Our History
The year was 1902, and there was an air of anticipation in town. The village of Denver (first called Jefferson City) had been laid out by Jeremiah Farris in 1855. Soon several businesses opened their doors. However, one thing was lacking. Forty-seven years had passed and still there was not a church in town. There were several churches out in the country, and townspeople worshipped there.
Pastor J Dorullus conducted the first worship service in the town on November 17, 1901. The attendance was encouraging, and soon a Lutheran church was built. With land donated by Karl Schmidt, St. Peter Church was organized at that time with 13 families. Dedication of the new church took place on October 5, 1902. On Easter Sunday of 1903, F. Schoenbohm, a student at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, came to deliver the festival sermon. It was well received, and soon the congregation extended a call to him. Friedrich Ernst Schoenbohm began his ministry at St Peter on July 5, 1902, thus beginning a ministry that would last over 42 years in the same congregation. Very few pastors and congregations can claim such a record.
St Peter congregation continued to grow and the original 13 families increased to about 100. A new brick church was built with much of the labor and help donated. The building was dedicated on December 19, 1920.
In the decade of the 1920’s transition from the German language to English began in a peaceful and orderly manner. The monthly German service was discontinued in 1961. A yearly German Maundy Thursday service continued until 1981.
The current parsonage was completed in 1948 and is used today by our current Pastor.
A west annex was built in 1952 to accommodate a need for Sunday School classrooms and office space. The friendship room addition was completed in 1983 on the south side of the church.
Many activities and groups have flourished throughout the history of the congregation. The oldest continuous group is that of the women. The Frauenverein or Ladies Aid, was organized in 1903 and is known today as Women of the ELCA. Their purpose was to lend a helping hand to the congregation. Through it all, our Lord Jesus, the Christ, has been our guide and our protector.
Pastor J Dorullus conducted the first worship service in the town on November 17, 1901. The attendance was encouraging, and soon a Lutheran church was built. With land donated by Karl Schmidt, St. Peter Church was organized at that time with 13 families. Dedication of the new church took place on October 5, 1902. On Easter Sunday of 1903, F. Schoenbohm, a student at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, came to deliver the festival sermon. It was well received, and soon the congregation extended a call to him. Friedrich Ernst Schoenbohm began his ministry at St Peter on July 5, 1902, thus beginning a ministry that would last over 42 years in the same congregation. Very few pastors and congregations can claim such a record.
St Peter congregation continued to grow and the original 13 families increased to about 100. A new brick church was built with much of the labor and help donated. The building was dedicated on December 19, 1920.
In the decade of the 1920’s transition from the German language to English began in a peaceful and orderly manner. The monthly German service was discontinued in 1961. A yearly German Maundy Thursday service continued until 1981.
The current parsonage was completed in 1948 and is used today by our current Pastor.
A west annex was built in 1952 to accommodate a need for Sunday School classrooms and office space. The friendship room addition was completed in 1983 on the south side of the church.
Many activities and groups have flourished throughout the history of the congregation. The oldest continuous group is that of the women. The Frauenverein or Ladies Aid, was organized in 1903 and is known today as Women of the ELCA. Their purpose was to lend a helping hand to the congregation. Through it all, our Lord Jesus, the Christ, has been our guide and our protector.