New Church - 1929

(Information taken from Diamond Jubilee Anniversary Book covering 1874 - 1949)

1929 - Decision for a New Church Was Made

For a number of years the rebuilding of the old church had been a topic for discussion and had been under consideration at the meetings of the congregation. Events were beginning to take concrete form, when at a meeting of the congregation, on February 1, 1924, a committee was chosen and instructed to investigate the feasibility of raising the old church and putting a basement under it. The report of this committee was adverse to this plan and was accepted by the congregation. Then, again, at the annual meeting held January 4,1926, the matter of building a new church was brought up for consideration. The general opinion of those present at this meeting seemed to favor the building of a new church. In keeping with this, a committee was selected and instructed to bring recommendations at a meeting of the congregation to be held February 1. They reported: "The congregation needs a new church because the Sunday School accommodations are inadequate, various organizations are handicapped in their work, because of lack of quarters, the seating capacity is insufficient for the size of the congregation, the young people are the future of the church and must be given all the advantages and encouragement possible to offset the outside influences which would draw them away from the church."

Prior to building the church, committees were set up and events began to move fast. Subscription lists were circulated by the finance committee to secure pledges, to raise money to pay for the building of the new church, and a firm of architects was employed to draw plans for the new building. At a meeting of the congregation, plans were considered and approved. The building committee was also authorized to secure bids for the new building and with the approval of the congregation let the bids. Construction of the new church was begun in April, 1929, the corner stone was laid on Sunday, May 26, and the dedication of the new church took place on Sunday afternoon, October 27, 1929. Funds for the organ were raised by the women of the church and they also raised more than $6,000.00 to furnish the church and parish house.

The new church and parish house including the organ and furnishings had been completed in 1929 at a cost of approximately $100,000, a sum greater than had been anticipated. Due to the financial crash in the fall of 1929, and the resulting hard times, many members were unable to meet the payment of their pledges. As a result of these factors, the congregation found itself in debt in the sum of $20,000.00 upon the completion of the new edifice. This sum had to be borrowed, the congregation giving notes for this amount, secured by a mortgage on the church property. This debt was slowly reduced little by little until in the early part of 1942, the unpaid balance remaining was $9,000.00. In February of this year a movement was inaugurated to raise funds to liquidate the remainder of the obligation. A drive for donations was made which culminated successfully and the debt was paid in full.

On Sunday, May 31, 1942, the congregation held a service or praise and thanksgiving, this being the culmination of a long cherished hope, when the congregation would be out of debt. At this time the cancelled notes were burned in a silver bowl provided for this purpose, with C.E. Rod, the treasurer starting the fire and J.O. Twedt, chairman of the Executive Committee, explaining why the notes were burned and not the mortgage. Assisting Rev. Nelson on this festive occasion were Rev. O. Amdalsrud, Dr. N. Astrup Larsen and our former pastor, Rev. G. Smedal.