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First Lutheran Church -
ELCA
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A Moment in History June 3-4, 2006The history of First Lutheran church begins in the year 1882. In the spring of that year, a group of Swedish immigrants held two meetings (one on April 11 and one on May 29) that resulted in the formation of the congregation. Reverend S.J. Liljegren was chosen as pastor of the small group. At the time, he was also serving Immanuel Lutheran at Swea City and Immanuel Lutheran at Bancroft. Article I of the Constitution states that the name chosen for the congregation would be “The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Algona.” One hundred and twenty-five years later, we still have the original Articles of Constitution, written in Swedish by the secretary, Lars Anderson, with a listing of the 11 male charter members. June 10-11, 2006Before the congregation was able to build their own church, services were held once a month in “the hall over the Republican printing office.” Then, for a while, services were held in the Grange Hall on East Call Street. For his monthly services, Rev. Liljegren received an annual salary in 1884 of $75.00. With the view of building a place of worship, lots were purchased from A.C. Call in June 1884. But three years later, when specific decision to build was made, it appeared advisable to look into the matter of a different location. The original lots were sold, and new ones purchased on the southwest corner of Wooster and Lucas. June 17-18, 2006 At a special meeting of the congregation on July 25, 1887, a three-man building committee (A.C. Seastream, P. Swenson, and S.P. Peterson) was elected and given the instruction to have all preparatory work for the building construction completed by January 1, 1888. The size of the building was to be 30’ x 50’. At their annual meeting on January 2, 1888 a fourth member was added to the committee, C. Rosewall, and the architect’s drawings were accepted with the provision that certain changes be made- one being to leave out the proposed balcony. Expenses shown in 1889 figures show that the final cost of the church was $1,376.47. June 24-25, 2006 The pastor who was serving the congregation at the time the first church was built was Axel W.P. Elfstrom. He began his services in Algona while yet a theological student at the seminary at Rock Island, Illinois. Upon his ordination, he became pastor of the three-point parish and assumed his duties with his wife Mathilda in 1888. In 1892 the Swea City congregation had grown to the point where they broke away and hired their own pastor. Immanuel at Bancroft remained together with Algona and one pastor until 1945. July 1-2, 2006 At the annual meeting held January 2, 1893, it was decided to build a parsonage in Algona for Pastor Axel W.P. Elfstrom and his family. As a building contractor, and member of the building committee, A. Seastream had a very considerable part in bringing the parsonage to reality. The final cost was about $1,000, and the family was able to move in the following August. The parsonage was located across the street from the church at 326 North Wooster. It served as the residence for all pastors until 1963, at which time it was sold, and a new parsonage was purchased at 101 South Main Street. July 8-9, 2006 Because the original church didn’t have a basement under it, a major improvement for the congregation was a separate building constructed behind the church in 1909 for about $700, which was given the name Luther League Hall, or sometimes in the record books just Luther Hall for short. Various church meetings, meals, etc. were held in this building until 1935 when a basement and an addition to the rear of the sanctuary increased the space and usability of the church, and Luther Hall was sold and moved to the northeast part of town. July 15-16, 2006 One of the very few items that was kept from the old church and moved to the new church in 1968 was the bell. The bell was cast especially for our church in 1912 at a cost of $272.40 by the Hy. Stuckstede Bell Foundry Co. of St. Louis, Missouri. The inscription on the bell states it was cast for the “Swedish Lutheran Church in Algona, Iowa.” The bell, weighing 828 pounds, was lowered down through the old church steeple that had housed it for 56 years by Delmar Reding and his crew, and moved to its new location. It was placed in a separate bell tower visible from the sanctuary. In 2005 it was moved to its current location in the new narthex addition. July 22-23, 2006 During the 125 years that the church has been in existence, the women of the church have been organized under various names and have played a very vital role in its growth and expansion. They began as “The