The Beginning

In the spring of 1879 Rev. J.J. Walker the pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Manawa conducted his first service at the request of several families of German Lutherans who had settled in the Town of Union (Symco). On the first Sunday after Easter in 1880 Rev. J.J. Walker presented a constitution for the new congregation members who had now left St. Paul's congregation in Manawa in order to establish this parish. After this constitution was a subject of discussion in several meetings, it was finally adopted on July 18, 1880. There was a total of 46 souls when this congregation began. A few years after the congregation was organized, a Lutheran day school was established. The day school remained in operation until 1933.

The congregation has remained a part of Symco since its organization in 1880. Over the years it has grown in membership to some 600 souls. The current church building was built in 1955 and dedicated in 1956 and has been updated in recent years with an enlarged narthex, an elevator, new church offices and handicap bathrooms.

In the 1940's the pastor of St. Mark began preaching at St. Luke, Big Falls during a time of vacancy. The relationship between these two congregations has continued all these years and they are now a dual parish. Big Falls is about 13 miles north west of Symco. It is a small congregation of about 43 souls.