Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church (Brackenridge, Pennsylvania) Records

This congregation was originally founded in West Tarentum, Pennsylvania by Slovak Lutherans who immigrated and settled in that area beginning around 1890. They originally met in homes. As this group grew, they needed a church building for their services, so they began to use facilities of existing churches. In 1903, Rev. Andrew Olsavsky from Charleroi, Pennsylvania came when he could. On April 18, 1905 the group decided to organize as a congregation. One of their first official acts was to join the Slovak Evangelaical Lutheran Church (SELC). One of the priorities of the congregation was to buy property and build a church building. The first church building was completed in September 1906 in Tarentum. In 1909, Rev. Ludovit Karlovsky became their first called pastor. During the early years, everything was done in the Slovak language. In 1923, a Sunday School was organized. In 1946, the congregation realized their future was in the English language. By 1952 attendance was greater at the English service than the Slovak service. The congregation outgrew the original church building by 1954. A parcel of land was purchased in Brackenridge. Construction began in 1958. The cornerstone was laid that fall, and the building was dedicated in September 1959. The congregation became debt-free in 1972. At the beginning of the 1970s, the congregation became part of the LCMS. In 2007, after a seven-year vacancy, St. John's became a dual parish with John Hus, Arnold, Pennsylvania. The congregation closed in 2016.

• Rev. Ludovit Karlovsky 1909-1910
• Rev. Robert Schnirch 1911-1912
• Rev. Joseph Kolarik 1912-1921
• Rev. John M. Marcis 1921-1946
• Rev. John D. Kovac 1948-1952
• Rev. Jaroslav J. Vajda 1953-1963
• Rev. George Dolak 1963-2000
• Vacant 2000-2007
• Rev. Jerome Panzigrau 2007-2016