St. Salvator Lutheran Church
An Historical Congregation, Looking Towards the Future
Early History
St. Salvator Lutheran Church is located about forty miles southeast of St. Louis. The first pastor was Ottomar Fuerbringer who was called with the help of O. H. Walther (the first pastor of Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis). The early history of the congregation is a record of many trials and hardships, but God’s blessing was in evidence. In 1840 a log cabin which served as church, school, and parsonage was erected at Elkhorn Prairie which is now Johannisburg, one mile south of Venedy. The old name of the parish was “Die Gemeinde an Der Elkhorn Prairie.” Pastor Fuerbringer delivered his first sermon on August 23, 1840, although the first official church rite was a baptism recorded in 1837.
​
Doctrinal controversy within the early congregation prompted the pastor and six families to form “Die Evangelische Brockschmidt Hill” congregation which is now in Venedy. In the plans for the community Gerhard H. Brockschmidt donated three acres of land for a church, a school and a cemetery. In 1842 a frame building was built, and it was used for church, school and parsonage. Between the years 1843 and 1845 fever and cholera thinned the ranks of the congregation when 49 people died. Pastor Ruerbringer helped with the founding of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod in 1846, and Saint Salvator joined the Missouri Synod in 1848.
​
The Elkhorn Creek runs nearby the church and sometimes heavy rains would prevent members from returning home after services because of flooded roads. So in 1850 some members living east of the creek left to form their own congregation in Grand Prairie. There was a shortage of ministers, so they appealed to the Evangelical Synod. Today this congregation is named Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ. There were a number of families in Grand Prairie who had not yet severed ties with St. Salvator, and they branched off and founded Ebaneezar White Church. The congregations in Okawville and Hahlen (south of Nashville) are daughters of this Ebaneezar congregation.
​
The first school building was dedicated to serve as school and teacherage. The first school picnic was held in July, 1862. A Young Peoples Society flourished under Teacher Miessler in 1865. The present church building was erected during 1864-1865. It was dedicated in 1866. The dedication speakers were C F W Walther, Professor Brauer, and Pastor Buenger.
​
A Ladies Aid was organized around 1868. In 1872 the congregation added two rooms to the parsonage, and a school building was erected in 1872 and dedicated in 1874. A parsonage was built in 1907 and dedicated on Christmas Day of that same year.
Later History
The young people of the congregation joined the Walther League under the supervision of Teacher Lorenz around 1922. The introduction of English worship services twice a month began in 1923. A number of English communion services were held each year by resolution of the congregation in April of 1931. During the ministry Rev. E J Salesak, the large English hymnal was introduced together with the Common Order of Service.
​
St. Salvator celebrated its 90th anniversary in 1832, and the centennial services were held on September 20 and 27 in 1942 under the leadership of Pastor Saleska. The last German worship service was held in the late 1940’s. A Sunday School was organized in 1947 under the direction of Pastor Karl Schroeder. A Dorcas Lutheran Women’s Missionary League was organized in 1962 while Joesph Schlichting was pastor.
​
A dual parish was formed with Saint Peter Lutheran Church in New Memphis during a vacancy in both of the congregations in 1960. Rev. Joseph Schlichting was the first pastor to serve this dual parish. He was installed on January 8, 1961. The 125th anniversary was held in October, 1967, with Theodore Dautenhahn and John Saleska as speakers. Rev. Walter Symank served the congregation as vacancy pastor. David Block served as a student pastor during the vacancy. A call was extended to Eldon Winker, and he was installed on July 20, 1969. In 1973 he accepted the call to serve in Mountain Home, Arkansas. On Palm Sunday Dale Meyer was installed. Later he accepted a position at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. His farewell sermon was delivered on April 26, 1981. On May 3, 1981, Richard Smith was installed as pastor. He accepted a call to Cleveland, Tennessee, and his farewell sermon was on April 29, 1984. Rev. Glenn Thomas served as vacancy pastor. On January 6, 1985, David Flectcher was ordained and installed as pastor. He retired on March 1, 2009. On May 17 of that year Arthur Eichhorn was ordained and installed as the pastor. Pastor Eichhorn retired in 2021 and agreed to stay on as a vacancy pastor until a new pastor could be called. On July 21, 2024, Rev. James A d’Entremont III was installed as pastor at St Salvator and Olive Branch Lutheran Church in Okawville.
​
Other events in the life of our congregation include: In 1972 children began lighting the candles for worship services. In 1975 the organ was renovated. In 1976 the congregation began to hold an annual chicken dinner on Father’s Day. In 1977 the school building was remodeled with the addition of two rest rooms. In August 20, 1978, new church bells were dedicated. In 1979 the congregation began training field workers from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. Also in that year, many of the official records of the congregation were placed on microfilm at the Historical Building in Nashville. In 1980 a fund was established to help parents send their children to Immanuel Lutheran School in Okawville. The minutes of the church were translated from German into English, and the new front entrance and remodeled sacristy were dedicated on November 30. The work on a nativity scene for the inside of the church was completed for Christmas. In 1992 the congregation celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary with guest speakers John Saleska, Eldon Winker, Glen Thomas and Dale Meyer.
Pastors of St. Salvator
1800's
Ottomar Fuerbringer (1840-1850)
Paul Israel Baumgart (1851-1869)
Johannis Gottlob Walther (1869-1871)
Wilhelm Achenback (1871-1883)
E. Mangelsdorg (1884-1897)
F. Doederlein (1897-1901)
​​
1900's
Willian C. Steinman (1901-1922)
Theodore Dautenhahn (1923-1930)
E. J. Saleska (1930-1943)
Armand Graf (1943-1945)
Karl Scroeder (1945-1948)
Albert Schroeder (1947-1948)
Leonard Dippold (1950-1959)
William Bahr (1959-1961)
Joesph Schlichtig (1961-1964)
William Stellwagen (1964-1967)
Elldon Winkler (1969-1973)
Dale Meyer (1974-1981)
​Richard Smith (1981-1984)
2000's
David G. L. Fletcher (1985-2009)
Arthur Eichhorn (2009-2024)
James A d’Entremont III (2024-present)
Our Current Pastor:
Rev. James d'Entremont
Pastor Jim came to us in July of 2024 from the Gulf Coast of Florida where he had been serving a congregation in the Pensacola area.
​
Pastor Jim is a 2016 graduate of Concordia Seminary in St Louis. In his pre-ministry life he graduated from the University of Missouri and had a successful career in the business world.
​
Pastor Jim is an Air Force BRAT, having lived across the United States, including a previous station at Scott AFB. He is married to Kristen, and has three children; Jacqueline, James, and Jacob.
When not engaged in the ministry, Pastor Jim enjoys time with family, traveling, photography, the outdoors, dabbling at gardening, and following his beloved Missouri Tigers.