St. John's Lutheran Church is a member of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, U.A.C., was organized on September 11, 1887. The first organizational meeting was chaired by the Rev. J. Craemer who served as the congregation's first pastor. Services were first held in the Union Town Hall; later the congregation rented the Methodist Church in Union. Services were held in German.

In August 1901, a special meeting was called and the congregation decided to buy one acre of land from Carl Warncke to construct a church building and a school room for 50 students. The church was dedicated on November 24, 1901. On August 22, 1926, the building was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The school was not destroyed. Services were again held in the Union Village Hall.

The congregation planned immediately to build a new building. On Sunday, May 15, 1927, the new building was dedicated. On March 17, 1943, the interior of the church was severely damaged by fire. Services were held in the schoolhouse while the building was repaired. On November 24, 1952, a third fire destroyed the entire church building and school.

God gave His people at St. John's the courage to persevere. They constructed a new building. However, the school was not rebuilt. The cornerstone of the new church was laid in 1952.  God's people continued to worship at 6621 Main St. until the dedication of the current facility at 6821 Main St, Union, IL in 2000.

Fourteen Pastors have served St. John's Lutheran in it's more than 120 year history:

1975 - Norman S. Meyer began his service to God's people here and continues to serve.

2006 - Caleb J. Schauer, was called as St. John's first Associate Pastor. He was installed September 17, 2006.

2008 - Caleb J. Schauer was installed as Senior Pastor on February 24, 2008.

At the same service, Norman S. Meyer was installed as Associate Pastor.

Notable Dates in the History of St. John's:

1903 - School began in the fall. The pastor served as a full time pastor and full time teacher
            of eight grades. The school continued until 1932.
1925 - Purchased English Hymnals.
1930 - The congregation decided to use English services every other Sunday.
            Up until 1930 all services were in German.
1932 - Young People's Society was organized, Ladies Aid Society was founded,
            and a Sunday School was established.
1938 - Voters decided their meeting minutes would be taken in English. The constitution was
            also translated into English, revised and adopted.
1947 - St. John's held its first Vacation Bible School.
1949 - Organization of The Lutheran Women's Missionary League .
1968 - Organization of The Lutheran Layman's League
1976 - Bicentennial Service and Confirmation Reunion .
1979 - St. John's dedicated its Pipe Organ.
            Women earned the Right of Suffrage through an amendment to the constitution.
1983 - Organization of St. John's Library.
1987 - St. John's celebrated 100 years of God's blessings in a year long celebration
1990 - St. John's commissioned and installed full-time professional church worker,
            Deaconess Lauren Morgan. She is called to serve in the areas of assimilation,
            parish programming, youth ministry, and evangelism.
1993 - The congregation celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Joyce Perkins' service as an organist.
1994 - Women given the right to hold elective office with the exceptions of Chairman and Elder.

1996 - This was a year packed with excitement and blessings in the lives of God's people at St. John's. Plans for expansion on 12 acres of land, one-quarter mile south of the 6621 Main St. facility were made. The congregation hired William Elliott (Architect) and Rev. Jock Ficken (Financial Consultant). The excitement reached a crescendo with an “Old Fashioned Fried Chicken Dinner” at Donley's Banquet Hall. First Fruits Sunday held even more excitement as $100,866 was gathered in the first week of the 156 weeks of giving.

2000 - January: We celebrated Pastor Meyer's 25th anniversary of ministry at St. John's. June: We celebrated 53 years of Vacation Bible School Ministry. Also in June: Deaconess Lauren celebrated her 13th year as a Deaconess and her 10th year at St. John's in August.  That same month she and Steve Olsen wed. October: We dedicated our new facility on October 29.  God has richly blessed us. It has been three years of challenges and God has provided plenty of growing points for the entire congregation.

2001 - St. John's Little Blessings Learning Center opened January 22 to provide daycare and pre-school education. 

2003 - The 2000 Cornerstone and Time Capsule were laid September 28 in columns of the new carport.

Throughout its 120-plus-years, God has richly blessed this church family. The Word and Sacraments, the same yesterday, today, and forever continue to strengthen and preserve the people of God at St. John's for service to God and His people.

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