.
At the 1951 Summer meeting of St. John's Lutheran Church in Burlington, Wisconsin, the members decided to try a new program call the
Lutheran Pioneers. The pastor of St. Johns, Rev. Reuben O, Marti, and a layman, Mr. Bruce Thompson, presented the program
to the congregation with the understanding that they try it for a year and at the end of that time either continue with the program
or drop it. The first meeting was held on September 10, 1951, and weekly meetings continued for the rest of the year.
When the year was up, the congregation voted unanimously to keep it.
Other congregations soon heard of the program that
was being used by St. John's and requested information. By 1954, this program had expanded so that a broader program had to
be designed. In February 7, 1954, Bruce Thompson was appointed the first National Commander of Lutheran Pioneers.
In
1957 a committee of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod began a study of the Lutheran Pioneer program. At the 1959 Convention
of the Synod the delegates approved the organizaiton's existence without any objections and positively encouraged the opportunities
it offered for developing Christian attitudes toward the Creator.
On February 3, 1960 the Lutheran Pioneers was incorporated
and thus became the Lutheran Pioneers, Inc. The 100th Train was chartered that year at the 7th Pioneer Convention.
On
September 18, 1976 a special Thanks Service was held in Milwaukee, WI, to thank God for his many blessings and to commemorate 25 years
of growth within the Lutheran Pioneer program. On September 19, 1976, the National Headquarters building outside of Burlington,
WI was dedicated.
*** More history to come.........