With Pastor Fuhlbruck sparking our efforts, a new building fund drive began in 1957.  Although it fell well below the capabilities and the hopes of the sponsors, it fared well enough to eliminate all indebtedness on the new property.  There was enough left over to start building a parish hall.  Our Sunday School had grown enough by 1930 to require space in the nave, and by 1957 it had overflowed into every nook and cranny of the church.  Plans for the buildings to house our new venture in faith were completed and approved. In 1959, the congregation voted to proceed with these plans and also to construct a new and larger parsonage on the church property.  The congregation arranged to borrow $140,000 from the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank.   The Blessing of the Parish Hall Site and Ground Breaking was held on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 1960.   During the summer, the skeleton of our new church home arose among the trees.
On  September 25, 1960, the cornerstone was laid for the new parish building.  Work by both the contractor and numerous volunteers continued through the winter to complete the initial phases of our future church home.  A proud yet humble congregation gathered to dedicate the building that April Sunday in 1961.  Again, an appreciative congregation chose to memorialize the devoted and dedicated service of Rev. Baum by naming the parish building in his honor, fulfilling a vote of the congregation dating back to 1952.  The modern, well‑planned parish building facilities provided relief to our space problems, and activities expanded.
A growing and vital St. John’s was evident during this period.  For a time, both the new facilities and the Cannon Street property were in use, and this situation created the inevitable logistics problems and emphasized the need for and desire to make the hopes and prayers for a single home a reality. Work toward that objective continued though the early 1960″s, pausing long enough to install a new pastor, Rev. M. Luther Sievert, on January 12, 1964.  With renewed vigor, the congregation planned the expanded home, and on a beautiful spring day, May 9, 1965, a determined band broke ground for our new church home and educational units.  Later that fall, reality emerged from our dreams with the laying of the cornerstone on November 21, 1965.
One can imagine the hours of planning that were spent in coordinating all the minute details of its construction.  The building committee was chaired by Roland Huhndorff.  Desiring to cherish its past, the congregation used the altar and baptismal font from its former church homes in furnishing the new chapel.  The stained glass windows from Cannon Street were installed in the chapel and narthex to preserve that link with the past.  The organ, purchased to celebrate the Silver Jubilee forty years earlier, was dismantled, moved, rebuilt and expanded to provide new musical expression to our worship service. Art Williams was the layman responsible for this project.
The task, voted in 1951, to have a new church home within five years had actually taken fifteen years to be fully realized.  This time span is not to be construed as a lack of interest or dedication, but as wholly necessary to respond to changing needs, desires and requirements within the congregation.  Like their predecessors of 1914, the congregation was not fully certain how the financial commitments of these extensive undertakings would be satisfied.  What spirit visited them during these years to give them faith to tackle such a formidable task?  Despite the uncertainty, they went ahead!
On May 22, 1966, Pastor Sievert led an enthusiastic congregation in prayer, “Peace be to this house and all who enter here,” as they entered the sanctuary for the service of dedication.  Dr.  Alfred Beck, President of the New York Synod, delivered the sermon.  During the following week, the new building was open for many tours, special worship services and musical programs. A beautiful new house of worship had been created through the talents of many.  In 1967, St.  John’s proudly hosted the convention of the Metropolitan New York Synod in the new facility.
Another innovation during this time occurred after months of prayer and planning by Pastor Sievert and committee of interested members,  when St. John’s Christian Junior Kindergarten began classes for four‑year‑old children on February 2, 1965.  Elinor Schaubhut was the teacher, and the mothers of the enrolled children took turns assisting her.  From the beginning the school had a Christian learning curriculum.  In 1971, a program for three‑year‑old children was added.  Over the years, Christian Junior Kindergarten has been a positive influence in the lives of hundreds of children from St. John’s and our community.  Families of many different ethnic groups have been part of this school.
The latter part of the 1960″s saw St. John’s progress in spiritual devotion and extension of God’s Kingdom.  The new facilities, while satisfying the congregation’s need for space, created new financial concerns and problems not to be soon forgotten.  With fifty percent of an annual budget of $100,000 devoted to debt reduction, St. John’s had overextended itself.  Faith lived on!  A burgeoning need for space prompted the Dutchess County BOCES Program to lease our education facilities for their program.  This assisted the congregation in meeting financial commitments during this period.  The congregation was changing in the late sixties and early seventies.  Another study and evaluation of a possible merger with First Lutheran Church resulted in a standoff.  The church council wrestled with problems ranging from self‑evaluation to securing pastoral assistance, ever mindful of its continuing financial burdens.
The 1970’s brought new events and programs to St. John’s.  Publication of the monthly newsletter, “St. John’s Journal” began in 1970.   The Hillside Pageant, on Christmas Eve, 1972, presented the Nativity story through the eyes of a child. St. John’s members participated in the “Key 73” call to spiritual renewal.  The Christian Education Committee responded to the needs of our young members by beginning a First Communion education program for Fifth Grade children and restructuring the Confirmation program. The Contemporary Worship Service began in 1971 with the encouragement of Pastor Sievert and through the efforts of several young members.  This service continues to be led by faithful laypersons and enhanced by talented musicians.
Pastor Sievert resigned in October 1974 and accepted a mission development assignment with the Florida Synod.     The Pulpit Committee worked diligently during the next several months to assess our pastoral needs as well as the skills of candidates for this call.  At the same time the Worship and Music Committee worked faithfully in providing for our worship and pastoral needs.  On April 13, 1975, the congregation voted to extend a call to Rev. John R. Heller of Staten Island.  Pastor Heller accepted the call and began his ministry at St. John’s on July 1, 1975.  The congregation responded immediately to new pastoral leadership.  On a beautiful afternoon, September 14, 1975, with the sun streaming through the stained glass windows and creating a colorful mosaic on the chancel wall, Pastor Heller was installed among an assemblage of clergy and laity.
