Although there was no shortage of Lutherans in the settling of Iowa, very few came to Madison County in the early years except for enough to sustain a church in Jefferson Township. Winterset had little Lutheran activity until late 1940 when a group of people with Lutheran backgrounds or leanings formed a Bible Club under the guidance of Rev. E. W. Mueller of the Lutheran Church at Martensdale. On December 1, 1940, the first Lutheran service was held using the facilities of the First Presbyterian Church.

Services continued in the Presbyterian church until June 1941 when the parishioners purchased a house and re-purposed it as a church. Officers of the Bible Club at inception were Herman H. Wipperman, Herbert J. Ehm, Fern Sundell and Lena Addy.

St Paul Lutheran Church (Built in 1949)

Photo courtesy of Linda Smith

The congregation grew to the point where these facilities were no longer adequate and in 1947 a building fund was initiated. In 1949 application for a loan from the American Lutheran Church was accepted in the amount of $21,000. Due to the fact that money was not immediately available to begin building on schedule, private loans were obtained from friends in Martensdale and Fontanelle. The Winterset congregation contributed an additional $3,000. The completed church was dedicated in January 1950.

On May 8, 1956, the name was changed to the present St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Winterset with the adoption of revised articles of incorporation.

St. Paul Lutheran is a member of the Iowa District of the American Lutheran Church since the merger in 1960. Because of this merger the congregation adopted a new constitution based on the model suggested by the merged Church. The present Worship-Education Service, initiated in March 1966, in which everyone is dismissed to a class immediately following the Worship Service. The total time planned for worship and classes is 1 1/2 hours.

In March, 2000, the church purchased land along the Highway 169 bypass at 8th Avenue to build a new place of worship. The first service was held there on March 7, 2004.

Pastors (1941 - 1984)

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