St. John’s LWML was organized September 25, 1951 under Rev. R. J. Scholz with 38 members. Mrs. Herman Neumann served as its first chairman. Off icial membership in Zone 14 and the International LWML was made in 1952. Mrs. R. J. Scholz served as first zone chairman.

The, first meetings were held every other month until 1957 when they were combined with the Ladies Aid. In 1969 under Pastor AuIt it was decided to have quarterly meetings.

Organizations in the zone host spring and fall rallies each year where business is conducted and speakers, often missionaries, are heard. St. John’s hosted the first spring rally in 1953; other rallies were held in 1956, 1962, and 1968 with Riplinger.

The main project of LWML has always been the Mite Box collections of which 75% is given to District mission projects and 25% is given to International mission projects.

St. John’s ladies of the LWML have sponsored many mission projects of their own:

1952 - Christmas gifts of socks and handkercheifs sent to boys at Wittenberg School.

1955 - Visit was made to the Veterans Hospital in Tomah; members purchased subscriptions for This Day magazines for the veterans.

1959 - Toys sent to Bethesda in Watertown, Wis.

1963 - Members wrote letters to wives of missionaries resulting in sending of bandages to the hospital in India and Sunday School materials and Portals of Prayer to the Philippines.

1966 - Collected items for the colony in Chippewa Falls and in 1968 toured the colony’s facilities and took along Sunday School materials, magazines and clothing.

1968 - Collected eye glasses, old watches, jewelry, and dented silver to send to "Eyes for the Needy".

LWML

Row 1: Mrs. Elsie Mellenthin, Mrs. Dorothy Neumann, Mrs. Alvina Seefeldt, Mrs. Maynard (Elda) Neumann, Mrs. Olaf (Mildred) Manthe, Mrs. David (Barb) Ault

Row 2: Mrs. Arnold (Muriel) Oelrich, Mrs. Arnold (Violet) Seefeldt, Mrs. Eugene (Arlene) Marten, Mrs. Gerald (Jane) Neumann, Mrs. Ron (Karen) Seefeldt, Mrs. Leota Schwantes, (Mission Hospice Chairman)

Row 3: Mrs. Ron (Eileen) Bruesewitz, (Chairman), Mrs. Frieda Hendrickson, Mrs. Emil (Norma) Luepke, (Christian Growth Chairman), Mrs. Gerhardt (Isabelle) Klein, Mrs. Herbert (Leona) Wachholz, Mrs. Ray (Marion) Klein

Row 4: Mrs. Bernard (Doris) Krause, Mrs. Delmar (Irene) Toltzman, Mrs. Donald (Karen) Hanson, Mrs. Paul (Francis) Seefeldt, Mrs. Lester (Delores) Brusewitz

Not Pictured: Mrs. Walter Fischer, Mrs. Clarence Dean, Mrs. Wilmer Hopfensperger, Mrs. John Neumann, Mrs. Gerald Schwantes, Mrs. George Oelrich, Mrs. George Krueger, Mrs. Floyd Hopfensperger, Mrs. Robert Stroetz, Mrs. Wilbur Mellenthin

1969 - Bandages were made and sent to Medical Missions.

1971 - Bibs were sent to Bethesda; klenli-kits for World Relief.

1972 - Quilts and lap robes were made and sent to Bethesda.

1973 - Lap robes were made for elderly in the Colonial Home in Colby, Wis.

1975 - Donation was made to Rev. Seth Addy for pews for his congregation in Ghana.

1977 - Quilts and layettes for World Relief.

For many years members of LWML have saved coupons and postage stamps. Money from bake sales, May Basket fund raiser, LWML Sunday donations Christmas gifts have been sent to even more worthwhile mission projects including Bethesda, Medical Missions, Lutheran Children’s Friend Society, Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots, Lutheran Braille Workers-Sight Saving, North Wisconsin District Mission to the Deaf, and Camp Luther.

St. John’s has had three members who were sent by Zone 14 to International Conventions; Mrs. Milford Yonker in 1961 to Pittsburg, Mrs. Herman Neumann in 1967 to Washington D. C., and Mrs. Ronald Bruesewitz in 1975 to St. Paul.

Every other year two members attend district conventions held throughout Northern Wisconsin.

In 1973, the new office of Mission Hospice was formed with Mrs. Leota Schwantes as first Hospice chairman.

Convention Time!

In fervent gratitude for the Savior’s dying love and His blood-bought gift of redemption, we dedicate ourselves to Him with all that we are and have; and in obedience to His call for workers in the harvest fields we pledge Him our willing service, wherever and whenever He hath need of us. We consecrate to our Savior our hands to work for Him, our feet to go on His errands, our voice to sing His praises, our lips to proclaim His redeeming love, our silver and our gold to extend His Kingdom, our will to do His will, and every power of our life to the great task of bringing the lost and erring into eternal fellowship with Him.

Amen.

1. Lutheran Women, one and all,

We have heard the Gospel call,

We by faith have seen our Lord

Crucified and then restored.

We have seen Him pay the price

For our sin a sacrifice.

Him we Lord and Christ acclaim,

And unite to praise his name.

2. Lutheran Women, young and old,

Well we know His challenge bold;

Help to take the Gospel light

To a world in darkest night,

By example in the home,

By inviting those who roam,

By your prayers for sinners lost

By your gifts for missions’ cost.

3. Lutheran Women, coast to caost,

In the Lord, a mighty host,

Let us all united be

In the Holy Trinity.

One in faith, in hope, and love,

Working for the Lord above,

Till, our earthly labors done,

We, in heav’n shall all be one. Amen.