Sewing Society” in 1882, and have evolved over the years to their current title as “Women of the ELCA.” Through the many books of minutes from their meetings and their treasurer’s reports, it is obvious that, as an auxiliary, they have always provided great support to the ministry of the church, whether it be in terms of finances or labor. July 29-30, 2006 The original name of the congregation indicates that the Swedish language was used at all worship services and meetings during the early years. However, in 1920, mention is made in a pastoral report that both Swedish and English had been used at alternating worship services since 1918 when World War I did much to encourage the use of English in foreign language churches. Until 1920, all First Lutheran records were written entirely in Swedish; but that year a large portion was written in English. It wasn’t until 1924 however, that English became the exclusive language in all the church records. August 5-6, 2006 Mention of “The Sewing Society” was made earlier as the first women’s auxiliary of the church. Very little is known of that group that was organized in 1882. But in the year 1921, we find records of the charter meetings of two women’s organization. The “Dorcas Society” adopted a constitution on February 25, 1921 and the “Women’s Missionary Society” on June 10, 1921. They remained two separate groups until March 1, 1956 when they joined memberships and took the name “The Mission Aid.” However, that name only lasted until 1959 when, because of a church merger, the name “American Lutheran Church Women” (ALCW) was adopted. August 12-13, 2006 “Dorcas Society” (named after Dorcas in the book of Acts, who was known for her acts of charity) was chartered in 1921 with 29 women as members. Dues were collected at each monthly meeting, and other funds for their treasury came from various ways. Over the years, their minutes refer to such fundraisers as rummage sales, bazaars, bake sales, a food stand at the county fair, and selling vanilla, plastic bags, and Christmas cards. With their profits, they helped the church with expenses, repairs and improvements, supplies, organist and janitor salaries, and flowers for the sick and bereaved. The first year alone, they donated $125 to be applied to the church debt. August 19-20, 2006 “The Women’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society,” or “Women’s Missionary Society” for short, was chartered in 1921 with 18 members. The aim of the society was “to awaken a greater interest among women for home and foreign missions, and to encourage more systematic work for such missions.” Yearly dues to begin with were 50 cents, but the women raised other funds through their Boxes of Blessings, Dime Books, Pete the Pig Bank, Christmas Cheer Fund and Mission Festivals. They were very generous in their giving over the years to many mission needs in Iowa and the nation, and to foreign missions in India, China and Africa. August 26-27, 2006 It’s natural to think of worship services as always being held every Sunday morning. In the very early years, however, services were sporadic, because pastors normally served several congregations and they would travel by horse from place to place. Even when we had a resident pastor, services were only held every other week- one Sunday in Algona, and the next in Bancroft. It wasn’t until August of 1925 that the decision was made to hold services every Sunday, switching back and forth, morning and evening, with Bancroft. The pastor didn’t own a car, so arrangements had to be made to drive him each Sunday. Having Sunday worship continued until 1980 when the decision was made to add a second Sunday service at 8:00 a.m. then, in May 1996, a 5:30 p.m. Saturday evening service was added to the worship opportunities. September 2-3, 2006 Church practices and concerns for proper protocol during worship services have been issues for discussion and votes over the years. One of the major ones was what language to use at church. The switch from Swedish to English took several years to resolve during the 1920’s. How often services should be held, and how many times a year communion should be offered were also areas of concern. Communion was held quarterly until 1960 when it was voted to have it every other month plus Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. A change to once a month came later and then in 2001 to twice a month, which is the current practice. In January 28, 1958 it was passed to allow the then male deacons to assist the pastor with communion. Later, as women were allowed on the Church Council, they too could serve communion with the Pastor. September 9-10, 2006 Christian education for the youth of First Lutheran has had a vital role in the ministry of the church for many