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About us

St. John Mission Statement

With the gifts we have been given and by following the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles, we love and welcome all to become disciples of Christ, keeping God's word in our hearts, in our community and throughout the world. WHO WE ARE We are a family of God's children in Jesus Christ who are continually seeking to do those things that are pleasing to the Lord. We believe that being baptized in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, we are forgiven and sent out to proclaim and share in the good news of God's love and salvation through Jesus Christ. We welcome you to join us in our ministries and share in the joy of serving together in Christ Jesus.
St. John Lutheran Church welcomes Christians and those who seek to understand Christianity in the Logan area. Our aim is to make contact with and encourage others to join us in our life-enhancing Christian journey. St. John Lutheran Church at Logan, Ohio is a friendly Christian community where we welcome others to join us in our worship and service to God. Our emphasis is on learning and understanding the Bible and following the example of Jesus and his followers. The vision of St. John Lutheran Church is to make an impact for God, here in Logan,by helping people understand the enriching message of eternal hope given to us by Jesus Christ through His words and deeds. Come just as you are - we'd love to get to know you better.
ELCA MISSION and VISION GOAL Share the story of Jesus and the ELCA by engaging with 1 million new people as we grow the church together. VISION A world experiencing the difference God's grace and love in Christ make for all people and creation. PURPOSE Activate each of us so more people know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice and love. Values Our values are grounded in faith, in our biblical and Lutheran confessional sources and our love of God and neighbor. They speak to the way this church lives and practices our faith, and they will guide how we journey forward in Christ as a church together. Forgiveness and Reconciliation - We are reconciled to God by God's forgiving mercy. Forgiveness and reconciliation flow from what God has made us to be in Jesus Christ and what God is doing with us in the world. As a people of God, we embody forgiveness in speech, action, and relationships, and our ministry in reconciliation is foundational. Dignity, compassion and justice - Each person is created in God's image. W respect this God-given right to dignity and inspired by the life of Jesus, show love and compassion for all people. Through proclamation of the gospel, through worship and as servants of God working and justice in the world, we uphold and seek to protect the dignity and human rights of all people. Inclusion and diversity - As Christ's church, we value the richness of God's creation and offer a radical welcome to all peoplr, appreciating our common humanity and our differences. We are a church that doees not view diversity as a barrier to unity. We recognize and will challenge dynamics of power and privilege that create barriers to participation andequity in this church and society - for women, people of color, minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities, peoplewho are marginalized or living in poverty and the LGBTQ community. Courage and openness to change - Because we trust in God's promise and understand faith to be a living, daring confidence in God's grace., we are emboldened to embrace learning and change in our spiritual and institutional journey as church. This means we are open to new ways and willing to take task to discover God's plan for this chrch. Faithful stewardship of God's creation and gifts - As church together, faithful stewardship is about holding to God's purpose and ensuring the responsibilities and resources that God has entrusted to us are used with great care and with accountability to God, to each other and those served by the church. from ELCA
Michael R. Cleland
Originally from Northwest Ohio, Mike graduated from Defiance College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and History. He earned his Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from University of St Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana He recently completed training to be a Lay Worship Leader(LWL) and Synod Authorized Minister (SAM) through the ELCA Southern Ohio Synod and hopes to soon begin Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) Classes. Mike is a retired 35 years high school teacher and coach. His wife, Kay, a retired school library media specialist, live in The Plains, Ohio. They moved here in 2014 to be close to daughter in Athens and not far from daughter in Columbus. Mike looks forward to serving the congregation of St John Lutheran, Logan.
Edward "Ed" Penrod Ed serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Behavioral Healthcare, Southeast/South Central Ohio, and has extensive experience at all levels of clinical counseling, supervision and administration. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Asbury University, Wilmore, KY, and Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees from the Methodist Theological School, Delaware, OH. A U.S. Army Vietnam era veteran, he seved as a chaplain in the Army National Guard and Reserves following his active duty tour. Ed has the sermon and serves communion first Sunday of the month.

IN MEMORIAL

Rev Bob and Jean Graetz
Pastor Bob, 5/16/28 to 9/20/20, was born in Clarksburg, WV educated in Columbus, OH. Gratuated in 1950 from Capital University. Pastor received a B.D. in 1955 from Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbus, OH. He married Jean Ellis on June 10, 1951, in East Springfield PA. They had seven children. In 1958, the family moved back to Columbus where he became minister of a black church. Over the years he worked in Ohio, Kentucky California and Washington DC, where he spent 13 years as a lobbyist for marginalized individuals. In 2007 the Graetzes returned to Montgomery, AL actively involved in various civic activities. Jean Graetz, 12/24/29-12/16/20, was an American Civil rights activist. She and her husband were active white supporters of Montgomery bus boycott in 1955.

