buckhardt, both of Baltimore City, and Rev. Hyde, of Hiss Methodist Episcopal Church. The building was completed and dedicated Sunday afternoon, November 27, when the same ministers who assisted in the laying of the corner stone were present and took part in the dedication service.

The Sunday school was organized on the morning of the day when the church was dedicated, the pastor being the first superintendent. The Ladies' Aid Society was organized in the same month, November, 1887. The first communion was held on Christmas Day, 1887, when, according to the records, twenty eight persons took part in the celebration. The Young People's Society was organized by the sixth pastor in charge. Rev. August E. Ernst, September, 1907.

The congregation was received into the Maryland Synod in January 1918. It was in July, 1918 that a call was extended to Rev. W.E. Saltzgiver, the then pastor of the Uniontown Lutheran charge. He entered the field August 1, 1918.

From that date and in 1920, the communicant membership increased from forty to more than one hundred and ten. The congregation had a substantial church building and a modern parsonage, valued at $10.000, free from debt. The Sunday school had a membership of 117, the Luther League 45, and the Ladies' Aid 30. The pastor's salary was $200 annually.

Pastors:

Rev.Louis Rymarski June 1887 to November 1888

Rev.  Karl Buff  November 1888 to October 1892

Rev.  Dr. Pape October 1892 to December 1893

Rev.  Henry Gyr December 1893 to September 1899

Rev.  Richard W. Jungfer October 1899 to March 1900

Rev.  August E. Ernst July 1906 to August 1908

Rev. Frederick Hahn-Zumpf August 1908 to June 1909

Rev. Richard Ulhorn February 1910 to April 1912

Rev. A. William Ahl. May 1913 to October1916

Rev. Henry C. Schlueter, D.D., October 15, 1916  to March 1, 1918

Rev. W.E. Saltzgiver August 1918 to 1923

Rev. Carl C. Wiebking 1923-1955

Rev. Dr. Charles P. Cressman 1953-1958

Rev. Norman P. Forder 1956-1959

Rev. Dr. Paul H. Smith 1958-1978

Rev. William H. Yingling 1959-1985

Rev. Philip N. Jurus 1970-1972

Rev. Nathan Kale 1980-1985

Rev. Richard E. Manning 1986-1997 Pastor Emeritus 1999

Rev. Dr. John Burk 1998-2005

Rev. Jennifer Hitt 1999-2002

Rev(s). Danny Hammons &  Maria J. Hammons 2006-2013

Rev(s). Matthew Berger & Amy Berger (2023-)

The church website also has a history.  See:  https://www.stjohnsparkville.org/history-of-st-johns.html 

Church Location:

8808 Harford Road

Parkville, MD.  21234

Office:  410-665-1234

Fax:  410-665-6094

If you would like to share any additional information about this church, please send it to germanmarylanders@gmail.com.