years. While it is quite certain that Sunday School was held for children from the very beginning, the first official mention of it was not made until the minutes of the January 1890 annual meeting. In 1895, there is mention of “Swedish School” to be held for a period of ten weeks during the summer, tuition being five cents a week per child with Miss Ella Peterson as teacher. The first Confirmation class, confirmed in 1886 was Hilma Ostrum, Rosa Peterson, Emma Bonson, C.W. Larson, Anna Samuelson, Hilma Hulterstrom, Oscar Hulterstrom, and Otto Johnson. Luther League had its beginning January 23, 1889 under the name “The Young People’s Society” with 37 charter members. September 16-17, 2006 Church chancel furnishings have changed several times over the years. In 1931, Ole Allison, a member of the congregation, took on the responsibility of making a new altar, chancel railing, pulpit, and baptismal font. Pastor C.E. Olsson and Mr. Seastream assisted him. These pieces were painted white. When new furnishings were purchased from Gunder Mfg. Co. of Humboldt, Iowa in 1954 for $995, the old ones were sent to a mission church in Gary Indiana—The Church of the Resurrection—as a gift to that new congregation. When the First Lutheran congregation moved to its new church in 1967, the furnishings from 1954 were included in the sale of the church to Don Tietz and were auctioned off by him to various places. The pews went to a Des Moines church, and the altar and chancel furniture went to a Methodist Church in Grimes. September 23-24, 2006 The years of the Great Depression brought hard times for the nation as a whole, and churches were not immune from financial worries and struggles. Pastor M.A. Sjostrand’s Pastor’s Report of January 1934 expresses very well the reason the Christian Church has held strong for 2000 years in spite of hardships. “Our church (First Lutheran) has lived through the worst year of the depression because the Lord has wanted it to live. At times it seemed as if we were almost shipwrecked, but at the time when the storms waged the fiercest, the Captain of our ship steered us into calmer seas.” We can be grateful that the faith of these members during the 1930’s held strong, and the doors of First Lutheran remained open. September 30-October 1, 2006 On January 7, 1935 at the annual meeting, a committee was appointed to find out what it would cost to put a basement under the church, and build an addition on the west end. On February 11, a special meeting was called to hear the committee’s proposal. The congregation voted to go ahead with plans, not to exceed $3,000, and permission to sell Luther Hall and the lot it was on. Another meeting was held May 20 to add $500 to the original vote of $3,000; however, when the work was completed August 10, the cost was $3,900. The dedication service for the addition was held October 13, 1935, with the address given by Dr. A. P. Westerberg, President of the Iowa Conference. October 7-8, 2006 Music has always played a major role in the Lutheran Church. Speculation says that during the early years of First Lutheran, the congregation sang hymns a cappella. However, at some point, a pump organ was purchased for worship services. On November 9, 1948, a special meeting was held to vote on the purchase of a new electric organ. The vote was 28-1 in favor of allowing the committee to go to Des Moines to purchase one. A Hammond Electric Organ was brought for $2,396.96 and was dedicated January 16, 1949. Irene Jensen was the organist at the time. That organ was used from 1949- 1964 when a used Wurlitzer organ was purchased for $1,500 and the Hammond was sold to the church in Bancroft for $750. October 14-15, 2006 The need for a new replacement organ was identified as early as the 1970’s, and a fund was begun for that purpose. In 1979 a committee began in earnest to select an organ to recommend to the congregation. In February of 1981, the congregation approved the committee’s proposal 81-51, and an ambitious fundraising campaign was begun. The organ chosen (as a centennial gift by the congregation to itself) was a pipe organ built by Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois. Greene & Kohler Church Organ Company of Lincoln, Nebraska installed the 607 pipes on a structure that was built by long-time member Ray Johnson. Martin Huber was the church organist at the time. A dedicatory concert was given by guest organist Jeffrey Daehn, Minister of Music at Zumbro Lutheran in Rochester, Minnesota and the Waldorf College Choir on November 15, 1981. October 21-22, 2006 Social groups have been a part of First Lutheran since Pastor Walter Lindberg formed the first one in 1925. It was given the name “The Home Circle.” Minutes for this group continue through 1931. From 1942-1957 