The history of the Biola German Congregational Church can be traced to Volga German families who began meeting in 1918-1919 under the leadership of The Rev. C. Richert. They constructed a building which was moved to Biola in 1920-1921 and located just north of where the present church. It was used into the late 1950s.
Originally, the Biola Congregational Church was affiliated with the General Conference of the German Congregational Churches of North America. Today, the congregation is affiliated with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.
Address:
4717 N. 5th Street
Biola, CA 93606
Phone: 559.843.2527
The Congregational Church in Biola has been served by the following pastors:
Rev. C. Richert (1919-1920)
Rev. J. C. Schwabenland (1920-1922)
Rev. Paul Krumbein (1922-1924)
Rev. G. I. Brakemeyer (1924-1929)
Rev. H. H. Kissler (1929-1936)
Rev. Paul Kalmbach (1936-1940)
Rev. August Claus (1941-1942)
Rev. Jonathan Weber (1942-1948)
Rev. Philip Reich (1949-1954)
Rev. Reinhold H. Klein (1954-1958)
Rev. Edward Dahmer (1958-1961)
Rev. Philip Reich (1962-1967)
Rev. Elmer Bettenhausen (1967-1978)
Rev. Carl Knoch (1978-1994)
Rev. Edward Veldhuizen (1994-?)
Rev. Tim McDonald
- Eisenach, George John. A History of the German Congregational Churches in the United States (Yankton, SD: Pioneer Press, 1938): 244.
- Hullender, Beth. Biola Congregational Church: 75th Anniversary, 1921-1996.
Biola Congregational Church (website)
