St. John’s Lutheran Church began with a group of German immigrants who came to the Oxnard Plain in 1900. These families relocated from the Palmdale area as many immigrants were looking for agricultural jobs and work at the sugar beet factory. Oxnard was seeing a lot of growth from many ethnicities.
The church began to grow, outgrew its first two locations, and finally relocated on the C Street property in 1950. A school building was built and the church building followed in 1968. St. John’s continued to reach out to the community with a variety of ministries including a Christian day school for 70 years, worship opportunities, and Vacation Bible School, both on campus and in neighborhoods. In 1978, St. John’s expanded the campus with a large fellowship hall, including a stage, administration offices, kitchen, two multipurpose rooms, with a main room for banquets and sports. Expansion and renovations continued in 1998. A library and kindergarten, small coffee gazebo was built as well as a remodel of the church, including a 12-foot-wide video screen in front of the church to enhance worship. In the past several years renovations included an electronic welcome sign on entering our parking lot, fire pit social area, columbarium, and a dedication brick walkway. We have been truly blessed for all of the donations to improve the campus for wider ministries.
St. John’s continues to love and reach out to its community. In 1983, St. John’s members voted to sponsor a ministry to reach out to the Hispanic community led by Rev. Dennis Bradshaw. This ministry continues in a few locations in Ventura County and has nurtured a few local men who have become ministers. As the makeup of the members changes and the needs of the community alters, St. John’s strives to meet the spiritual needs of its members and the members of the Oxnard community. Fresh ideas and new outreach approaches continue to be discussed and implemented as the message of our loving Savior never changes. St. John’s church body is proud of their history but looks forward to continuing to evolve with the future and community.