a similar group was organized for couples called “The 75 Club”. From 1958-1968 the name changed to “Couples’ Club” and in 1968 it was given the name “Fellowship Club.” Now the group was no longer just for married couples, but for all adults. We went for a number of years without any special groups of fellowship, but in the early years of the 2000’s, four separate ones were begun. They are the T&T’s (20’s & 30’s), YACHT Club (Young Adult Christians Hanging Together), SNAG (Saturday Night Adult Group and the F-Troop (Food, Fun and Fellowship at First) and the Sixty Plus (ages 60 plus). October 28-29, 2006 Throughout the 125 years of First Lutheran’s history, the United States has been involved in several wars. Members of our congregation have served in the military, while other remained home and helped out in various ways to aid the war efforts. Considering the small size of the congregation, a large percentage of its members enlisted in both World Wars. Eighteen men from First Lutheran served during WWI and 40 members served during WWII. Dorcas Society minutes indicate that Christmas boxes were sent to those in WWII to let them know that their church was thinking of them and praying for them. With war, however, comes the sorrow of death, and First Lutheran has not been spared. Four men died during WWII- Frank Moore, Donald Thompson, Lyle Fitch and Robert Sellstrom. Bob Farnham died in Vietnam in 1970. November 4-5, 2006 Despite the feelings of uncertainty that war tends to bring with it, First Lutheran had a vision for the future, as evidenced by these words from Pastor Eugene Nelson. “The biggest thing in our 1944 Stewardship picture was our decision on November 12 to start to lay aside funds for the purpose of building a new church in the future. Our need is not an emergency one, but we cannot expect the building erected by the immigrant pioneers 60 years ago to serve our needs adequately for an indefinite time in the future. Our tentative goal is $35,000. Only when we have the greater part of that amount should we begin building whether that day if five, 10 or 15 years from now.” The light of this vision remained dim until the 1960’s when it began burning brighter. November 11-12, 2006 By 1960 serious consideration was being given to the need for a larger church building. On February 6, 1961, the church Council voted to consider the possibility of buying the Presbyterian Church located on the Southeast corner of Call and Minnesota that was for sale. But after hearing more details and studying the issue further, a vote was passed on March 8 against buying that property. In September of 1962 the Council voted to purchase three acres of land east of Bertha Godfrey School from owner Dave Smith for $500 down and $10,000 at the time of final purchase. At a special meeting of the congregation on October 7, the vote to proceed with the purchase passed 67-16. Church membership at the time was 391. November 18-19, 2006 The years of 1964-1967 were very busy ones for the Building Committee, with much research and many decisions made by them for recommendation to the Council and eventually to the congregation. In January of 1965, two congregational meetings were held. On January 10, the recommendation to proceed with a Building Program passed 50-13, plus a unanimous vote to hire a professional organization to conduct a Building Fund Drive. On January 25, another unanimous vote was given to hire Lutheran Stewardship Services, Inc. to conduct the drive. Then on July 4, 1965, a vote of unanimous approval was given to employ the firm of Gjelten and Schellburg of Forest City, Iowa as architects of the new church. Thus the wheels had been set in motion for a major leap of faith for First Lutheran. November 25-26, 2006 On May 25, 1966, architect Willis Schellburg presented the preliminary drawings of the new church to the congregation and the vote was unanimous to proceed to the next step-solicitation of bids. At this point, plans did not move as smoothly as anticipated. Only one bid came in, and it was $57,000 over the architect’s estimation of $180,000. So in October, the congregation voted to reject the bid and seek others. Finally on February 26, 1967, the vote was passed to accept bids from Forest City Improvement Co. as general contractor, W.C. Hansen and Sons Plumbing and Heating of Forest City, and Utt Electric of Algona for a total of $148,497 and secure a mortgage loan from Home Federal for $105,000. December 2-3, 2006 On Palm Sunday- March 19, 1967, a service for the blessing of the church site and groundbreaking was held at 3:00 p.m. Pictures taken that day show Pastor Lorenz, honored guests and members of the congregation standing in a field of corn stubble for the ceremony. Reverend Ray Lingwall, president of the