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History of St John's Lutheran Church
The first settlers came to western Pope County the 1866,
1868 and the 1870's. The first service in Western Pope County was held August
9, 1869 at the Nils Wollan's home by Pastor Nils Brandt of Decorah, Iowa on a
missionary journey.
Nora Lutheran Church was formed in 1870 with the
assistance of Rev. Peder S. Reque. Because of the number of pioneers coming,
the congregation divided with Nora staying at their location and St. Johns
moved seven miles south. On January 12th,1875 an organizational meeting was
held at Hanna Olson's (first homestead south of the church) and by May 29,1875
St. John's war organized as St. Johannes Norsk Evangelisk Lutherske Minighet in
Pope County. Twenty-eight members signed the constitution.
The Church building was built in 1876. It was 30 ft.
wide 40ft. long and 16ft. high walls. It had single board walls and home made
benches. The cost was $555.86. Our present church is the original building! The
walls and ceiling were finished on the inside in 1881. The steeple with the
beautiful bell, first entry, balcony and new pews were added in 1887. More
building in 1896 added the chancel and the sacristy with the altar, pulpit and
baptismal font. Artist H.Gaustad painted the altar picture of Jesus in
Gethsemane. Because of the need for more room for meetings, the basement was
dug under the church in 1923. The stained glass windows were installed and a
gas lighting system was also installed. The bell tower was repaired in 1975 and
also in 2009.
The Ladies Aid Society was formed in 1885 and the Young
People's Society/Luther League in 1905. The ladies did much handiwork that was
sold to support missionaries in Madagascar, South Africa, Alaska and an Indian
Mission in Wisconsin. DoDay's continue to provide opportunities for quilting,
packing health and school kits for Lutheran World Relief.
St. Johns Lutheran Church has gone through five mergers
over its history. First, it was the Norwegian Lutheran Synod, then the
Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and in 1947 the name was
shortened to the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC). In 1960 St. Johns became a
part of the American Lutheran Church (ALC). In 1988 another merger changed the
name to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. After the ELCA approved the
Call to Common Mission (CCM) in 1999, St. Johns affiliated with WordAlone
Network in 2000. The congregation voted to join Lutheran Churches of the Common
Confession (LC3) in 2006. Research started in July 2006 to form a multiple
congregational parish. Fron, Indherred, Immanuel and St. Johns organized into
the CrossWind Lutheran Parish with an Interim Parish Council and Call
Committee. Pastor Paul Johnson became the first pastor on Reformation Sunday
2007 and Pastor Sarah Taylor join the Parish in July 2008. In 2010, St Johns
began affiliating with Lutheran Congregation in Mission of Chrst (LCMC) in an
effort too better preserve its Lutheran heritage nad its long history of
mission emphasis
Submitted by Lauren and Irene Sansness
January 30, 2010
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