St. John's Lutheran Church (Great Falls, Mont.)

George Koehler came to the area as a mission developer in the summer of 1925. St. John Church was formally organized November 8, 1925, and the first building and parsonage were dedicated on December 18, 1927. The mortgage on this property was burned in 1960. On January 9, 1962, five lots were purchased at 4th avenue North and 44th streets in order to expand the ministry of St. John Through a satellite congregation in the rapidly developing east end of Great Falls. On February 26, 1967 the congregation held its last service in the church at 13th and 14th Avenue North and began sharing the facility of St. Francis Episcopal Church on 44th Street South. This was a good union and existed for ten years. In 1976 the congregation purchased land on 10th avenue South and embarked on a building program. The new sanctuary was dedicated in 1978.