Records of the Founding Congregations

Records of the Founding Congregations, 1844-2021 | Luther College Archives

By Sasha Griffin

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Collection Overview

Title: Records of the Founding Congregations, 1844-2021

ID: LCA/RG13/Series 2

Primary Creator: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod (U.S.)

Extent: 65.4 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into 27 series:

1) Big Canoe Lutheran (1857-1989)

2) Calmar Congregation (1851-1920)

3) East Clermont Lutheran Church (1926-1986)

4) Coon Valley Lutheran Church (1853-2003)

5) Decorah Lutheran Church (1863-1997)

6) First Lutheran Church (1863-1996)

7) Glenwood Congregation (1854-1961)

8) Hesper Lutheran (1865-1986)

9) Immanuel Lutheran (1881-1982)

10) Paint Creek (East and West) Lutheran (1851-1987)

11) Little Iowa Congregation (1851-1930)

12) Madison and Lincoln Lutheran (1866-2001)

13) Orleans Lutheran (1868-1987)

14) Ossian Lutheran (2003)

15) Our Savior's Lutheran Church (1955)

16) Peace Lutheran (1873-1986)

17) The Ridgeway Parish (1951-1976)

18) Saint Benedict of Decorah (1992)

19) Saint Joseph's First Lutheran (1860-1886)

20) Saint Paul Lutheran Church (1863-1988)

21) Stavanger Lutheran Church (1870-2003)

22) Trinity Lutheran (1854-1995)

23) Washington Prairie Lutheran (1854-2021)

24) Waterloo Lutheran (1867-1977)

25) Vangen (undated)

26) Founding Congregation Histories (1885-2001)

27) Other Congregational Records (1844-1996)

Subjects: Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church - History, Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Norwegian Synod, Women's Missionary Federation (Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Forms of Material: Correspondence, Photographs, Scrapbooks, Sound recordings, Video Recordings, Videotapes

Languages: English, Norwegian

Abstract

This collection contains church histories, records, and audiovisual material from the founding congregations of the Norwegian Synod.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This series contains church histories, records, and audiovisual materials from the founding congregations of the Norwegian Synod. Congregational histories and records include correspondence, ministerial and communion records, membership information, scrapbooks, meeting minutes, financial records, brochures and pamphlets, photographs, videocassettes (VHS), reel-to-reel audio recordings, vinyl LPs, and 16mm film. Dates range from 1844 to 2003. Though most information is in English, some early materials are in Norwegian.

Collection Historical Note

The Norwegian Lutheran Synod was organized October 3-7, 1853. This synod organized 18,000 Norwegian immigrants who had immigrated to southeastern Wisconsin since 1825. Pastor A. C. Preus was elected as the first synod president. The synod was founded with the purpose of encouraging the growth of sound, orthodox Lutheranism in America.

The Norwegian Synod grew rpidly after the American Civil War, when Norwegian immigration increasd. In 1903, the synod had 280 pastors serving 900 congregations with 140,000 members. The synod established Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, in 1861. In 1876, it opened a seminary in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1917, 338 of the 351 synod pastors withdrew to merge with two other Norwegian synods and form the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. The thirteen remaining pastors reorganized as the Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church. Pastor B. Harstad served as the first president.

In 1958, the synod changed its name to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, as a result of many congregations losing their Norwegian character. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod has been involved in missionary work around the United States and around the world.

Subject/Index Terms

Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church - History
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
Norwegian Synod
Women's Missionary Federation (Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Sub-Series:

[Sub-Series 1: Big Canoe Lutheran, 1857-1989],
[Sub-Series 2: Calmar Congregation, 1851-1920],
[Sub-Series 3: East Clermont Lutheran Church, 1926-1986],
[Sub-Series 4: Coon Valley Lutheran Church, 1853-2003],
[Sub-Series 5: Decorah Lutheran Church, 1863-1997],
[Sub-Series 6: First Lutheran Church, 1863-2013],
[Sub-Series 7: Glenwood Congregation, 1854-1961],
[Sub-Series 8: Hesper Lutheran, 1865-1986],
[Sub-Series 9: Immanuel Lutheran, 1881-1982],
[Sub-Series 10: Paint Creek (East and West) Lutheran, 1851-1987],
[Sub-Series 11: Little Iowa Congregation, 1851-1930],
[Sub-Series 12: Madison and Lincoln Lutheran, 1866-2001],
[Sub-Series 13: Orleans Lutheran, 1868-1987],
[Sub-Series 14: Ossian Lutheran, 2003],
[Sub-Series 15: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1955],
[Sub-Series 16: Peace Lutheran, 1873-1986],
[Sub-Series 17: The Ridgeway Parish, 1951-1976],
[Sub-Series 18: Saint Benedict of Decorah, 1992],
[Sub-Series 19: Saint Joseph's First Lutheran, 1860-1886],
[Sub-Series 20: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, 1863-1988],
[Sub-Series 21: Stavanger Lutheran Church, 1870-2003],
[Sub-Series 22: Trinity Lutheran, 1854-1995],
[Sub-Series 23: Washington Prairie Lutheran, 1854-2021],
[Sub-Series 24: Waterloo Lutheran, 1867-1977],
[Sub-Series 25: Vangen, undated],
[Sub-Series 26: Founding Congregation Histories, 1885-2001],
[Sub-Series 27: Other Congregational Records, 1844-2000],
[All]

Sub-Series 1: Big Canoe Lutheran, 1857-1989

Box 1: Congregational Minutes, 1861-1881

Item 1: Minutes, 1861-1881

Box 2: Ministerial Records, 1857-1930

Folder 1: List of Contributors to the Parsonage, undated
Item 1: Ministerial Records, 1893-1930
Item 2: Ministerial Records, 1857-1893

Box 3: Ministerial Records, 1857-1954

Folder 1: Communion Records for Calmar and Washington Prairie, 1908-1917, 1938-1954
Folder 2: Communion Records, 1857-1861
Folder 3: Communion Records, 1893-1930
Folder 4: Communion Records, 1893-1930
Folder 5: Communion Records, 1893-1930
Folder 6: Communion Records, 1893-1830
Folder 7: Communion Records, 1893-1930

Box 4: History Scrapbooks, 1882-1989

Folder 1: Ladies Aid Scrapbook, 1882-1940
Folder 2: Ladies Aid Scrapbook, 1940-1960
Folder 3: Ladies Aid Scrapbook, 1961-1976
Folder 4: Ladies Aid Scrapbook, 1961-1976
Folder 5: Pastor's Scrapbook, 1973
Folder 6: Big Canoe Strawberry Festival program, 1989

Box 5: Photographs, Photographic Negatives, and Scrapbooks, undated

Folder 1: List of Members, Photo Index, undated
Folder 2: Copied Photographs and Newspaper Clippings, undated
Folder 3: Negative Sheets, undated
Folder 4: Negative Sheets, undated
Folder 5: Negative Sheets, undated
Folder 6: Negative Sheets and Prints, undated
Folder 7: Prints, undated
Folder 8: Prints, undated
Folder 9: Prints, undated
Folder 10: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 11: Scrapbook Compiled by Women's Missionary Federation, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 12: Scrapbook Compiled by Women's Missionary Federation, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 13: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 14: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 15: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 16: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 17: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated
Folder 18: Scrapbook Compiled by the American Lutheran Church Women, Photographic Prints, undated

Box 6: Membership Records, 1857-1893

Item 1: Hesper and Waterloo Ridge Churches, 1857-1893