The Evangelical St. John's church in Brooke township is a branch of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, and was organized on April 17, 1888, by Rev. Mr. Miner of LeMars.  This was in response to a demand by some of the leading German farmers of the township who wished a church in the strong German settlement which had been made some years previous to this date.  Among the men who organized the congregation were Christ Felten, Sr., William Mohror, Carl Flagman, William Flagman, C. H. Felten, F. Fastenow, C. Kracht, William Mueller, John Grapenthin, William Fastenow, H. Achterberg, F. Mohror and Ch. Flagman.

A commodious church was at once erected on section 17, in the center of the German settlement, and a call was extended to Rev. J. Jans, who served the congregation from 1888 to 1890. Rev. E. Laible succeeded him and served for two years, being followed by Rev. G. Meinzer, who remained until 1898.  Rev. C. Bendigkeit came in 1898 and remained until 1901.  Rev. E. Hansen was called the same year and served until 1903, when Rev. R. Lorenz succeeded him and is the pastor at this time.

The present official board consists of G. Mohror, president; Ch. Mohror, vice president; J. Grapenthin, cashier and C. W. Flagman, secretary.

There are forty members and one hundred and forty communicants enrolled in the membership of the church.

A German school is connected with the church, which is taught by the pastor from November until April of each year. This is located near the parsonage, which adjoins the church grounds.  It is well attended by children from the neighborhood, who are thus grounded in the German mother tongue, which would otherwise soon be forgotten.

The property of the congregation is valued at about seven thousand dollars, and its affairs are in a prosperous condition.

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Extracted from:  Wegerslev, C. H. and Thomas Walpole.  "St. John's Church in Brooke."  Past and Present of Buena Vista County, Iowa.  Chicago:  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1909, p. 119.