As early as 1837, German Lutherans had settled in southeastern Livingston County.  By 1842, they began meeting for public worship services, under the leadership of the pioneer Lutheran missionary in eastern Michigan, the Rev. Frederick Schmidt (born Sept. 6, 1807, in Wuertemberg, Germany; died August 30, 1883 at Ann Arbor). 

Pastor Schmidt was serving other groups of German Lutheran settlers, so was able to be present only every sixth or eighth Sunday.  Services were held in cabins or barns, or at times out-doors.  On St. George’s Day, April 23, 1845, the settlers formally organized as a Christian congregation, choosing the name “The Evangelical Lutheran St. George’s Congregation of Genoa, Michigan.”

One of the charter members, Dr. A. E. Buek, had gone to Hamburg, Germany, (from which are the major portion of charter members had come) to solicit funds for the congregation’s first church building.  Lutherans in Hamburg, Germany regarded St. George’s of Genoa, Michigan, as their mission responsibility and contributed nearly $600.00 plus a baptismal font and communion set.  Richard Behrens, another charter member, donated a two-acre site for the proposed building.  Situated on the site of the present parish cemetery, this first house of worship was dedicated in April 1849.  The instruction and worship conducted in the new building (25x 36 x 16) were entirely in the German language.

By 1861 land had been purchased at the intersection of Bauer and Crooked Lake Roads.  (present Hubert & Herbst Roads.) A new building ($2,800-32 x 50) was dedicated April 20, 1884.  In the spring of 1922, this building was disassembled, moved and re-erected at the corner of Forth and Main St. in Brighton.  This congregation is still ministering to the community.