St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, located in rural Richlandtown, is a small community of believers who seek to discern what God wants us to be. We have many established traditions and engaging participation of members new and old. We provide a Roast Beef Dinner in the Fall, mid-week services shared with two other congregations from the surrounding neighborhood, and engage in a joyous, active vacation bible school with St. John's UCC. We particpate in the Quakertown Food Pantry, the Quakertown Crop Walk, and other community events. We offer a facility to the community for rental, and serve the larger community in providing space for civic organizations and others. St. John's church, for their Christmas Eve service, glows outside with luminaries, and inside with a candlelight service, celestial music, and the Word of God. We warmly welcome all visitors, and delight in sharing our faith stories with each other and with YOU!
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Brief History of St. John's
It was the summer of 1806, The United States of America was all of 18 years old and Thomas Jefferson was our President. Farmers in the area of "Flatland" (later called Richlandtown) tired of having to travel the long distance to Tohickon, Trumbauersville or Springfield in order to worship, began to discuss building a house of worship closer to their homes. In the fall of 1807, the first load of stone had been hauled from West Rockhill, and by the spring of 1808 the church building was complete.
The first church building was a joint project between the Lutheran and German Reformed believers and was called Flatland Lutheran and Reformed Church. By 1859 the two congregations had grown so much that a new building was erected. Again, in the late 1920's the building was inadequate for the needs of the two congregations, and it was decided that the Lutheran congregation would buy land and build their own building. The current building was constructed entirely of stone in 1931, nearly 200 years later.
And so, St. John's Lutheran Church was born out of hunger. A hunger to hear the Word of God and to eat the Bread of Life. This hunger of the soul compelled generations of men and women to take a personal "leap of faith" and make sacrificies so that they may be fed. St. John's is still feeding the spiritual hunger of God's children 190 years later. We continue to have a close relationship with our "twin sister" St. John's United Church of Christ which still maintains the 1859 building.
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