Clark County Press, Neillsville, Clark Co., WI

May 11, 2011, Page 13

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

St. John’s Lutheran School Celebrates 125^th Anniversary

The students and staff of St. John’s Lutheran School in Neillsville are preparing to celebrate the school’s 125^th anniversary Sunday, May 22.  In addition to a delicious pig roast meal honoring retiring teacher Marilynne Maciejczak, entertainment by “Jake the Juggler” and time for school historical trivia and sharing memories of former students, the current student body will present “St. John’s School’s 125^th Year in Music” – excerpts from musical performances given throughout the last school years.  The celebration will begin with a 9 a.m. worship service and eighth-grade graduation; then continue into the early afternoon.  Any interested guests are welcome, and former students are especially encouraged to attend.  (Contributed photo)

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Clark County Press, Neillsville, Clark Co., WI

May 18, 2011, Front Page & Page 2

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

St John’s Church, School celebrate 125 years

St. John’s Lutheran School Principal and sixth-through eight-grade teacher Bill Tomlin (left) and St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church pastor Tim Biebert display a banner Tuesday, May 10, celebrating the 125^th Anniversary of both the school and church.  A celebration will be held at the church Sunday May 22, 2011.

(Photo by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

Neillsville’s St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, located at West Fifth Street, will both celebrate 125 years Sunday, May 22, 2011.

St. John’s, which is a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) church, will hold a special Sunday service, which will feature Janesville resident Mark Lindner, who taught at St. John’s Lutheran School during the 1980s, according to school principal and sixth-through eighth-grade teacher Bill Tomlin.

All former St. John’s teachers and alumni are invited to attend the Sunday, May 22 service at 9 a.m., said Tomlin, who explained second-and third-grade teacher Marilynne Maciejczak – who will retire at the end of the school year after 30 years serving the synod – will be honored that Sunday, as well.

Everyone is welcome to attend a meal and picnic to be held after the Sunday service, explained Tomlin.

The St. John’s school, which educates preschool through eighth-grade students, was founded six months before the church in 1886 and began with just 20 students in grades one through eight in a small office located off a side street, explained Tomlin.

St. John’s was located at a former senior center before it moved to its current school location in 1955, said Tomlin.

St. John’s currently has 60 students in pre-school through eighth grade, said Tomlin, who explained the school cooperates well with the Neillsville School District, where many St. John’s graduates attend high school.

Tomlin and St. John’s pastor Tim Biebert both stated the school has continued to teach God’s Word since it began.

“We have heeded Christ’s command” to stay true to God’s unchanging Word, stated Biebert, who added he is pleased the school is teaching many of the same things it did 125 years ago.

“We’ve been teaching the same Word of God,” said Tomlin, who explained the school does its best to give students a quality education.

Tomlin stated St. John’s school differs from public school, because it shares God’s Word with students and prepares them not only educationally but for their future life with God.

With smaller class sizes, teachers get to know students better than larger schools are able to, said Tomlin, who added the school is open to students who are not St. John’s church members.

Multiple grade levels are placed in the same classroom because of the small school size, which is often viewed as a disadvantage, Tomlin stated, but explained older students can help the younger students, who get a “sneak peek” at what they will learn the following school year.

St. John’s staff includes Tomlin; Maciejczak, who teaches second and third graders; Sharon Nemitz, grades four through five; JaNel Heiman, Kindergarten  through first grade; Jenny Shadrick, pre-school; Judy Trunkel, secretary; Darla Fitzmaurice, cook; Henry Channing, librarian; and Grant Harder, custodian.

Biebert stated Mr. Harder is “the guy who keeps St. John’s (school) looking beautiful.”

Teachers may teach different grades next school year because of Maciejczak’s retirement, Tomlin stated.

Tomlin praised the Neillsville community for its relationship with the school and stated, “I feel blessed” to teach at St. John’s.

Rev. Adolph Hoyer, who briefly visited Neillsville and helped spark the desire for Neillsville residents to form a church, suggested community members start a school, explained Biebert’s wife Linda, who added Hoyer must have known the importance of education, which has led to St. John’s tradition of educating students.

Just over 20 Neillsville residents helped organize St. John’s Church in 1886, which was originally located at a former Presbyterian Church at Fifth Street, said Linda, who added St. John’s has always been located on Fifth Street.

St. John’s currently has 575 members and averages approximately 200 congregants per Sunday.

Rev. F. J. Eppling, Jr. was St. John’s first pastor and served as pastor from1886 to1890.  More recently, Norman Lindloff served as pastor from 1959 to 1984 and served as pastor when the church’s current building and parsonage was constructed in the 1960s.

Richard Weber served as pastor from 1984 to 1994 before Biebert began his ministry in Neillsville where he has served as pastor for the last 16 years.

Biebert credits the church’s many topical Bible studies for helping congregants grow and learn about God’s Word, including Bible studies for men, women and teens.

The church planned three celebrations to recognize the past, present and what it hopes to accomplish in the future.  Sunday, May 22 will conclude the celebration of the school’s 125 years and being the celebration of the Church’s 125 years, explained Biebert.

Water is a significant symbol in the church’s and school’s 125^th anniversary celebrations, said Biebert.

Loggers and others originally settled in Neillsville because of its water, explained Biebert, who added people attend St. John’s church and school because of Living Water Jesus offers.

The school’s anniversary celebration theme is “Celebrating 125 years of leading children to Jesus the Living Water. 

The church’s anniversary celebration theme is “Proclaiming Christ the Living Water for 125 years.”

Tomlin hopes, God Willing, the school will continue telling others about that Living water for another 125 years 

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St. John's Lutheran School Celebrates 125 years (11 & 18 May 2011)