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Bethlehem Lutheran Church History
They Came To America...
If your ancestors came from Northern European stock, there is a strong
possibility they chose to immigrate to America in the middle 19th Century.
Some came for financial reasons. Life was often hard for those not in
the aristocratic class. Rapid population growth strained resources, and
laws governing the transfer of land and property to the next generation
favored only the oldest son. America beckoned with its larger spaces and
apparently unlimited resources.
Some wonder why there are so many different Lutheran denominations. Because
Bethlehem began as a primarily Norwegian church, the following considers
some of the Norwegian immigrant groups which caused our church to form
in the way it did.
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Theirs Was a Simple Faith...
The first group came from a developing movement of laymen who felt the
Lutheran State Church in Norway was becoming bogged down in orthodoxy,
politics and tradition. To offset such trends, some began home-based Bible
study groups, while others encouraged lay-preaching by leaders such as
Hans Nelson Hauge. Threatened by these developments, the Norwegian church
hierarchy had Hauge jailed eleven times for his activities and teachings.
Eventually, a number of his followers chose to immigrate to America for
religious freedom (much as the Puritans and Pilgrims did in our country's
early history). The "Haugeans" wanted congregations to be independent,
with only a loose association between them. They did, however, place great
importance on how the word would be interpreted and taught. Their schools
were primarily Bible schools and a seminary with little emphasis on the
arts, sciences and humanities except as they related to the church.
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Some Were Traditionalist...
A second group of immigrants came from the educated and somewhat aristocratic
parts of Norwegian society, perhaps younger sons or those seeking adventure
and the challenge of a new land. Included in this group were members of
the clergy who quickly recognized a mission in ministering to their fellow
citizens in America. When this elite group came they formed a church group
that was similar to the state church in Norway, strong on tradition and
ritual and also somewhat open to secular culture. They associated themselves
with the Missouri Synod (German Lutherans) and many of their customs were
incorporated into the new Norwegian Synod Church.
Organization and Mission
Mission Is To Serve Community...
The mission of Bethlehem Lutheran Church began even before the church
was organized. As early as 1870, the eventual founder of Bethlehem Lutheran,
Pastor J.A. Bergh, recorded activities such as weddings, baptism, funerals
and other church rites. He focused his work in Fergus Falls and the immediate
surrounding area, and in 1872 decided to form a single Lutheran church
to serve the population of Fergus Falls.
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Tiny Congregation Meets and Worships...
"Den Evangelisk Lutherske Vor Frelsers Menighed I Fergus Falls"
(The Evangelical Lutheran Our Saviors Congregation in Fergus Falls') was
organized by Pastor Bergh and a small congregation of six families. They
eventually joined Tordenskjold, Sarpsborg and Kongsberg Churches to form
Our Saviors Lutheran Parish, with a membership of 27 "souls."
The parish union did not last long; by 1884, Tordenskjold and Sarpsborg
were forced to withdraw due to financial pressures. Nonetheless, by 1904,
the congregation grew to 60 adult members, 20 of whom were unmarried.
Such expansion required that certain practices be streamlined so that
the church leaders could efficiently serve this developing congregation.
For instance, in 1907 they initiated an envelope system of collecting
funds (a practice we continue to use).
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Congregation OK's ULC Constitution...
Originally, our founders were determined to form Bethlehem as a church
without synodical connections. However, in 1912 the congregation voted
to adopt the constitution of the United Lutheran Church ("Den Forendene
Kirke"). This action became important to the church because its national
connections also drove its local organization throughout its history.
In 1917, the main synods of the Lutheran church of America, the Norwegian
Synod, the United Lutheran Synod and the Hauge Synod voted to form a union.
In Fergus Falls, these synods were represented as follows: Bethlehem Lutheran
(then called Our Saviors) was a member of the United Lutheran Church;
First Lutheran Church was a member of the Norwegian Synod; and Zion Lutheran
Church was a member of the Hauge Synod.
When the three national synods joined in 1917, the three Fergus Falls
Lutheran Churches tried to get together for a possible union. Two churches
formed out of these discussions. First Lutheran became The First English
Lutheran Church and Zion and Bethlehem (Our Saviors) became the Norwegian
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Fergus Falls. The main difference between
the two was the language with which they conducted their services. Incidentally,
while Zion church formed a union with Bethlehem in 1917, a group of Bethlehem
parishioners, many of who were originally members of Zion, later split
off from Bethlehem to re-form Zion Lutheran Church. This is the Zion church
which exists today in Fergus Falls.
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"Cyclone" Levels Church
Building......
One of the most significant events in Bethlehem's history, indeed in the
history of Fergus Falls, was the devastation wrought by the 1919 tornado.
Bethlehem's church building was devastated. From July 14 to August 14
services were canceled; after that they were conducted at the Lyceum theater,
and later at Augustana Church, spared from the tornado even though it
was just next door to Bethlehem.. After some cleanup following the tornado,
services were held in the basement of the now demolished church.
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The Word Goes Out Over the Air........
The many outreach possibilities of radio become apparent to laymen and
staff alike in the 1930's. On September 18, 1939, Pastor Muus of Bethlehem
joined with Pastor Tallakson of First Lutheran to initiate the Park Region
Lutheran Hour which was aired daily on the local radio station. It was
the forerunner of the Morning Watch program of today. Reports indicate
that the program is the longest continuous religious radio broadcast in
the nation. It serves as a vital service to congregational shut-ins as
well as outreach to the Fergus Falls community.
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Kongsberg Church Joins Bethlehem......
Bethlehem adopted a new constitution in 1939, and a year later Kongsberg
Church joined Bethlehem. Kongsberg had previously been a separate church,
but part of the same parish. This meant that the pastor had to serve both
congregations. When Kongsberg and Bethlehem joined, this become a 'one
point parish". The pastor could serve his entire parish from one
point, Bethlehem Church.
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Contents
History
They Came to America
Theirs Was a Simple Faith
Some Were Traditionalist
Organization and Mission
Mission is to Serve Community
Tiny Congregation Meets and Worships
Congregation OK's ULC Constitution
"Cyclone" Levels Church Building
The Word Goes Out Over the Air
Kongsberg Church Joins Bethlehem
First Church Cornerstone Laid
October 26, 1875.
Prior to 1952.
1952 - 1963
1963 - 1993
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