On 4 February 1940, a group of Lutherans organized a Lutheran congregation in Montrose, Colorado. They bought the former St. John's Reformed Church building on Park Avenue on 11 June 1940 and called the new congregation St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In 2001, the congregation changed its name to Living Word Lutheran Church and in 2002 moved to a temporary location at 33 N. Uncompahgre Ave. They sold the old church building to Dr. Craig Cayo, an oral surgeon.
In 2011, the congregation constructed a new 5,000 square foot church building on Peyton Drive.
St. John's / Living Word Lutheran Church is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELS).
In 2006, Dr. Cayo donated the old St. John's church building to the Montrose County Historical Museum and it was moved to the complex of the Museum of the Mountain West where it is called the German Lutheran Church.
Original Location:
600 S Park Ave.
Montrose, CO
Second Location:
33 N. Uncompahgre Ave.
Montrose, CO
Current Location:
2820 Peyton Dr.
Montrose, CO 81401
651.249.1617
St. John's Lutheran Church in Montrose was served by the following pastors:
Rev. Brenneke
Rev. William F. Wietzke (1940-1968)
Rev. Ditter
Rev. Tom Spiegelberg (1988-1990)
Rev. Tim Poetter (1988-)
Living Word Lutheran Church in Montrose has been served by the following pastors:
Rev. Matt Hennig (2022-)
- Living Word Lutheran Church History [Online]
- Cox, Marilyn. "The Little White Church at the Museum." Montrose Press (29 January 2014). [Online]
- Living Word Lutheran Church (website)
- Raddatz, Kevn P. A History of the Colorado Conference [Online]
