VGI Updates

Sharon Lutheran Church was established by Swedish immigrants on 8 April 1888. Over the years, many Volga German families from Trego County, Kansas, moved to Wallace County and became members.

During the early years, the congregation met in the school house. On 8 December 1899, the Monotony school house was purhcased, and in 1900 moved to the corner of Pine and Gardner. This building served the congregation until 17 May 1953 when a new church building was dedicated.

Location:

The first Catholic services held in Sharon Springs were in 1877 by Father V. Sommereisen who came out from Hays. Mass was held in 1907 in an old brick schoolhouse. Father Joseph Hughes was the first resident priest.

The first church building was erected in 1916. It was located on 2nd Street, four blocks west of Main Street. The second church, located on Main Street, was dedicated 16 April 1952.

First Location:

2nd Street
Sharon Springs, Kansas

Current Location:

St. Severin Catholic Church was founded exclusively by former members of the Catharine parish. It was named in honor of Fr. Severin who served as its first pastor. The church was built in May, 1916, and was dedicated June 22, 1916.

The following families constituted the original membership of St. Severin:

The parish in Schoenchen was named St. Anthony's after patron saint of the church in Neu-Ober-Monjou, the colony in Russia from which a number of members of the new town had immigrated.

St. John Lutheran Church was founded by Volga German families in 1900. They met in the Baptist Church on 13 May 1900 to discuss forming a parish.

The first service was held on 10 June 1900 in a local Congregational Church. Subsequent worship services were held in the Baptist Church until a new building could be constructed. It was dedicated on 12 May 1901.

By 1927, the congregation had outgrown its building. The old church was torn down and a new one dedicated on 11 March 1928.

Location

Hope Lutheran Church was founded in 1909 and celebrated its 100th Anniversary on 18 October 2009. It is part of the Seeds of Faith Lutheran Parish founded in 2007 that includes, along with Hope, Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Hoisington, First Lutheran Church in LaCrosse, and Peace Lutheran Church in Albert.

Location:

308 South Walnut St.
PO Box 259
Rush Center, Kansas 67575
620.372.4410

The first priest to attend to the parishoners at Pfeifer was Father Sommereisen who came toward the end of 1876. The first church built in Pfeifer was completed in 1879 and measured 28 feet by 26 feet. A new building was constructed during 1889-1890, measuring 65 feet by 40 feet.

Construction of the new post rock limestone building was begun in 1915. It was dedicated on 3 May 1918. It's central steeple soars 165 feet into the Kansas prairie, and the two side steeples each reach 100 feet high.

Emanuel Lutheran Church was founded by Swedish immigrants, many of whom came from McPherson Co., Kansas, before resettling to Western Kansas. Volga German families that settled in the area are also members of this congregation.

The present church building was constructed in 1902 of limestone quarried near Threshing Machine Canyon.

Location:

7.5 Miles south of Ogallah on Hwy 147
Ogallah, KS
Telephone: 785.743.6629

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a frame structure measuring 46x28 feet was built in Ness City and dedicated on 19 June 1912. Sacred Heart Catholic School was founded in 1919.

Location:

510 S School St.
Ness City, KS 67560
785.798.3195

The Catholic church in Munjor is called St. Francis of Assisi. The first church was a frame building, 41 feet x 20 feet, begun in the autumn of 1877 and completed in February 1878. To support a growing congregation, a second building was constructed with the cornerstone laid on Palm Sunday, 1889. By December of that year, the roof was completed and the new church was dedicated in honor of St. Francis of Assisi on the Feast of the Holy Trinity in 1890. The church was 105 feet long, 39 feet wide, and 50 feet high.