The church was built by Josef Čekonjić on 1 September 1808, at the time when Crnja was divided into Serbian Crnja and German Crnja. It was in fact built by the inhabitants of German Crnja, with Count Čekonjić providing the material. The stone cross and the statues in front of it were provided by the people. On 18 October it was taken over by the parish priest, and Bishop Ladislaus Koszeghi von Remete blessed it in honour of St. Joseph in 1811. In 1847 the church was robbed and the damage was significant. The interior was once adorned by the magnificent main altar and the altar of Mary. Believers used to gather around the church, especially at Christmas and Easter.
The church is of great interest to foreign visitors, above all Germans whose ancestors once lived in Crnja and who come here in search of their roots.