Our History

It was on December 30, 1897, that a group of Christians gathered together in the home of Friedrich Kramlich in Mound City to organize a Baptist Church. These Christians were all members of the Baptist Church in Eureka, and with the church's cooperation, they met with their pastor, Rev. Louis Wiesle, to establish a Baptist Church in Campbell County.

The name chosen for the new church was the "German Baptist Church of Mound City," but this name would be short lived. With the coming of the Soo Railroad line into Campbell County in 1901, and the building of a new town along that line called Herreid, the church established a station in Herreid. In 1902, the first sanctuary and parsonage was built in Herreid, and the name of the church was officially changed in 1908 to "German Baptist Church of Herreid." The name of the church was changed again in 1958 to "Herreid Baptist Church" after the use of the German language was no longer used during the worship services.

The new church grew quickly and the following stations were added to the German Baptist Church of Herreid: 1. Mound City, 2. Pilerheim (five miles east of Herreid), 3.Thule (about ten miles northeast of Herreid), 4. Gnadenfeld (seven miles east of Mound City), 5. Biebelheimer (south-east of Mound City), and 6. Pollock. All of the members of these "preaching" stations were members of the German Baptist Church of Herreid, but the stations were established to bring the church into their communities. By the end of the 1930's only the Gnadenfeld and Pollock stations remained, but stations were added at Spring Creek (nine miles east of Herreid), and at Artas. For many years the pastor would preach at the church in Herreid one Sunday morning per month, as well as one Sunday morning per month at Spring Creek, Artas, and Gnadenfeld. If there was a fifth Sunday, he would preach at the Pollock Station. The last of these stations closed in 1964 at Artas.

During the 1920's and 1930's, the church experienced significant growth, as did many churches of other denominations in Campbell county. There was a great evangelistic movement that swept through Campbell county during those decades. Large baptism services were held in Spring Creek, just south of was called "Red Bridge," as well as in the river near Mobridge and later on in the First Baptist Church of Mobridge.

In 1931, the membership of the German Baptist Church of Herreid was at a total of 359 members, and, for a very brief time, was the largest German Baptist church in the Dakotas. In 1935, the membership grew to 445, but the membership dwindled in the following years because of the many who moved away during the Depression and because of the loss of the church building due to a fire in 1936. The members worked hard and rebuilt the church sanctuary during the summer of 1936, and this is the sanctuary which is used yet today. An addition with a balcony was built on the east end of the church in 1960 and the building was remodeled in 1976. The present parsonage was built in 1948 and 1949.

Five young men from the church have gone into the Christian ministry: Emmanuel Brockel, E. Biebelheimer, Louis Berndt, Arthur Fischer, and Fred Volske. Mrs. Arthur (Lenore Berndt) Fischer is also from our church.

The church has always continued to be strong in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Evangelism services are held each year and many have been added to the church through their faith in Christ and believers baptism each year.

Pastors

Louis Wiesle 1898

Johann Basener 1899-1900

August Kludt 1901-1906

Franz Dobrovolny 1907-1910

H.G. Bens 1911-1916

C.M. Knapp 1917-1918

H.G. Bens 1919-1930

Albert Alf 1930-1934

E.S. Fenske 1935-1938

Emil Becker 1938-1944

E.S. Fenske 1944-1957

Alfred Weisser 1958-1963

Iver Walker 1964-1969

Ed Kopf 1970-1981

Harry Johnson 1981-1990

Merle Hoots 1991-2000

Jay Clark 2000-2003

Steve Swann Jr. 2004-2011

Brandon Jones 2011-2017

Andrew Van Kuren 2017-2018

Paul Stout 2018-2020

Keith Hall 2020-