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
