The Parish was formed in May 1927 when thirty-six families held a meeting and began to plan a church. This meeting was presided over by Anton Braun who became an active promoter of the advancement and progress of St. John’s. In late 1927, Archbishop Sebastian Messmer visited the village and gave his approval for the establishment of the parish. On the first Sunday in July 1928, approximately sixty families attended the first Mass celebrated in the local Recreational Hall on an altar built by members of the parish. Father Goesl and a Capuchin Father from Mt. Calvary alternated for ten years in celebrating Mass every Sunday. In 1938, Archbishop Samuel Stritch appointed Father John Carroll to be the first resident pastor of St. John’s. On August 12, 1939, ground was broken for the new church.The cornerstone was blessed and laid by Archbishop Stritch on December 3, 1938. The following inscription was carved upon the stone:
“To Honor Christ the Redeemer – St. John Evangelist – the clergy and the faithful – in year 1939, the Most Rev. Archbishop of Milwaukee laid this stone.”
On September 22, 1940, the altar of St. John Evangelist was dedicated. Archbishop Moses Kiley presided.
Father Carroll kept the parish active – in part by arranging for several missions to be held at St. John’s. One was conducted by Father William Cousins who later became Archbishop of the Milwaukee Archdiocese. When Father Carroll was assigned to St. Clement’s in Sheboygan in 1948, Father John Risch came to St. John’s from Lake Church. That was also the year when the budget plan for the church support was abandoned and the envelope system which is still used today began. During Father Risch’s pastorate, the installation of the stained glass windows was completed, and, on Christmas 1948, he gave St. John’s parishioners a book identifying the scenes depicted in the windows and explaining their Biblical significance.
In 1957, Father Risch was succeeded by Father Francis Shea. Mrs. Albert Ehren, who had been the organist since the church was built, resigned and Charles Balzer was hired. He organized an adult mixed choir. After only 14 months at St. John’s, Father Shea was assigned to St. Patrick’s, Racine and Father William Cox came to St. John’s from St. Patrick’s, Fond du Lac.
St. John’s church underwent some major changes in the 1960’s during the pastorate of Father Charles Neu. Major improvements included the purchase of a pipe organ to replace the electric organ; remodel the alcove west of the main altar to match the east chapel; installation of a carved statue of the Blessed Mother and Child in the east chapel; installation of a carved statue of St. Joseph the Worker in the new west chapel; carpeting of the sanctuary; blacktopping of the parking lot; and landscaping of the newly purchased land.
Father Paul Lippert served as administrator for a month until Father Louis J. Wilimek was installed as pastor in February 1971. Father Harold J. O’Connor who, for health reasons, had retired from the pastorate of St. Francis de Sales, Lake Geneva, came to make his home with Father Wilimek in Kohler. Father Wilimek had been assistant to Father O’Connor for eleven years. Father O’Connor remained at Kohler until his death in 1983. He participated in most aspects of parish life but especially enjoyed teaching children and youth.
In May 1975, a parish celebration of the Silver Jubilee of Father Wilimek’s Ordination was celebrated by his family, brother priests and other friends. In 2001, Father Wilimek retired as a priest. He lived in Sheboygan until his death in 2015. His funeral was held at St. John Evangelist on February 2, 2015.
In June 2001, Father Tom Lijewski was assigned to succeed Father Wilimek as pastor. Father Tom is an accomplished musician, and when he moved into the rectory, he brought his own organ along. In 2002, Father Tom presided over St. John’s 75th Anniversary. It was a time to celebrate this milestone as well as reflect on where the parish hoped to be in the next twenty-five or fifty years.
On June 19, 2007, Father Bob Lotz was appointed pastor of St. John Evangelist and Blessed Trinity Parishes. In December 2009, Father Bob announced a major addition to St. John Evangelist church. This addition added a gathering space and Narthex area on the north side of the building, replaced pews, brought the altar closer to the congregation and made it shorter and added a conference room in the lower level off the church hall. The project was begun in 2010 and completed later that year.
In June 2017, Father Joseph Dominic was assigned as Parish Administrator to replace Father Bob who had retired. Father Joe is a Pallotine priest from India.