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Ebenezer Free Lutheran

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History

Then Samuel took a stone and sat it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, ‘Hitherto the Lord has helped us’.” 1 Samuel 7:12

A Brief History 1889-2015

1898 – June 27 – Meeting to organize a separate group from Northwood Evangelical Church. New church to be called Ebenezer Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Northwood

1898 – July 11 – First meeting at Odd Fellows Hall

1898 – November 7 – Rev. O.J. Edwards called to serve congregation

1898 – December 4 – First Confirmation

1898 – First Wedding – Askrim Paulson and Olga Olson

1909 – March 20 – Voted to build a church building and the cornerstone laid

1911 – February 18 – First service held in Upper Auditorium – Funeral service for Gunder N. Korsmo

1913 – Dedication of new church building by Rev. Gynild, President of the Lutheran Free Church

1913 – Zoar Congregation of Hatton (organized 1899) asked to be served by this congregation’s pastor

1914 – English hymnbooks purchased for occasional use

1919 – Parsonage built

1921 – Bethel Church of rural Hatton (organized 1909) joined parish

1937 – Rev. H.P. Halvorson passed away while serving Ebenezer

1942 – John Stensvaag (President of the Lutheran Free Church 1958-1963) ordained at Ebenezer

1949 – Complete English services begun

1959 – June 21 – Sunday School addition dedicated

1961 – Ebenezer sponsored Faith Lutheran (Mission) Congregation in Coon Rapids, Minnesota

1962 – Ebenezer voted to be certified into the American Lutheran Church (ALC). Zoar joined the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.

1964 – Bethel Congregation dissolved. Members joined Ebenezer or Zoar.

1971 – Entry Addition built

1973 – June 23-24 – Celebration of 75th Anniversary

1988 – Became part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)

1989 – Accepted West Union Lutheran Church’s proposal to affiliate with Ebenezer

1998 – June 26-28 – Celebration of 100th Anniversary

2000 – February 20 – Ebenezer voted to withdraw from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)

2000 – May 1 – West Union dissolved affiliation with Ebenezer

2000 – November 12 – Ebenezer voted to affiliate with the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC)

2007 – August 26 – The town of Northwood was hit by an EF4 tornado. Ebenezer and the parsonage sustained major damage.

2007 – September 26 – Voted to build a new church building

2007-2009 – Held worship services and Sunday School at NDHC, NELC and Community Center

2008 – March 9 – Selected former Northwood Public School building site as location for new church building

2008 – June 29 – Approved bid for the church building addition plus the remodeling of the existing school library on the school property.

2009 – April 29 – Groundbreaking for the new church building, construction begins in early May, 100 years after original church construction began

2009 – Bell tower constructed and old church bell hung

2010 – January 24 – Name changed from Ebenezer Lutheran Church to Ebenezer Free Lutheran Church

2010 – March 21 – First worship service held at new church building in the fellowship hall.

2010 – April 4 – Easter Sunday, first worship service held in church sanctuary (339 in attendance)

2010 – April 25 – Dedication of church building by Rev. Elden Nelson, President of the AFLC

Pastors Who have Served Ebenezer

1898-1903           O.J. Edwards

1904-1914           Elias Aas

1914-1924           J.M. Halvorson

1925-1932           P.G. Sonnack

1932-1937           H.P. Halvorson

1937-1938           J.M Halvorson (Interim)

1938-1948           Johannes Ringstad

1948-1949           G. Ronholm (Interim)

1949-1957           Julius Hermanslie

1957-1958           Paul Bilkstad (Interim)

1958-1965           Gordon Berntson

1965-1972           John Mehl

1973-1978           Carl Vaagenes

1978-1979           Norman Johnson (Interim)

1979-1983           Randal Schlecht

1984-1988           Arvild Jacobson

1988-1989           A.E. Setness (Interim)

1989-1991           Barry Chaffee

1991-1991           Waren Heggem (Interim)

1991-2006           Gregory Schram

2006-2006           John Rieth (Interim)

2006-2010           Timothy Johnson

2010-2011           Walter Beaman (Interim)

2011-2015           Kent Sperry

2012-2015      Nathaniel Nash

2015-Present      Mark Molstre

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