Immediately, Pastor Heller involved himself fully in the life of the church. His attendance at a number of cottage meetings as part of the annual stewardship program provided an excellent forum for members to respond to plans outlined by the pastor and the church council.  Attendance at worship services increased by twenty percent.  The activities and involvement of members showed a significant growth, and the lights of St. John’s burned brightly despite a desire to conserve on the electricity and oil bills. Our people were involved in the community, assisting in the resettlement of refugee families and in feeding and clothing needy people.  Lay President Dick Jetto termed 1975  “A year of planning.  A year of searching.  A year of finding.  And a year of renewal.”
At the January 1976 congregational meeting St. John’s people were challenged to grow further in faith.  At the urging of the church council and Pastor Heller, St. John’s congregation committed to support a seminary student intern in the fall of 1976; the first Vicar, Daniel B. Ward, arrived in August of that year.  At that same meeting the congregation adopted as the theme of its 75th Anniversary celebration “Recall the Past, Chart the Future.”  The Story of Seventy‑Five Years was published as a commemorative booklet, following its use as a narrative for a special Service of Remembrance held on October 3, 1976.   Progress was reported in evangelism, worship and music, social ministry, education and stewardship, and the congregation committed themselves to goals which indicated renewed vitality and faith. The enthusiastic response to the Bethel Bible Study Series, taught by a group of lay teachers,  led to the formation of an Adult Education Program.  A unique worship opportunity “The Meal in the Upper Room” on Maundy Thursday was begun.
In the late 1970″s, St. John’s congregational and benevolence giving increased.  The Lutheran Book of Worship was introduced.  An Early Childhood Committee provided classes for parents and also assisted in the development of Lutheran Church in America Cradle Roll materials.  Five classes completed the two year Bethel Bible Study series.  St. John’s remained involved in the community through distribution of food, clothing, holiday baskets and “white gifts” collected by the Sunday School children.  St. John’s members began participating in the Church World Service CROP Walk and in community Blood Drives.  The Lutheran Church Women hosted a three day Biennial Convention of the Metro New York LCW and also held several very successful fall fairs which included luncheons and crafts.  The Luther League held Italian suppers and talent shows.
During the late 1970″s and early 1980″s the intern program continued.  Seminary intern Clements Richards served 1977‑1978, Charles Streitelmeier served in 1978 ‑1979, and Martin Bauer served in 1979‑1980.  Martin introduced the Easter Vigil Service at St. John’s.  Carolyn Myers, the 1980 ‑1981 intern, taught an adult course “Monday’s Ministries” and was very involved with the youth, going with them to a National Lutheran Youth Gathering. Dennis Keip served as intern in 1981‑1982; he worked on the Manual for Acolytes.
Also in 1980, the “Rebuild the House of the Lord” fund appeal was launched to provide for continuing renovation and repair needs.    Cub Pack 9 designated their newspaper drive earnings for this fund.  St. John’s and First Lutheran Churches celebrated the 450th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.  The 200th anniversary of Sunday School was celebrated at St. John’s; the children came into the sanctuary to sing and celebrate during the 9:30 worship and also decorated the hallways with colorful posters.  St. John’s Historian Alton Gemmel created a slide program with taped narration on the Lutheran Church Worship Service and the history of our congregation.
In 1981, St. John’s celebrated  “Eighty Years of Faith, Service, and Love.”  A Young Adult fellowship group was formed, and an adult Sunday School current issues discussion class began.  A joint Lutheran ‑ Episcopal service was held at St. John’s on All Saints Sunday.  A Sign Language interpreter was hired to assist a deaf child in our Sunday School, and a Deaf Ministry Committee was formed.  St. John’s and Vassar Temple began a cooperative venture in providing child care for one another during the Jewish Holy Days in the fall and at Christmas and Easter.  St. John’s youth and adults began involvement with Lutheran Youth Encounter, attending Congresses and hosting and joining LYE Teams.   “Word and Witness” one year adult Bible Study class was held in 1982.  This same year an Advent Devotional Booklet was written by our members.  The next year, 1983,  the Georgetown Square condominium property was purchased with loans from members of the congregation.  This condo houses our seminary interns and provides a rental income during years when St. John’s is not participating in that program.  “The Lunch Box”, a community effort to feed the hungry, began with assistance from St. John’s members and Vicar Bill Kimball.  Vacation Church School, a  program held for many summers, provides children of St. John’s and the community with a wonderful summer experience.  1983 was a typical year in which well over 100 children participated, and reached out with financial support for an LYE Team member, soap chips for Lutheran World Relief, new soap for Grace Smith House Shelter, and canned goods for Dutchess Outreach.  The former Couples Club became the more inclusive Adult Fellowship.  A Martin Luther Birthday Supper Celebration was held.
Michael Blair, the 1983‑1984 intern, was very involved with youth, young adults, and music.  He and his wife Sue shared music and dramatic talents at St.  John’s and in the community.    In 1984 the Young Adult group became “SAM” ‑ Service and Ministry, and fellowship events were expanded to include Bible study, retreats, and service projects.  Long Range Planning set policy goals in staffing, finance, communications, facilities, committee outreach, internal programs, and school for the next ten years.  A TTY device was purchased for the office telephone.  A 20th Anniversary celebration was held for Christian Junior Kindergarten.
St. John’s 1901 – 1923
St. John’s 1923 – 1956
St. John’s 1956 – 1984
St. John’s 1985 – 2000
St. Johns 2001 – Present