St. John Support Ministries

Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio Bread for the World Habitat for Humanity WELCA -Women of the Evangelical Church in America Smith Chapel Food Bank Thrivent Insurance Hocking Hills Inspire Shelter Monthly Community Dinner (Partner with First Presbyterian Church) Advent Mitten Tree Wernle Children's Home r

History of St. John Lutheran

HISTORY Lutheranism began in Hocking County as early as 1837, or earlier, in Scotts Creek schoolhouse. The earliest records shows that Jacob, son of George and Maria Hansel, was baptized there by the Reverend Conrad Reimann on April 20, 1838. The early history of St. John Lutheran Church is closely connected to that of two other churches: St. Matthew's in Fall Township, and St. Peter's in Washington Township. About the same time pastoral work was being done in St. Peter's, records show that a Lutheran congregation was forming in Laurel Township to the northeast. At first known as the Hockman Church, the records of St. John Lutheran Church date back to April 11, 1842, when Christian Illick, son of C.F. and Barbars Zeller Illick, was baptized at the age of six months. The congregation of St. John and St. Peter were served by the same pastors: the Reverend Conrad Reimann 1838-1841 the Reverend Christian Spielman 1838the Reverend J. Lehman 1942 -the Reverend F A Frankenberg 1842-1843the Reverend F. Wilhelm Richmann 1843-1848 the Reverend Paul Baumgart 1848-1850 the Reverend Christian Friedrich Zimmer 1850-1852 the Reverend Gottlieb Baesler January 1852 all threethe Reverend John J Suttler 1853- 1859 the Reverend Martin Sondhaus 1859 - 1861 the Reverend John Her 1861- 1866 the Reverend Paul H Mueller 1866 - 1872 the Reverend Henry Henkel 1872 -1881 the Reverend Lewis F Mittler 1881 - 1892 the Reverend William P Wuebben 1892- 1894 the Reverend Eugene G Spoehr 1894-1910 the Reverend Walter L Spielmann 1911- 1918 the Reverend Samuel C Long 1918 - 1919 the Reverend Carl F Laurer 1919-1926 the Reverend Amos L Heyde 1927 - 1947 the Reverend Paul N Varner 1947 - 1956 the Reverend Thomas C Smallsreed 1956 -1958 the Reverend Willard Drefke 1958 - 1963 With the organization of St. Matthew congregation, Hocking County became a three-point parish. When St. Peter Church closed in 1926, it was reduced to a two-point parish and remained thus until 1963. In that year, due to the growth of St. Matthew congregation, the Reverend Willard Drefke resigned as pastor of St. John. However the St. John Lutheran Church continued to hold regular services, and is today a thriving congregation, having recently dedicated a new church building in 1968.St. John ministers as a church of one: Supply Pastors 1963 - 1967 the Reverend George E Smith 1967 -1978 the Reverend Lawrence H Myers 1979 - 1980 the Reverend David Conner 1980 - 1983theReverend Robert S Graetz 1983 - 1995 the reverend Mary J Konopka 1995 -1997 the Reverend Mike Weaver 1998 -2002 interim Chris Adams 2002 - 2003Student Jamie Vannoy 2003 - 2004 Student Vicky Coomba 2004 -2005 Pastor Janice C Winters 2005 -2016Supply Pastors 2016 - 2017 Pastor Gabrielle Hudecek 2017 - 2020 Supply Pastors 2020 - 2021 Pastor Gabrielle Hudecek 2022
CHURCHSt. John's congregation traces its origin back to 1842 When first organized it was known as the Hockman Church. The following year a log building was erected half a mile south of the present church site and served as the church edifice for nearly 60 years. At this time, St. John was yoked with St. Peter Lutheran Church at Ewing, forming a two-point parish.In 1852, St Matthew was organized in Logan and linked with the two rural churches, forming a three-point parish.The year 1900 marked another milestone in the history of St. John's Church. During that year the small Hocking County congregation, under the able leadership of the Rev. Eugene D. Spoehr, erected a new frame church on the present site. The Rev. Spoehr served the parish seventeen years.With the closing of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Ewing in 1925, the parish was again reduced to two churches.The Rev. Willard Drefke resigned in 1963. The congregation continued to conduet regular services, using student supply pastors and visting professors from Capital Seminary, Columbus.This arrangment continued untill the fall of 1967 when the Rev. George E. Smith, retired and returned to Logan. Then came the disastrous morning of March 11, 1968Charles Ringhiser, neighbor, reported at 3 am flames from church roof. By dawn nothing remained of the little white church. The next day, church council was held plans made to hold worship services at Gibisonville school and Hocking Grange hall. Building committee awarded contract to Herbert Sudlow, $25,000, June 30 and corner stone laid July 28 The beautiful new sanctuary was constructed with a full basement with rest rooms.
St. John Lutheran Church
Service hours
9 :00 AM
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