Iowa Synod, Lutheran Church in America was the guest speaker. Several people representing the congregation and some from the community took their turns at turning over a shovelful of dirt as a symbol of the beginning of construction. An open house and time of fellowship was held at church following the service. December 9-10, 2006 From the groundbreaking service in March until the first worship service in the new church on December 3, 1967, the Building Committee was kept busy with all the major and minor decisions that go along with any construction project. There were decisions made and contracts signed for the pews, the chancel furnishings, carpeting and other floor coverings, kitchen cabinets, countertops and appliances, office furniture and equipment, lighting, etc. Many generations can be truly grateful for all those who volunteered their time and talents to bring such a lovely facility to fruition. The dedication service was held June 2, 1968. December 16-17, 2006 A special service for the laying of the new church’s cornerstone was held January 21, 1968 at 7:30 p.m. A copper box (that was made and donated by Adolph Oakland) was placed in the wall behind the cornerstone plaque. It contained the following items: a copy of the 1967 Membership Directory; Annual Reports for 1964 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968; the 1967 Iowa Synod minutes; 1968 LCA Directory, pictures and newspaper clippings of events during construction and the first service; copies of the current Constitution and Program Handbook; and a copy of Today’s English Version New Testament. The verse on the plaque says, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3:11 December 23-24, 2006 With the completion of the new church, it was vital to make a decision concerning the former building. It had been offered for sale since 1966, and at one point, a group called United community Church had met with the Council showing an interest in purchasing the church. But, their attempt at doing this was not successful, and no further interest was shown until January of 1968 when action was reluctantly taken to sell the church to builder Don Tietz whose intent was to raze the church and build a duplex on the lot. The sale price of $3,900 included much of the building’s furnishings that Mr. Tietz sold at public auction prior to destruction. December 30-31, 2006 Exceptional Opportunities had its modest beginnings in September of 1969 when Bing Mc Donald, Treasurer of the Kossuth County Council for Retarded Children met with the Church Council about renting a room in our church to them where a nursery school could be held. Approval was given, and a contract was drawn up in October for $40 per month rent. The name given to it was Peter Pan Preschool, and it began with five children. Alice Benck was the director, and the teachers were Jean Clapsaddle and Marilyn Nielsen. They stayed at First Lutheran about two years before moving to Burt where they expanded and incorporated under the name Exceptional Opportunities. January 6-7, 2007 First Lutheran celebrated its centennial observance with the theme “Celebrating a Century with Christ” on May 1 and 2, 1982. Iola Wicks and Lillie Fredrickson were co-chairwomen for the event. Two coffees were held at the church, one Saturday afternoon and one Sunday afternoon, giving members, former members, and people in the community opportunities to visit. A centennial banquet was held Saturday evening at First United Methodist Church with Bishop Paul Werger of the Iowa Synod present along with three former pastors of the congregation: Eugene K. Nelson, Robert F. Lorenz, and John N. Carlson. Guest speaker at the banquet was Rev. James Kallas, President of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. Church membership at this time was slightly over 600. January 13-14, 2007 In the early 1980’s, a growing Sunday school and persistent leaks in the flat roofs of the north and south wings caused the congregation to once again re-evaluate its building needs. On October 9, 1983, it was voted to have a major expansion and remodeling project at an estimated cost of $250,000. This included four new permanent classrooms on the north end and a Youth Room and Fellowship Hall expansion on the south, pitched roofs and added insulation on both wings, and installation of carpet and folding walls in the Fellowship Hall. Groundbreaking was held July 29, 1984. The architect was Duffy Beuttler, and general contractor was BARCO of Algona. Dennis Cumberland chaired the 16-member Building Committee. Other members of the committee included: Allyn Boelman, John Claude, Dave Fenchel, Georgia Irelan, Paul Johnson, Bob Knudsen, June Krull, Larry Legore, Dave Markla, Cindy McCarty, Jay Mixdorf, Kenton Moss, Marilyn