The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Monday, June 01, 1953
Section 8

[Section 8, Page 6] The dedication of the $365,000 Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City June 18, 1950, marked the fulfillment of a longtime dream and the opening of new possibilities to thousands of Lutherans in this area.

The dedication marked the completion of the first new church the congregation had had since the erection of a small structure on Pennsylvania S.E. in 1893. It marked the amazing fruition of seven years of leadership of the Rev. Alvin N. Rogness as pastor.

But, as pointed out by Dr. J. A. Aasgaard, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the completion of the church meant the establishment in Mason City of the headquarters for the south central district of the church with the Rev. V. T. Jordahl, district president, having his office in the new church. The district comprises all of Iowa and several states southward as far as Texas, with a heavy concentration of the membership in this area.

Installation service for the new president took place in the church in the afternoon in charge of President Aasgaard with many distinguished clergymen from this area and from other parts of the country taking part. Pastor Jordahl's district comprises 70,000 church members.

Construction of the new church began with a ground breaking ceremony May 23, 1948. Handling the shovel for this ceremony was Ralph Nelson, son of Gust Nelson, one of the charter members when the Trinity congregation was organized in 1871.

Also participating in the ceremony was Dr. Lloyd Gustafson of the First Methodist Church, president of the Ministerial Association. The launching of the construction was the culmination of a five year campaign to raise funds.

NOTE: Rev. Verner Trygve Jordahl was born in Minnesota on October 26, 1898, and died September 24, 1984. His wife, Norma (Johnson) Jordahl, was born in Ridgeway, Iowa, August 28, 1899, and died December 18, 1992. They were interred at Madison Cemetery, Winneshiek County, Iowa.

Dr. Alvin Nathaniel Rogness was born in 1906, and died July 12, 1992, interment made at Bethany Cemetery, Astoria, South Dakota.

Gustaf Nelson was born in 1849, and died in 1928, interment made at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2015