The following is from Saleste, Paul H., Ninetieth Anniversary of Saint John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, January 1, 1935. (Spelling and punctuation as in the original.)
Rev. Theo. Frohne of Cleveland was elected successor to Rev. Kienle and assumed his duties in February 1925. The general trend of his ministry as well as the present one, is know to all, and needs to be sketched very briefly. A recapitulation of outstanding events is all that is called for. During Rev. Frohne's incumbency several changes were made, designed to elaborate both the services and the building.
The question of the proper division of time between the German and English congregations was settled by introducing English services in the morning. So far, English had been restricted to evening services alone, and used in combined services on special festival occasions. A plan was adopted whereby the first and third Sundays were made available to English services in the morning. In 1934, this was amended giving us English services on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of each month.
The constitution was revised and modernized. The property of the congregation was improved, by the addition of a new solarium and garage to the parsonage.
A building program, to promote the growth of the church activities, especially to improve altar, choir loft and purchase a new organ was initiated in the summer of 1925. A wing addition was built to the east side of the church, new organ purchased and installed, giving a much more commodious interior arrangement, and making it possible to increase the seating of the main auditorium as well, by moving chancel and pulpit back to its proper place. The whole renovation program, including the costly organ entailed an expenditure of nearly $40,000. Most of this amount was subscribed and paid within three years. Approximately $10,000, however, remained as debt and was carried over into the succeeding pastorate. The dedication services were held on June 27, 1926, with Rev. Wm. Dresel of Evansville as guest speaker. The building committee consisted of the Organ committee, Messrs Chas. Hoffman, Rev. A. Schmid, J. C. Klinger, Edward Remy and Rev. Theo. Frohne and the following additional men, G. Schaller, Geo. Dinges, Chas. Fensch, C. O. Garver, W. H. Olinger, F. Haag, E. W. Wagner, Christian Schaus and Jacob Wolf. At the dedication, an announcement of donation of Chimes by Mrs. Henry Goetz in honor of her deceased husband was made. While it proved a costly enterprise, it has since then proven its value and worthwhileness to the enhanced program of worship in the church repeatedly. We are glad today, that it was done.
A new organization was called into being in October 1925. The Saint John's Brotherhood with Charles Hoffman as first President and 68 charter members.
During Rev. Theo. Frohne's tenure, special emphasis was placed on the benevolence program of the church, and all demands of the Synod on the church were conscientiously and faithfully discharged. Since the church and Sunday School were so completely organized and equipped for maximum service, no new societies were called into existence. In June 1929 Rev. Theo. Frohne resigned his charge here and accepted a pastorate in Milwaukee, (Wauwatosa) Wisconsin.
The following is from Saleste, Paul H., One Hundred Years of Saint John's Church, Evangelical and Reformed, January 1, 1945. (Spelling and grammar as in the original.)
[W]e come to the fourteenth pastor of St. John's Church - Rev. Theo. Frohne. He assumed his new duties in February, 1925, and remained until June of 1929. In the interim, the fifteenth minister of the church came around for about two months - December, 1924, and January, 1925 - to look around and get acquainted, just in case he had to do something about it five years later.
Rev. Theo. Frohne didn't have that opportunity, and that was his misfortunes. He came in the era of "so-called prosperity." Everything was going good. Life was good. Living was good. America was good. St. John's Church was good. That's what you think. Until you reflect that it wasn't so easy to be successor to the popular and talented Kienle.
Rev. Frohne was a studious man. He had certain fixed standards of conduct and duty for himself, and for the church. His sermons glistened with gems of truth and poetry. And he applied himself strictly and seriously to church business - perhaps too seriously. He decided to ride the crest of the wave of prosperity in the land by elaborating both the building of his church and its services.
With keen insight he sensed that the outstanding lack - a very antiquated organ and church music that was denied its proper place.
So again, before too many people realized what it was all about, there was a campaign to subscribe for the building of an east wing to the church, to house a beautiful cathedral organ and its choir. The new addition to the church was in process of construction before the year was up. In fact, Frohne celebrated his first year was pastor of St. John's on the first February Sunday of 1926 with a rare organ recital by a superb artist on a superlative instrument. The organ cost approximately $17,500, and the building an additional $25,000. The bulk of this was subscribed and paid for within three years. Mainly because of unforeseen developments, the balance of $10,000 was carried on as a debt and partial obligation of the next pastorate. The dedication services were held on June 27th, 1926, with Rev. Wm. Dresel of Evansville, Indiana, as guest speaker.
The Building Committee consisted of the Organ Committee: Charles Hoffman, Rev. A. Schmid, J. C. Klinger, Edward Remy and Rev. Theo. Frohne, supplemented by the men who supervised the construction program: G. Schaller, Geo. Dinges, Charles Fensch, C. O. Garver, W. H. Olinger, F. Haag, E. W. Wagner, Christ Schaus and Jacob Wolf.
At the dedication an announcement of the donation of chimes for the organ by Mrs. Carrie Goetz , in honor of her deceased husband Henry Goetz, pleasantly surprised the audience.
And this was not all. In quick order, the building of a solarium and garage to the parsonage was authorized and carried out. Large Easter offerings which are traditional with the congregation, as well as a praiseworthy desire of the congregation to give generously for whatever cause its heart is moved. There was some grumbling and criticism, as there always is, but the coming years have proven the wisdom of these extravagant improvements. Hundreds, yes thousands, of people since then have admired our organ, and we have stood boastfully by accepting the compliments. Yes, one pastor who courageously powers his will through, and takes the beating for his dreams and ideals, while the other just blandly stands by and reaps the harvest of the glory and honor.
There are other contributions that mark the tenure of the fourteenth pastor. The question of the proper division of time between the German and English congregations was settled by introducing English services in the morning - and as we have stated before - that problem continued to be the "thorn in the flesh" for both pastor and congregation for many more years - until 1941. Then, the constitution was revised and modernized. A new organization, the St. John's Brotherhood, was called into being in October, 1925, with Charles Hoffman as the first President, and 68 charter members. More emphasis was placed upon the Benevolence obligations of the congregation, and all demands of the Synod were conscientiously and faithfully met. Since plenty of organizations existed as machinery for the energies of all the types and classes of people, and for young, old, and older, no other societies were called into existence.
Then in June, 1929, Rev. Theo. Frohne resigned, to accept St. Paul's Evangelical church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a beautiful suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now, sixteen years later, this good but misunderstood pastor is still engaged in a fine ministry in that church. It was our intention to have Rev. Frohne, as the only living former pastor of the church, close the first century of St. John's history with the final service on Sunday, December 31, 1944. But because of the war, and the season, he has asked to be excused. But he adds: "I wish you and St. John's Church God's unbounded blessings for a fitting commemoration of this glorious event, and further divine guidance for a happy future. To think that St. John's church has now endured for a century, as a potent force for righteousness and the advancement of God's purposes, both in its own circle and the wider community of the world, is a thrilling thought for me, as it must be for you. May its success in the new century be multiplied manifold, and its power for good grow with the added years. With good wishes to all - Rev. Theo. P. Frohne."