The Wisconsin Synod ultimately has its roots in the German Reformation, which was sparked by the efforts of Martin Luther 500 years ago. As German immigrants made their way to America in the mid 19th century, new Lutheran churches were formed. The Wisconsin Synod was founded in Milwaukee in 1850 by three German pastors, one of whom was Pastor Johannes Weinmann, an early pastor of St. John's. Today, the Wisconsin Synod has grown to over 1,200 congregations in North America with more than 350,000 baptized members.