The Start of McHenry’s Zion Lutheran Church

During McHenry’s founding, several churches were started as the city soon after the area was settled. In fact, one of the first people to help settle McHenry was Reverend Joel Wheeler, who set up a Baptist church soon after settling. The Lutheran denomination came to this community in the mid-1860s and was mentioned in 1869 when a Lutheran minister came to town to officiate a funeral service. For the first two decades, most services were held in people’s houses, and ministers came in from other towns to provide spiritual counsel.

Photo of the original Lutheran Church on John Street.

The first Lutheran Church in McHenry was where the Masonic Lodge is now on Court Street. Before that, the structure was home to the Universalist Church. The congregation then moved to have its own church built in 1891 on John Street. (The building is now the Life Church.) Construction was completed in September 1891, and the project cost approximately $1,100. From 1875 to 1912, pastors from the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake served the Lutherans from McHenry. In 1912, the Immanuel Lutheran Church also gave the McHenry Lutherans a bell for the church. That was also the year that the McHenry congregation started giving all of its sermons in English. Up to that point, in town, the church was known as the “German Lutheran Church” and gave sermons in German and English. From 1912 until 1942, the Pastors came from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Woodstock. The Church had its first resident paster, Rev. F.C. Pudsel, in 1946, and purchased a parsonage for the pastor on John Street, near the Church, in 1949 for $10,500. The John Street building suited the Church’s needs until the mid-1950s, due to an increase in patronage. When Pastor Carl Lobitz started serving at the church in 1949, there were 50 families, and by 1958, there were over 175. Similarly, there were 35 children attending Sunday School in 1949. By 1958, there were 215.

Artist’s depiction of the new Zion Lutheran Church in the 23 Jun 1955 edition of the McHenry Plaindealer.

Seeking a larger structure, the flock moved to its current location next to Jewel. The land purchased was known as the Earl Brown property and had about five acres. The cornerstone was laid on May 25, 1958, and the official dedication was in August of that year. This new church would be able to fit about 414 people, with about 288 fitting in the nave. In all, the structure measured 110 feet in length and 37 feet in width. The church had an organ that was placed in the balcony, which also had 66 chairs for parishioners. There was also a 25×20 assembly room, the pastor’s office, a cloakroom, and two restrooms. A room setup for teaching Sunday school was also set up, measuring 25×20 feet. The outside featured buff-face brick, trimmed with Indiana limestone. A large backlit, bronze cross was put on the southern wall, greeting parishioners. The highlight of the new building was its rotunda, which was placed under a skylit dome. What the rotunda did was offer a way to have people pass between levels safely and efficiently. Minus the furnishings, the final cost was $150,000. On August 14, 1958, the Church had a grand opening that featured three services. For these services, over 1,100 people attended. To this day, the Zion Lutheran Church still serves its parishioners.

Photo of the Zion Lutheran Church shortly before opening in 7 Aug 1958 edition of the McHenry Plaindealer.

Sources

  • “The New German Lutheran Church……” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 2 Sep 1893, 5. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.
  • “Diamond Anniversary of Zion Lutheran Church To Be Observed On Sunday, Nov 4” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 1 Nov 1951, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.
  • “Expect Erection of New Zion Lutheran Church In West Part of McHenry To Begin In Near Future.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 23 Jun 1955, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.
  • “New Zion Lutheran Church Dedication On Sunday; Invite Public To Make Tour Aug 14” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 7 Aug 1958, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.
  • “Hold Open House Tonight At New Lutheran Church” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 14 Aug 1958, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.
  • “Zion Church Observes 100th Year.” The McHenry Plaindealer. (McHenry, IL) 22 Sep 1976, 1. Newspapers.com. Web. 26 Sep 2025.