Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church (Lunenburg)

German Lutheran settlers arrived in 1753 and held services in the open air and later at St. John's Anglican Church (Lunenburg).

[2] After the position was vacant for two years, Johann Gottlob Schmeisser arrived in Lunenburg on 1 May 1782.

[3] Within a month of arriving in the community, the Lutheran minister was involved in defending the town from American invaders in the Raid on Lunenburg (1782).

[5] He was forced to leave Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (part of present-day Germany) in 1806 when Duke Charles William Ferdinand was defeated by Napoleon's troops in the Battle of Auerstedt.

Temme described his initial response to being posted to Lunenburg: "I reluctantly accepted this call ... and on 5th of February, 1708, commenced the voyage to the Siberia of North America.