Many Volga German families have been part of the history of Immanuel Lutheran Church in WaKeeney. It was first formed in 1925. During its last years, the congregation was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The congregation disbanded, and the building was sold in 2021. It is now a private residence.
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The first Roman Catholic Masses in WaKeeney were in a private home in 1908. Because of such a small membership, they met in many different homes until 1934 when Christ the King Catholic Church was organized.
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Bethlehem Lutheran Church was founded by Volga German families on 31 October 1897. They first met in the school house and then worshiped in the Methodist Church until 6 May 1906 when they dedicated their own church building. This building was used by the congregation until it was destroyed by fire on 14 December 1945. A new church was dedicated on 19 June 1949.
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St. Boniface church of Vincent was organized in 1907 by a number of families from the St. Fidelis parish in Victoria. They were seeking to have a church nearer to their farms. Seven families were responsible for completing the building:
Moritz (Maurice) Baier
Lorenz Braun
Anton P. Dreiling
Bernhard (Ben) P. Huser
Michael Reichert
Valentin (Walter) Rajewski
Peter I. Weigel
The first worship services were held at Herzog in the dwelling of A. Dreiling. A frame church was built adjoining the house, the south wall of the dwelling serving as north wall of the church. This structure was about 40x24 feet. Hon. Walter C. Maxwell, a Catholic Englishman then living south of Victoria, undertook to build a stone church for the settlers on Section 1, north of the present dwellings. In August, 1877, plans and specifications had been completed by Henry Bergsland who also received the contract.
The first Catholic Volga German colonists to arrive in Topeka in 1875 were served by the Assumption Catholic Parish. A new influx of Volga German immigrants arrived in 1886 and Assumption was becoming overcrowded. In December of 1886, Bishop Louis M. Fink instructed the newly ordained Father Francis Henry to organize a German-speaking parish in Topeka. The first Mass of the new St. Joseph Parish was celebrated on 13 February 1887 in the church building of Assumption Parish.
Sacred Heart Parish grew out of the St. Joseph Parish which had been established in 1887. As St. Joseph's membership continued to grow and many parishners began to settle some distance to the east in Topeka's Oakland neighborhood, the need for another parish was discussed. In 1917, Father Henry set up a committee to raise funds for the building of a church. Bishop Ward appointed Father George Eckert as pastor to the new parish, called Sacred Heart, in May of 1919. The first Mass for the new Sacred Heart Parish was held on 1 April 1920 in Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
The first Volga German colonists to arrive in Topeka on 23 November 1875 were from Catholic colonies. Assumption Church was the only Catholic parish in Topeka at the time. It had been active since at least 1862 and had been established as an outpost of the Indian Mission located at what would become the town of St. Marys, Kansas. Assumption was founded by the missionaries of St. Marys.
St. John Lutheran Church was organized near Susank on 20 October 1906. St. John began English-language services in 1943. During the pastorate of P. Juergensen, St. John joined the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
St. John merged with Emmaus Lutheran Church in Hoisington in 1955 to form Concordia Lutheran Church (in Hoisington). The final service at St. John Lutheran Church north of Susank was held on 7 November 1955.
Location:
3 miles north of Susank
In 1895, the small group of Volga German immigrants who had settled in St. Peter built a small frame church. It was located about 4 miles west of present-day St. Peter. In 1898, both the church and the cemetery were moved to their present locations.