In June, 1848, some seven years before Freeport was incorporated as a city, a small group of German immigrants organized our St. John Church. The congregation at first met in the homes of its members under the leadership of the founding pastor, Rev. Mr. Ernest Beine. During the years 1850-51, the first permanent church building was constructed on the corner of South Chicago and South Galena Avenues. It was a very simple structure, thirty-six by forty feet. By 1865 the membership had increased to 104. This year saw the completion of a parsonage with a schoolroom in the basement and also the erection of a new church building. The years 1866 to 1890 were marked with a rapid succession of pastorates and a period of difficulty and stress for the small congregation. It is not known what occasioned the problems of that day, however, it resulted in the loss of a number of members who went on to found the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Freeport. The historian of an earlier day indicated, however, that "this defection only strengthened the bond of union between the loyal members." The pastor under whose leadership the church flourished and grew to be a strong and virile congregation, and whose name is still heard these many years later among the senior members of the church, was the Rev. Mr. Frederick Holke (1896-1913). His pastorate marked the beginning of an expanded program in the spiritual welfare of the congregation, also several improvements consisting of the building of a tower at the front of the church, the installation of an organ in the balcony and the redecoration of the nave which had been erected in 1866. It was during the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Daniel Bierbaum (1913-1920) that the English language was introduced into the services, making possible a more adequate ministry to the English speaking members of the church and community. This period of St. John's history saw the enlargement of the church edifice to become the church we knew and loved, and which served the congregation until its destruction in 1957. In 1955, as the result of an evaluation of church school and fellowship needs, there came a renewed interest in providing additional facilities for these purposes. After much consideration a study committee concluded that the present site of the church would not adapt itself too well for expansion. The increasing parking problem was a factor that could not be overlooked. The need for extensive repair on the church itself was another factor to be considered. This it was that upon the committee's recommendation the congregation voted at its annual meeting in Jan., 1956, "to investigate... a new site for the construction of a new church." As directed by the congregation, the consistory appointed a new site committee, which then set about its task. The task became an extremely difficult one in that the sites available were not suitable to our needs, and the sites that were suitable were not for sale. However, in August, 1957, a site on South Park Blvd., which the committee deemed to be adequate, became available, and upon its recommendation the congregation on August 25, 1957, voted to purchase the property as the site for its new church plant. It was the hope of the church that perhaps in five to ten years, after a sufficient sum had accumulated in the building fund, the congregation would proceed to build anew. But the fateful night of Dec. 20, 1957, with the total destruction of the church by fire, very quickly and with bitter finality took our plans and scattered them to the four winds. It was a difficult day for our congregation. To see something you love deeply destroyed by fire is never easy, but to see the House of God in which you have worshiped year after year and which has become for you a very sacred and holy place, enshrined with the memories of a life-time, is to experience an indefinable loss. The members, however, soon regained their composure and with the vision and courage of the great congregation that they are, with a deep and abiding faith in God, declared on January 5, 1958, to build a new church and church school at the new site on South Park Blvd. The only substantial item salvaged from the ruins of our old church were the three bronze bells, which had called the congregation to worship since the year 1897 when the tower was built at the front of the church. Little did we realize on that bleak December day of the fire that these bells should ever ring again. But when it was discovered that the fire had not destroyed them there was great rejoicing in the heats of our members, and there was no question but that the plans for the new church should include a tower to contain them. History taken from "St. John Centennial 1848-1948" and the Dedication Booklet of February 28, 1960.     Contributed by Karen Fyock - Pictures 2nd Church, 3rd church, Church of 1948, colored picture of the new church with bell tower, black and white of the new church, interior of 1948