Established 1878 – Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)
St. John’s Lutheran congregation began as a mission congregation that shared a pastor with Brownsville, Union, Hokah, South Ridge, and Mound Prairie, Minnesota. In 1871, Pastor Philip Schmidt served these congregations.
St. John’s Lutheran Church of Nodine was established as its own congregation in 1878 served by Rev. John Koehler. In 1889, Pastor John Siegler was called as the first resident pastor for St. John’s Lutheran Church. St. John’s celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2003. Our current minister is Pastor Dennis Harbach. St. John’s Lutheran School was established in 1971. Its original home was the old Nodine School building, sold to the congregation by the Winona School District.
In 1985, a new school building was built on the church property. The All-Purpose Room and kitchen were added in 1995. New classrooms and a pre-kindergarten program were added in 2004. The 40th Anniversary of the school was celebrated in 2012.
We are very thankful to the of generations of members both past and present who support the ministry of St. John’s Lutheran Church and School. We have a membership of over 500 souls and a student body of approximately 80 students grades PreKindergarten thru 8th grade. We have a one pastor, 6 teachers, and an administrative assistant. Our congregation also has a multitude of volunteers who care for our buildings, grounds, community, and each other, as we work to spread the good news of the Gospel with all people.
St. John’s is a member of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod. John 3:16 has been called the gospel in a nutshell—and for good reason. In that one verse we’re told all that we need to know for our salvation. God loves us. He sent his son to die for us. Believe it. So why do we need any further statements of belief?
Throughout the history of the Christian Church, errors have crept in challenging basic beliefs established in God’s Word—including that Christ is true God and the concept of the Trinity, that God is in fact Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The early church fathers drafted creeds, or statements of belief, to clarify these biblical truths. As WELS Lutherans, we hold to three main creeds that have been the pillars of Christianity for centuries: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.
In the 16th century, Martin Luther and other reformers addressed the false teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther came to see that sinners are saved by the grace of God as a result of Jesus Christ’s perfect life and perfect death on the cross—not through any merit or effort of their own. Luther and others authored the six Lutheran confessions—to which we as WELS Lutherans still subscribe today because we believe they are a correct explanation of biblical truth.
In modern times, leaders within our own synod found it necessary to clarify the differences between us and other church bodies, particularly those that also call themselves Lutheran. We’re confident you’ll find our statement “This We Believe” helpful in understanding those differences. More information can be found at WELS.net
