For the first 50 years, the worship services were conducted entirely in the German language of its ancestors. Hence, the name was changed to Saint Johannes Evangelical Church. Since the earliest days, worship services have followed the format of our Reformed tradition.

In the 1950s, St. John moved up to the top of Sulphur Spring Road with the construction of a new church building (now the current location). Also, when the Evangelical & Reformed Church merged with the Congregational Christian tradition in 1957, St. John joined the mainline Protestant denomination the United Church of Christ (UCC).

St. John grew numerically from the 1950s to the 1970s. Many young families migrated to West St. Louis County helping the congregation to expand its programs and ministries. By the 1980s, the congregation had over 1000 members and an estimated worship attendance of 400 people. This was supported by the two strong pastorates of Rev. Paul Wobus (1922-1969) and Rev. Dr. Richard Brandon (1970-2005).

From the very beginning, St. John has been engaged in mission and service to the community. It started out with denominational benevolences, such as, Emmaus Homes and Evangelical Children’s Home (now Every Child’s Hope), and currently encompasses agencies like, Circle of Concern and Sunshine Mission. Probably the most noteworthy partnership has been with Shannondale Community Center, Salem, Missouri (an agency of the Missouri Mid-South Conference) founded by Rev. Wobus and St. John UCC Manchester.