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Concordia's History
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Concordia Lutheran Church was dedicated on
May 25, 1958, in a three part service, morning,
noon, and evening. She is the result of two
independent congregations, St. John's Lutheran
Church of Susank and Emmaus Lutheran Church
of Hoisington.
May 25, 1958, in a three part service, morning,
noon, and evening. She is the result of two
independent congregations, St. John's Lutheran
Church of Susank and Emmaus Lutheran Church
of Hoisington.
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was organized on October 20, 1906 under the
one-year pastorate of the Reverend W. Berndt. In the same year, St. John's Lutheran Church was
built three miles north of Susank.
In 1908, Vicar August Oberheu was assigned to the Hoisington territory. He conducted missions
work in Hoisington and held services in both Hoisington and St. John's in Susank. During the years
1909-1910, work in Hoisington and at St. John's Church was carried on by Vicar William Kohn, the
Reverend A.C. Frank, and Vicar A.W. Ramelow.
In 1910, Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was organized in Hoisington. Candidate O.G.
Hebestreit, upon completing his studies at seminary, was called as the first resident pastor. He
served both congregations from 1910 until 1918. The two congregations were severed by the same
pastors until 1921 when the Reverend J. Resner was called as the first resident pastor of St. John's
Lutheran Church.
In 1922, however, Emmaus extended Rev'd Resner a call, which he accepted. He served both
congregations until 1924, at which time the Reverend P. Juergensen was installed as pastor at St.
John's. During Rev'd Juergensen's pastorate (1924-1927), St. John's Lutheran Church joined The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Emmaus Lutheran Church was infected by internal strife and division brought on by the onset of the
English language as well as some inter-personal infighting. The congregation split, leaving about 50
souls who forwarded a call to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Candidate C. Zehnder was
given the call and was installed as pastor of Emmaus on August 16, 1925 and served the
congregation until January 3, 1937. English was finally adopted around the year 1935, as the official
language. St. John's did not use the English language until 1943, and it was not until The Lutheran
Hymnal (TLH) was published in 1947, that St. John's adopted the English language as the official
language of the congregation. However, German services were still held until 1954, when Emmaus
called the Reverend Armin Gottberg.
In 1955, the pastor of St. John's, the Reverend E.F. Guenther, accepted a call to Newkirk, OK.
Pastor Gottberg was asked to serve as the vacancy pastor for St. John's. On August 2, 1955, a
special voters' meeting was held at St. John's and voted to not call another resident pastor. Two
plans were proposed. One, to form a dual parish with Emmaus, or, two, to merge with Emmaus. On
September 2, 1955, one month after St. John's special voters' meeting, Emmaus' voters' assembly
voted unanimously, without dissension, to merge with St. John's Lutheran Church in Susank.
On September 21, 1955, a mere nineteen days after Emmaus voted to merge with St. John's, three
elders from each congregation signed the new Articles of Incorporation for Concordia Lutheran
Church. On September 29th, the Articles of Incorporation of Concordia Lutheran Church of
Hoisington, Barton County, Kansas, was filed in the Office of Secretary of State, Topeka, Kansas.
On October 12, 1955, a voters' meeting was held whereby the two former congregations met to
organize Concordia congregation. By the end of the meeting, at 1:18am on October 13, the
congregation was formed and Pastor Gottberg officially accepted the call as pastor of Concordia
Lutheran Church, Hoisington.
A final service was held at St. John's in Susank on November 7, 1955. That afternoon, another
service was held at Concordia (which was then located on 5th and Vine) to commemorate the
merger. In this service, Rev'd Gottberg was installed as Concordia's first resident pastor. The rite of
installation was officiated by the Reverend Arthur Traugott of Ellinwood.
Because of crowded conditions in the worship service and because of wonderful opportunities for
future growth, the members of Concordia Lutheran Church appointed a Planning Council in 1956 to
address the possibility of building a new church building. On January 27, 1956, the congregation
entered into a resolution to undertake the building of a new church building. In March of the same
year, Mr. Roberts Mayberry of Wichita was contracted as the architect of the new building.
one-year pastorate of the Reverend W. Berndt. In the same year, St. John's Lutheran Church was
built three miles north of Susank.
In 1908, Vicar August Oberheu was assigned to the Hoisington territory. He conducted missions
work in Hoisington and held services in both Hoisington and St. John's in Susank. During the years
1909-1910, work in Hoisington and at St. John's Church was carried on by Vicar William Kohn, the
Reverend A.C. Frank, and Vicar A.W. Ramelow.
In 1910, Emmaus Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was organized in Hoisington. Candidate O.G.
Hebestreit, upon completing his studies at seminary, was called as the first resident pastor. He
served both congregations from 1910 until 1918. The two congregations were severed by the same
pastors until 1921 when the Reverend J. Resner was called as the first resident pastor of St. John's
Lutheran Church.
In 1922, however, Emmaus extended Rev'd Resner a call, which he accepted. He served both
congregations until 1924, at which time the Reverend P. Juergensen was installed as pastor at St.
John's. During Rev'd Juergensen's pastorate (1924-1927), St. John's Lutheran Church joined The
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Emmaus Lutheran Church was infected by internal strife and division brought on by the onset of the
English language as well as some inter-personal infighting. The congregation split, leaving about 50
souls who forwarded a call to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Candidate C. Zehnder was
given the call and was installed as pastor of Emmaus on August 16, 1925 and served the
congregation until January 3, 1937. English was finally adopted around the year 1935, as the official
language. St. John's did not use the English language until 1943, and it was not until The Lutheran
Hymnal (TLH) was published in 1947, that St. John's adopted the English language as the official
language of the congregation. However, German services were still held until 1954, when Emmaus
called the Reverend Armin Gottberg.
In 1955, the pastor of St. John's, the Reverend E.F. Guenther, accepted a call to Newkirk, OK.
Pastor Gottberg was asked to serve as the vacancy pastor for St. John's. On August 2, 1955, a
special voters' meeting was held at St. John's and voted to not call another resident pastor. Two
plans were proposed. One, to form a dual parish with Emmaus, or, two, to merge with Emmaus. On
September 2, 1955, one month after St. John's special voters' meeting, Emmaus' voters' assembly
voted unanimously, without dissension, to merge with St. John's Lutheran Church in Susank.
On September 21, 1955, a mere nineteen days after Emmaus voted to merge with St. John's, three
elders from each congregation signed the new Articles of Incorporation for Concordia Lutheran
Church. On September 29th, the Articles of Incorporation of Concordia Lutheran Church of
Hoisington, Barton County, Kansas, was filed in the Office of Secretary of State, Topeka, Kansas.
On October 12, 1955, a voters' meeting was held whereby the two former congregations met to
organize Concordia congregation. By the end of the meeting, at 1:18am on October 13, the
congregation was formed and Pastor Gottberg officially accepted the call as pastor of Concordia
Lutheran Church, Hoisington.
A final service was held at St. John's in Susank on November 7, 1955. That afternoon, another
service was held at Concordia (which was then located on 5th and Vine) to commemorate the
merger. In this service, Rev'd Gottberg was installed as Concordia's first resident pastor. The rite of
installation was officiated by the Reverend Arthur Traugott of Ellinwood.
Because of crowded conditions in the worship service and because of wonderful opportunities for
future growth, the members of Concordia Lutheran Church appointed a Planning Council in 1956 to
address the possibility of building a new church building. On January 27, 1956, the congregation
entered into a resolution to undertake the building of a new church building. In March of the same
year, Mr. Roberts Mayberry of Wichita was contracted as the architect of the new building.
