Auburn, SA - St John's Lutheran
Year Built: 1869
Denomination: Lutheran
Saint: John
Address: Curling Street, Auburn, South Australia, 5451
Previous Denomination: Methodist
Architect: Unknown
Traditional Owners: Ngadjuri people
Last Updated: 17/11/2024
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History and Architecture:
A Historical plaque attached to the building reads, "Former Primitive Methodist Church, this attractive stone church with bluestone quoins and dressings and walling of calcrete, was built by Joseph Meller in 1869 on part of an aboriginal corroboree ground. After church union it was used as a Sunday school, then sold in 1889 to the Orange Lodge, a Protestant group of Irish origin.
Purchased in 1926 by the Lutherans, a porch and vestry have been added. Lutherans previously worshiped at a church at Pine Creek (built c.1864) and in Schmerls' homestead dining room at Leasingham. Sometimes they travelled by foot to Peters Hill, east of Riverton".
Clergy:
The list of Pastors is that providied by the Lutheran Archives. The place of worship prior to the church purchase maybe different.
| Years | Name | Annotation | D.o.B | D.o.D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1866 - 1867 | Pastor Christian Gottlob Teichelmann | ELSA | 1807 | 1888 |
| 1868 - 1876 | Pastor Johannes Martin Rudolph Ey | ELSA | 1837 | 1893 |
| 1877 - 1886 | Pastor Gardus Egmont Lothar Bertram | ELSA | 1849 | 1910 |
| 1887 - 1895 | Pastor August Hermann Ernst Homann | ELSA | 1838 | 1915 |
| 1895 - 1924 | Pastor Fredrich Adolf Hermann Kempe | ELSA | 1914 | 1928 |
| 1924 - 1950 | Pastor Albert Mackenzie | LCA | 1880 | 1959 |
| 1951 - 1956 | Pastor Ronald Frederick Blaess | LCA | 1923 | 2005 |
| 1957 - 1965 | Pastor Henry William Harnath | LCA | 1896 | 1970 |
| 1965 - 1977 | Pastor Clemens Victor Eckermann | LCA | 1919 | 1999 |
| 1977 - 1985 | Pastor Douglas Roy Tscharke | LCA | 1929 | 2000 |
| 1986 - 1995 | Pastor Neil Alfred Hampel | LCA | 1935 | 2020 |
| 1995 - 2000 | Pastor Leonard Oscar Gerschwitz | LCA | 1935 | 2019 |
| 2001 - 2008 | Pastor Ernest Kiss | LCA | ||
| 2009 - 2018 | Pastor James Grove Bryan | LCA | ||
| 2022 - | Pastor Michael James Steicke | LCA |
Organ:
No information currently available. Submissions welcomed.
Source:
1. Lutheran Archives with permission.