Nielsen, John Nordman, and Adolph Oakland. The project was completed and a re-dedication service held on March 24, 1985. January 20-21, 2007 More than a year of research and planning by a Church Property Improvements Task Force (Kenton Moss, Dave VanDeventer, Bev Nordman, Marcia Sundet, Rick Bitterman, Gary Kinseth, Jerry Simpson, and Robert Speich) resulted in the approval by the congregation at a special meeting on January 10, 1999 of a project of approximately $135,000 that included: new carpet throughout the church, refurbishing and reupholstering all pews, kitchen expansion and remodeling, air conditioning of the Fellowship Hall, Overflow Room, and Youth Room, conversion of a Sunday School room to a storage room, new and improved sound system, complete interior painting, and paving the north and south parking lots. A dedication of these completed improvements was held June 27, 1999. January 27-28, 2007 In September of 2002, a Building Improvements Committee was formed with Kenton Moss as chairman. Other members were Gen Blumer, Derald Goetz, Pastor Holmer, Paul Johnson, Julie Murphy and Harold Sundet. Cargill Associates of Dallas, Texas was selected to lead a capital campaign, and Allers Associates of Fort Dodge were chosen as the architects. Groundbreaking was held in July of 2004, with the general contractor being Hjelmeland Construction. Plans included a narthex expansion with new restroom, kitchenette, office space, coatroom, and bell tower, along with shingle replacement, drive-up canopy, and landscaping for a total cost of $650,000. Dedication was held on May 1, 2005. February 3-4, 2007 Considering the important role that a church secretary plays in the life of a church, it’s difficult to imagine being without one. But it wasn’t until the annual meeting on January 10, 1961 that a motion was made and passed to find some means of providing secretarial and clerical help for the pastor. Lorraine Farnham (1962-63), who was new to Algona, took on the job until 1963 when Dolores Lemkee (1963-69) was hired. In 1963, a purchase of an offset printing machine was made - a wonderful addition to the tiny church office. Other church secretaries over the past years have been: Virginia Immel (1970-73); Carol Merrill (1973-74); Pearl White (1974-81); Chris Lowman (1981-86); Carolyn Mangler (1986-2000); and Jeanine Haack (2000-Present). February 10-11, 2007 Pastor Sven Johan Liljegren (1882-1886) Pastor Liljegren was born March 25, 1837 in Horda, Smaland, Sweden to Peter and Kristine Liljegren. He came to America in 1865 and married Mathilda Sophia Anderson on April 14, 1872. They had eight children. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College from 1879-80 and was ordained on June 20, 1880 in Des Moines. Pastor Liljegren presided at the charter meetings of First Lutheran in 1882 and became the first pastor. He served First until 1886. He was pastor in Sac County from 1886-1890. He died on February 26, 1890. February 17-18, 2007 Pastor Axel Walfrid Petrus Elfstrom (1888-1902) Pastor Elfstrom was born on March 25, 1860 in Ullervad, Vastergotland, Sweden to Gustaf and Johanna Elfstrom. He came to America in 1884. He attended Augustana College and Seminary from 1884-1888 and was ordained on June 24, 1888 in Galesburg, Illinois. He married Mathilda Wilhelmina Carlson in 1890, and they had four children. He served First Lutheran and Bancroft from 1888-1902 and Centerville, Buxton, Iowa from 1902-10. He died August 16, 1910. February 24-25, 2007 Pastor Bengt Nelson Glim (1903-1906) Pastor Glim was born November 25, 1870 in Glimakra, Skane, Sweden to Nels and Hanna Glim. He came to America in 1887 and attended Augustana College and Seminary. He was ordained on June 14, 1903 in Paxton, Illinois. He married Ellen Josephine Nelson on June 24, 1903. They had three children. He served First Lutheran and Bancroft from 1903-06. Other parishes included Council Bluffs, Iowa (1906-08); Dalesburg, Ahlsborg, South Dakota (1908-12); Harding Co., Haley, North Dakota (1912-17); Dunkirk, Brocton, New York (1917-20); Mitchell, Nyhem, South Dakota (1920-23); Trade Lake, W. Sweden, Wisconsin (1923-27); Kennedy, Minnesota (1927-32). He died April 26, 1943 at Aitkin, Minnesota. March 3-4, 2007 Pastor Carl Gustaf Lundell (1906-1919) Pastor Lundell was born December 4, 1848 in Gotaryd, Smaland, Sweden to Goran and Johanna Lundell. He came to America in 1870. He attended Ansgarii College in Knoxville, Illinois from 1877-1880 and was ordained on February 28, 1880 into the Swedish Lutheran Ansgarii Synod. He married Emma Anna Nelson on June 24, 1882 in Greenview, Illinois, and they had six children. He transferred from the Ansgarii Synod to the Augustana Synod on June 28, 1885. He served the following parishes: Roseville, Illinois (1880-83); Zion, Rockford, Illinois (1884-88); Pecatonica, Illinois (1888-97); Ogema, Wisconsin (1897-1901); Alta, Iowa (1901-06); Algona and Bancroft (1906-19). He died May 1, 1922. March 10-11, 2007 Pastor Andrew John Berghult (1919-1923) Pastor Berghult was born April 21, 1880 in Fotskal, Vastergotland, Sweden. He came to America in 1897 and attended Augustana Seminary from 1908-1910. He was ordained June 12, 1910 in Rock Island, Illinois. He married Bessie Thompson on June 13, 1912. They had two children. Parishes he served were Attica, Indiana and Danville, Illinois (1910-16); Bucklin, Buston, Iowa (1917-18); Algona and Bancroft (1919-23); Mamre-Pennock, Minnesota (1923-27); Pecatonica, Illinois (1927-45). He died on September 20, 1971. March 17-18, 2007 Pastor Walter Lindberg (1925-1927) Pastor Lindberg was born on June 16, 1876 in Wasa, Finland. He came to America in 1893. He studied at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and Augustana College and Seminary where he graduated in 1920. He was ordained June 13, 1920 in Jamestown, New York and married on the same day to Anna N. Ternberg. They had one child. He served the following parishes: Rhinelander, Wisconsin (1920-21); Hopkins, Minnesota (1921-23); Upsala, Minnesota (1923-25); Algona and Bancroft (1925-27); Gardner, Massachusetts (1927-30); Frederic, Wisconsin (1930-34); Immigrant Seamen’s Mission, Boston, Massachusetts (1935-40). He died on October 17, 1943. His autobiography The Winding Road was published in 1953. March 24-25, 2007 Pastor Carl Emil Olsson (1929-1931) Pastor Olsson was born April 17, 1866 in Bjurkarn, Varmland, Sweden to Peter and Anna Olsson. He came to America with his parents in 1869 and later attended Augustana College and Seminary where he graduated in 1894. He was ordained on June 10, 1894 in St. Peter, Minnesota. He married Hannah E. Fair in Andover, Illinois on January 29, 1896. They had two children. He served the following parishes: Pomeroy and Manson, Iowa (1894-1904); Albert City, Iowa (1904-14); Boise, Idaho (1914-18); Henderson Grove, Illinois (1918-21); Gladstone, Michigan (1921-29); Algona and Bancroft (1929-31); back to Gladstone, Michigan (1931-37). He died in Gladstone on September 18, 1937. March 31-April 1, 2007 Pastor Melville A. Sjostrand (1932-1940) Pastor Sjostrand was born September 11, 1906 in Wahoo, Nebraska to Carl and Anna Sjostrand. He received his BA from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1928 and his BD from Augustana Seminary in 1932. He was ordained on June 12, 1932 in Fargo, North Dakota. He served First Lutheran, Algona and Immanuel, Bancroft from 1932-40. He married Ann I. Benson in 1933, and they had one child. Other parishes he served were: Messiah Lakeview, Chicago, Illinois (1940-55); Bethany, LaPorte, Indiana (1955-60); First, Rockford, Illinois (1960-61); Bethany, Erie, Pennsylvania (1961-71). He died on April 19, 2001. April 7-8, 2007 Pastor Roland Waldemar Johnson (1940-1941) Pastor Johnson was born on March 4, 1910 in Rockford, Illinois to John and Anna Johnson. He received his BA from Augustana College in 1935, and his BD from Augustana Seminary in 1940. He was ordained on June 9, 1940 in Rockford, Illinois. He married Alice O. Jacobson on September 8, 1939, and they had three children. He served the Algona and Bancroft parishes from 1940-41. Other parishes he served were: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1941-42); Duquesne, Pennsylvania (1941-46); St. Mark’s, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1947-52); St. James, Chicago, Illinois (1953-67). He was a professor at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa (1946-47). He served as Superintendent of Lutheran Inner Mission Society, Rochester, New York (1952-53), and Director of Bethphage Mission, Axtell, Nebraska (1967-75). He died on January 6, 1980. April 14-15, 2007 Pastor Eugene Kenneth Nelson (1941-1945) Pastor Nelson was born April 9, 1914 in Marquette, Kansas to Carl and Augusta Nelson. He graduated from Bethany College with a BA in 1937 and with a BD from Augustana Seminary in 1941. He was ordained on June 15, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He married Barbara Fay Lacquement in 1940, and they had three children. He served First Lutheran and Bancroft (1941-45). Other parishes he served were: Holdrege, Nebraska (1945-54); Boone, Iowa (1954-57); Norwalk, California (1957-62); Messiah & Freemount, Lindsborg, Kansas (1965-79). He died on August 1, 2000. April 21-22, 2007 Pastor Emil Benzon (1945-1951) Pastor Benzon was born May 14, 1881 in Holje, Blekinge, Sweden. He came to America in 1896. He attended Simpson College, Augustana College, Upsala College, and Augustana Seminary. He was ordained on June 17, 1917 in Rock Island, Illinois. He married