Within the five year period from 1980 - 1985 miraculous growth in attendance and activities necessitated the following developments:
- Worship services were increased to two per Sunday to handle the overcrowded conditions.
In Recent years, our choir provides anthems for both services.
- By a special congregational vote, the Bylaws were changed by the congregation increasing the council positions from 6 to 10 members in order to better represent the increased membership.
- For the first time, committees representing Christian Education, Social Ministry, Youth, Caring and Sharing, Property, Worship and Music. Finance and Memorial Fund were formed and began to meet on a monthly basis to handle the organization of our ministry.
- Tom Franks, a 19 year old lifetime member was hired as part time youth director to coordinate weekly activities for over 30 teenagers, also assisting the pastor with Confirmation instruction. During his term as youth director, Tom and volunteers took yearly trips to Washington DC working with the poor and homeless, adopt grandparents in local nursing home, produced and performed an original multi-media musical centered on the parables of Jesus and raised over $7,000.00 to send 15 of our teens to a National Youth Congress in Estes Park, Colorado.
Yearly youth services on Sunday morning and retreats to local camps made St. John's the church to be at if you were a Lutheran youth in Licking, County.
- A new copy machine and other office equipment were purchased for the office enabling us to
produce weekly bulletins and newsletter and finally retire the obsolete mimeograph machine which had served us for so many years.
- A new piano, purchased with Memorial funds, was put into weekly use by one of our newer members, Mrs. Phyllis DeWolf until 1991 when she retired, she and Mrs. George, our organist accompanied all services together.
- In 1984, the Lowe property next door which included the original Lutheran school, was purchased for $50,000 + cash in order to provide additional Sunday School classroom space and offices for both pastor and secretary.
- For the first time, weekly adult Bible studies, were offered together with five adult classes on Sunday morning including a singles class for the growing number of single adults in our
congregation.
- A 15 passenger bus was purchased to provide transportation for youth and elderly outings.
- With such rapid growth, the need for pastoral care increased for the hospitalized and shut-ins. Thus a Shepherding ministry was begun with over 20 members volunteering to make regular visits and phone contacts with the sick, the troubled and the inactive.
- Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus contacted St' John's and asked if we would be willing to serve as a training for seminary students interested in full-time ministry. Joyfull we agreed and for two years provided training for two young men (one year each) who served under the pastor for approximately 20 hours per week.
