Saint John's United Church of Christ (Genoa, Ohio) records
Collection Overview
Abstract
Congregational and organizational minutes, vital statistical records, architectural drawings, and minutes of church societies, such as the Willing Workers and Brotherhood; some records in German.
Dates
- Creation: 1870-1981
Extent
1 Reels (2 reels of 35mm microfilm)
Creator
- Saint John's United Church of Christ (Genoa, Ohio) (Organization)
Scope and Contents
The St. John's United Church of Christ collection provides the researcher with a number of records that reflect the various functions of the church within the community. There are some informational gaps, however, since not all the organization's documents were microfilmed. Such items as the Suday School Record, the Monthly Consistory (Council) Minutes, and financial records are available at the church office.
The Annual Congregational Meeting Minutes (1919-1980), the Constitution and its revisions and the miscellaneous legal documents provide a background of the church's administrative history. The Anniversary and Reunion of Confirmation Classes booklets detail the histories of this religious organization and its building projects. The Church Record (1870-1981), including two Kirchenbuchs written in German (1870-1959), provides statistical information on the births, deaths, marriages, and confirmations of church members.
The minutes of the Willing Workers and Brotherhood organizations offer some information on the importance of church societies to the growth of the church and the community. Other minutes for such vital groups as the St. John's Women's Club, the Ladies Aid Society, and the Board of Christian Education, were not available for microfilming.
For the researcher interested in historic preservation there are architectural drawings and floor plans of the present structure. An interpretation of the symbols found in the sanctuary windows, the organ and pipe specifications, and a listing of the chapel's cornerstone contents offer additional information about specific features of the church building.
Biographical / Historical
St. John's United Church of Christ began in 1868 when a group of Genoa families of German descent persuaded Rev. Gills of the Elmore Evangelical Church to preach to them in the village Methodist Church on Sunday afternoons. Three years later the congregation was officially organized and registered as "The German United Evangelical Protestant St. John's Church of Genoa, Ohio." The first church structure was completed at the corner of Sixth and Superior Streets that fall. In 1918, when the Church celebrated its fiftieth anniversary,there were 378 members in the congregation, making it the largest protestant church in the community.
By 1958 the old structure was no longer adequate for the church's needs. At that time a new educational facility was built on donated land on Washington Street. Four years later an addition of a sanctuary, chapel, and bell tower completed the building program. The church continues to flourish and its members are active in community and educational affairs. A more detailed account of its history may be found in the commemorative booklets in this collection.
Conditions Governing Access
No known access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.
Language of Materials
English
German
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The records of St. John's United Church of Christ were transferred for microfilming to the Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, in June 1981 with the cooperation of Rev. Paul Deppen, pasater, Mrs. Alta Schultz, church secretary, and Jare R. Cardinal, Graduate Assistant, Center for Archival Collections.
Processing Information
This finding aid was prepared by Jare R. Cardinal, June 1981. Revised and input into ArchivesSpace by Heather Bloom, December 2020.
Subject
- Saint John's United Church of Christ (Genoa, Ohio) (Organization)
Source
- Deppen, Paul (Person)
- Schultz, Alta (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Saint John's United Church of Christ (Genoa, Ohio) records
- Author
- Jare R. Cardinal, Heather Bloom
- Date
- June 1981, December 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin