About Us
We give thanks to God that St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is now in its 137th year of service to the Lord and His people. Our church was officially organized on June 11, 1871, by the Rev. Carl H. Rohe of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Joliet. The founders of our church met in a frame building on 11th Street between Washington and Jefferson Streets.
From 1871 until 1911, the congregation at St. Paul's was served by pastors from both St. Peter's in Joliet and St. Matthew's Lutheran in Lemont. In 1911, the congregation called its first pastor, the Rev. Ernest H. Zucker. It should be noted that since calling its first pastor in 1911, the church has only had five pastors. Two of our beloved shepherds, Rev. Walter Bezold and Rev. Armin Breihan served for 34 and 38 years respectively.
On February 25, 1912, the congregation decided to build a new church with construction beginning in early August. The cornerstone of the new building was laid on August 18, 1912 and on January 5, 1913 the congregation dedicated their new church with three special services.
In 1964, ground was broken for a new church on ten acres of land at the corner of Briggs and Division Streets on the south side of Lockport . Dedication services were planned for September 19, 1965, but on August 26, half of the fellowship hall was destroyed and other parts of the new facility damaged by a severe storm. Dedication ceremonies were eventually held on December 12th.
On April 7, 1976, the church was destroyed by fire. The only thing spared from serious damage on the altar was the Holy Bible! Services were held at Lockport Central High School until a new church could be built.
On April 30th, 1978, St. Paul's dedicated its new church, education building and fellowship hall. Indeed, neither fire nor wind nor anything else has been able to prevent God's Word from being proclaimed in its glorious truth at St. Paul's Lutheran Church for over 134 years now.
On March 20, 1994, St. Paul's installed the Rev. Mark H. Hein as its pastor. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Pastor Hein served in hospital administration (in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio) for ten years before entering the ministry in 1992. He has a bachelor of science degree in journalism, a master of arts degree in interpersonal communication and a master of divinity degree.
Pastor Hein attended Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He served his vicarage at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Conover, North Carolina, and was pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Clyde, North Carolina for 19 months before coming to Lockport. He is presently serving his second term on the Board of Directors, Northern Illinois District, of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Pastor Hein is also fire chaplain for the Lockport Fire District which has three stations and some fifty full-time personnel. He is married and has three children.
The people of St. Paul's have a strong desire for mission work as seen in the fact that in 1998 our church became a vicarage congregation to help men prepare for the Office of the Holy Ministry. We have been blessed with a vicar every year since.
Our mission efforts also include direct support for missionary work through the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, for the Prison Ministry at Stateville Prison, for Living Heritage Lutheran Church in Plano, Illinois (one of our mission congregations), for Higher Things (outreach to teenagers) and for the work that is being done by Lutheran World Relief, SOS Children's Village, and Bethesda Homes.
In all that we do in service to the Lord and His people we joyfully declare "Soli Deo Gloria" - To God alone be the glory!
