Saron Evangelical Free Church

Church #3: Saron EFC - the church I attend presently, and the church I attended with

my parents as an 8-year-old. It holds many memories, and is especially connected with

Cooperstown BibleCamp, which also is a special place in my heart, and my current

employment! Saron is only a 5 minute drive from camp, and I make it whenever I can.

"The Saron church had its beginning on March 7, 1895. Originally called Saron Frimenighed the name was later changed to Saron Evangelical Free Church. The Saron church has been mission oriented from its early days having sent several of its members to various mission fields over its history. In 1925 the church founded Cooperstown Bible Camp in order to share the Good News with others who they were not reaching through their church services. From the beginning the Bible Camp was managed and operated by the Saron Evangelical Free Church. With the yearly growth of the camp it was felt that other Free Churches should be involved in the Bible Camp work, so in 1956 the Cooperstown Bible Camp Association was incorporated under the laws of the state of North Dakota.

"Saron EFC is the second oldest Evangelical Free Church in the state of North Dakota. We have started our second century of service to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will stand as a beacon to our friends and neighbors and a refuge to those who are weary and heavy laden. Our mission is still to reach out to the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ and to equip the saints for service in the kingdom." (Source)

Ludvig Lunde - Pastor from Saron in 1925, was the first pastor to hold tent meetings

at Cooperstown Bible Camp. The dining hall is named Ludvig Lodge in his honor.

Bang Evangelical Lutheran Church

Church #2: Bang Evangelical Lutheran Church,

just a mile off of Highway 200, 15 miles out of Finley, ND.

I wasn't able to find much information on this church, but the sign says "Est. 1881."

That's all I've got this time, folks.

Aneta Turkey Days

Back in June (sooooo long ago) I got to travel with the lovely Brewington Family

to Aneta, ND for their 50th Annual Turkey Day celebration.

 The main event of the day is, of course, the turkey feed.

Over 300 turkeys are roasted over coals in a long, concrete trench.

Hundreds show up for the delicious turkey!

North Dakota Scenes

Zion Lutheran (Westley) Congregation

Church #1. Zion Lutheran Congregation & Westley Cemetary

Griggs County, Karnak Township

This church is less than 3 miles from the camp, and I often drive past it

on my way into Cooperstown. 

History:

In 1881, immigrants from Norway settled along the Sheyenne River and on the prairie in what is now Sverdrup and Ball Hill Townships.  They were a deeply religious people and met in their sod and log houses to worship on Sundays, and were served by preachers Ola Westley and Andreas Vatne.  Many of the meetings were held in the sod stable on the Betual Herigstad homestead.

In the summer of 1881, Pastor Nykrem of the Norwegian Lutheran Conference visited the "homesteaders.”  Encouraged by him they organized with others recently arrived from Minnesota, and on October 10, 1881, became the "Thime Norsk Evangeliske Lutherske Menighed.”

Charter members were the families of: 

Ola Westley, Ole Stokka, Betual Herigstad, Nils Herigstad, Andreas Vatne, Martin Lunde, Swen Lunde, Ole Lima, Peder Wuflestad, Swen Lunde, Jens Bull, Torkel Fuglestad, Endre Aarestad, Betual Lunde, Elling Froiland, Tonnes Vatne, Karl Lende, Arnt Njaa, Hans Braasten, Christoffer Ashland and Ingeborg Soma.

Pastor Lundeby from the Goose river country served the congregation in 1883 and in 1884 the congregation divided when 13 of the members reorganized into Elim Norwegian Evangelical Congregation and became associated with Hauge Synod with Pastor Jacob Nesheim from Norway serving as their minister. They bought a cemetery and place to build a church on June 23, 1886.  In 1896 Elim joined with Hoiland congregation and called themselves Ebenezer Norwegian Lutheran Church.  They granted their women the right to vote in 1889, and built their church in 1902.

The congregation has remained an independent Lutheran church being served by pastors from Hauge Synod and Lutheran Free church.  In 1919 they again reorganized, this time as Zion Lutheran, and from which time they have been served by pastors from the Lutheran Brethren.  In 1957 the congregation joined the Lutheran Brethren Synod. (Link)

Project: North Dakota Churches

North Dakota is a beautiful state, and is filled with hundreds of historic churches!

Now that I'm living in the Sheyenne River Valley, I'm taking up the fun task of

visiting and photographing the country churches in the Griggs and Steele Counties, of which there are 22!

I'm planning on doing some background research, and posting the results. Stay tuned!

Little Gypsy

Another new adventure:

I have a puppy! His name is Gypsy Blue (for his blue eyes),

and he is a Pyranees/ Australian Shepherd mix.

He is a wonderful, sweet, fuzzy boy,

and I'm looking forward to playing with him!