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St. Paul's Lutheran congregation was organized
in 1852. The building was dedicated in 1855 and shared
with the Mennonite and the Reformed congregations. The
Mennonites never conducted services here. It was
therefore begun as Reformed and Lutheran and continued as such
until the mid-1930s when the Reformed congregation
disbanded. Since that time, the Lutheran congregation
has continued and, at about the same time, the major
improvements as they are today were begun.
 The church was originally heated with two
large pot-bellied stoves located on each side of the nave with
the flue pipes extending through the ceiling and across the
attic to a center chimney erected in the attic near the
roof. These stoves were replaced with two victrola type
heaters, which were used until such time when the services of
a sexton could no longer be obtained. It was then that
two gas heaters were installed, one on each side of the
balcony. These not being very satisfactory were replaced
with the present modern oil burner installed under the chancel
with hot air ducts near and along the outside walls.
 The
first organ we know of that the church used was a treadle
organ. It was replaced by an electric organ in
1938. The electric organ was replaced in the last 15-20
years by the organ we recently removed. Our newest organ
was purchased this year, 2003.
Other improvements include electric lights,
which replaced kerosene lamps on a chandelier suspended from
the ceiling in the middle of the nave, a new porch, a well,
rest rooms, remodeled balcony, interior walls furred out and
plastered, redone floors, installation of a new ceiling, new
lighting fixtures, and various other items.
The hitching posts, which once very prominently
occupied their places along the perimeter of the present
parking area, are gone as well as at least a dozen enclosed
sheds which sheltered the horses in inclement weather during
church services, with the exception of the one presently used
for storage. Tremendous improvements were also made to the
church cemetery. | 