Transcribed by Gordon Felland

CHURCH HISTORY (to 1969)

The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran settlers in the northern part of Worth and Winnebago counties and their neighbors in Southern Minnesota, had to go for about five years to St. Ansgar, Iowa, to hear the word of God preached and the Sacraments administered.

The first service in the Silver Lake area was on Sunday, July 20, 1858, at the home of Lars L. Loberg. The service was held under a large tree in the yard of the present Bennie Loberg residence.

Pastor Clausen, St. Ansgar, seeing a future in the Silver Lake area, assisted to organize the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Silver Lake, for farmers at Lime Creek and the area of Bristol as well as Freeborn county, Minnesota.

About 40 families joined the congregation. All families consisted of Lime Creek and Silver Lake families. On a later date, Silver Lake was divided into two congregations consisting of Lime Creek and Silver Lake. Services were held from one to four times a year by the Rev. A. C. Preus, Rev. V. Koren, Rev. F. C. Clausen, and Rev. C. L. Clausen.

In the fall of 1864, the congregations united to call a pastor to serve them. Mr. T.A. Torgerson accepted the call extended him and was ordained July 23, 1865. His first service was at Elk Grove, a schoolhouse near the present Iver Bidne home. Pastor Torgerson resigned Dec. 1, 1869, and the Rev. B. Gjeldaker accepted a call.

About 160 acres of uncultivated land had been purchased by the congregations in Silver Lake, Hartland township and the spring of 1866 a house and barn were built here. This semi-colonial house is still standing on the original location, one-eighth mile west of the church.

Possibilities of building a church were discussed at a meeting in the fall of 1870 and on March 20, 1871, at a meeting in the "Loberg School" it was decided to proceed.

The church, the first in Worth county, was to be 50 feet long, 36 feet wide, and would have 22 foot walls. The contract was let to Ole Olson Aarvelta for $600 and did not include steeple and sacristy which would be added later.

On Feb. 17, 1876, Silver Lake congregation bought the equity owned by the other congregations and in 1882 a steeple and sacristy were added. The steeple rose to a point one hundred feet above the ground. In 1896 a bell was purchased and is still serving members as a “call to worship.”

The church proper was move to its present location in 1900. It was moved from its location in the present cemetery to its new location by a team of ponies. The digging of the basement was done with slip scrapers and horses and the cornerstone was laid Sept. 25, 1910.

In the fall of 1917, a new parsonage was built between the church and the former pastors home.

Pastor Gjeldaker served until 1876 and was succeeded by Rev. Ole Nilsen who later accepted a call to Elk Creek who had formed a separate parish. The Rev. Lars Tosdal came to serve Silver Lake and Round Prairie Jan. 1, 1877. It was then that Lime Creek became a separate parish.

Coming to serve Silver Lake in 1889 was Rev. N.E. Boe who began serving the community of Bristol and there organized a congregation in 1892. In 1909 the Rev. A.L. Huus accepted a call to Silver Lake, Round Prairie and Bristol. He passed away in 1910 and is buried in the Silver Lake Cemetery. The Rev. N. C. Brun, Lake Mills, gave part of his time to Silver Lake until Pastor O. C. Brenna arrived in the fall of 1911. He served the three congregation parish until 1919. It was then, at the end of his pastorate, that Silver Lake became an independent parish. In calling the Rev. Hans Fosnes, the north and south churches of Deer Creek Valley joined in supporting the pastor as one until 1933.

Silver Lake, as a one-congregation parish, called the Rev. Casper Fjelstad in 1933, serving until 1945.

The Rev. G. B. Odegaard, who grew to manhood in the community, returned to serve his home church three years. Following his departure the congregation was served by seminary students for almost a year. The Rev. J. M. Haaland came to Silver Lake in 1949 and served until the fall of 1957.

The late B. E. Nyjordet arrived in Silver Lake as interim pastor in 1957 and remained until his death in May, 1963. During his pastorate, a parish education unit was added to the west side of the church proper.

The Rev. Morris P. Hanson arrived Nov. 20, 1963 and served until September, 1966, and the interim period from Oct. 1966 to Sept. 1967 was filled by the Rev. J. M. Haaland who retired upon the arrival of the Rev. Albert J. Sandness, present pastor.

Since the arrival of Pastor Sandness, a choir has been organized and is under his direction. A new organ and piano were purchased last year (1968) and other im­provements include carpet in the church basement and church proper, stairways and sacristy, the installation of new glass doors to the front, new sound system, and chimes and new light fixtures in the basement and auditorium. Other minor improvements are continuing to be added. In 1969, the congregation consisted of approximately 275 confirmed members.

Source: Lake Mills Graphic, June 18, 1969

 

Silver Lake Church in 1983

RECENT HISTORY

Silver Lake Lutheran Church celebrated 125th anniversary in 1983 and its sesquicentennial in July 2008. In 1874 the church building was changed by the construction of an enclosed entry and vestibule. In 1994, the interior was remodeled which included an elevator making it handicap accessible.

There are currently 230 members. The church has two pastors, Revs. Randy Baldwin and Bill Peters, which they share with four other Lutheran churches in the area. Sandy Lindflott serves as secretary for the five churches. Alfred Singlestad has served as custodian for 33 years.

Reference: Article by Ed Shannon, Albert Lea Tibume, July 12, 2008

Note: For burials in the Silver Lake Lutheran Cemetery, see "Cemeteries" on this web site or click here.

Click here for picture of cemetery.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, 11/02/2008. Updated on 10/28/2010.