Nellie K. Anderson on January 30, 1912, and they had three children. He served the following parishes: Muscatine and Fairport, Iowa (1917-18); Duquesne, Pennsylvania (1918-22); Port Wing, Wisconsin (1922-25); St. Cloud, Minnesota (1925-29); Bismarck, North Dakota (1929-32); Dawson, Minnesota (1932-45); First, Algona (1945-51); Burnside, Iowa (1951-54). He died July 26, 1954. April 28-29, 2007 Pastor Otto Leonard Nelson (1952-1958) Pastor Nelson was born August 23, 1890 in Red Wing, Minnesota to Aaron and Emily Nelson. He received his BA from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1922 and his BD from Augustana Seminary in 1924. He was ordained on June 15, 1924 in Dekalb, Illinois. He served the following parishes: Opheim, Illinois (1924-27); Cloquet, Minnesota (1927-47); Beckville, Cosmos, Minnesota (1947-52); First, Algona (1952-58); and back to Cloquet as assistant pastor (1958-1962). He was married twice- first wife Esther and second wife Marie (his wife while in Algona). He had one child. He died August 16, 1970. In 1969 he painted “Road to Emmaus” which now hangs in our church office. May 5-6, 2007 Pastor Edsel Curtis Isaacson (1958-1962) Pastor Isaacson was born May 9, 1928 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received his BA from Augsburg College in 1954 and his BD from Augustana Seminary in 1958. He was married to Dixie Lee Tollinger on June 7, 1958 in Davenport, Iowa and then ordained June 22 of that year in Jamestown, New York. He served First Lutheran from 1958-1962 and Trinity, Sioux City, Iowa for three years. He left active ministry and became employed as a social worker with the Woodbury County Social Service Department. Due to ill health he resigned in April, 1977. He died on January 15, 1978 in Davenport, Iowa. May 12-13, 2007 Pastor Robert F. Lorenz (1963-1970) Pastor Lorenz was born on June 26, 1925 in Davenport, Iowa to Louis E. and Frances Lorenz. He attended St. Ambrose College, Iowa State College, and received his BS in Natural Sciences from Midland College in Fremont, Nebraska. He was enrolled at Central Lutheran Theological Seminary in Fremont, Nebraska from 1949-52, and received his Master of Divinity from there as well. He was ordained on February 15, 1953 in Davenport, Iowa. He married Roberta Kaufmann on April 15, 1956, and they have four children. Parishes he has served include: Trinity Lutheran, Pleasant Valley, Iowa (1952-63); First, Algona (1963-70); St. Stephen’s, Clinton, Iowa (1970-73); Zion & Princeton, Pleasant Valley, Iowa, interim (1973-74); and Bethlehem Lutheran, Vinton, Iowa (1974-83). May 19-20, 2007 Pastor John N. Carlson (1970-1979) Pastor Carlson was born on March 5, 1934 in Dunnell, Minnesota to Albin and Hilda Carlson. He attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and graduated from there in 1956. He received his Master of Divinity from Augustana Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois in 1960. He married Dorothy Nasby on August 25, 1957, and they had three children. He was ordained in 1960 and served the following parishes: Bethlehem Lutheran, Hallendale, Florida (1960-65); First Lutheran, Ottumwa, Iowa (1965-68); Augustana Lutheran, Sioux City (1968-70), and First, Algona (1970-79). For the next 18 years, until his retirement, he was in the Iowa Synod office and after the ELCA merger in the Southeast Iowa Synod as Assistant to the Bishop. He died on January 18, 2007 in Des Moines, Iowa. May 26-27, 2007 Pastor Daniel H. Mangler (1980-2000) Pastor Mangler was born on December 9, 1946 in Lansing, Michigan to Harold and Brigetta Mangler. He received his BS from California Lutheran in 1969 and his Master of Divinity from Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul in 1973. He married Carolyn Cowan on September 14, 1968, and they have three children. He was ordained in June 1973 in Pinole, California. He has served the following parishes: St. Luke’s, Buffalo, Wyoming (1973-80); First, Algona (1980-2000); and Shepherd of the Mountains, Estes Park, Colorado (2000-Present). June 2-3, 2007 Pastor Mark Edwin Holmer (2001-Present) Pastor Holmer was born July 21, 1942 in Creston, Iowa to Pastor J. Erik and Anita Rae Holmer. He received his BA from Augustana College in 1964 and his Master of Divinity from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1968. He married Linnea L. Allen on July 2, 1966 in Creston, Iowa, and they have two children. He was ordained on May 22, 1968 in Rockford, Illinois. He has served the following parishes: All Saints, Fox Lake, Illinois (1968-73); St. Matthew, Davenport, Iowa (1973-2001); and is currently pastor at First Lutheran (2001-Present). He received a Doctor of Ministry from Lutheran School of Theology in 1996. |
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