Concordia Lutheran Church
204 Main St. NE
Crosby, Divide County, North Dakota 58730
204 Main St. NE
Crosby, Divide County, North Dakota 58730
75 Years
Grace - Heritage - Hope
1904-1979
Concordia Lutheran Church
Crosby, North Dakota
First services were conducted by Mission Pastor Samuel Peterson of Flaxton in November 1903. May 31, 1904, was the organizational meeting of Concordia Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were 50 baptized members at this time. In the fall of 1906, a small building was erected on the lots given by the Soo Railroad. In 1912 a beautiful brick building was erected. This building was outgrown, and a beautiful modern church was built in 1955 with service of Entrance held on Sept. 2, 1956. In 1960 we merged with other Lutheran Churches and became the American Lutheran Church.
There are 804 baptized members in 1979.
Resident pastors during the 75 years are:
Samuel Peterson 1904-1906
Olaf Ylvisaker 1906-1912
J. W. Rosholt 1913-1928
M. B. Ranum 1928-1936
S. D. Sorgen 1936-1942
E. O. Gilbertson 1943-1948
I. M. Thvedt 1946-1953
H. S. Skilbred 1953-1957
H. B. Benson 1958-1964
N. E. Anderson 1964
"THE LIVING CHURCH MARCHES ON"
50th Anniversary - 1954
"75 YEARS OF GRACE-HERITAGE-HOPE"
75th Anniversary
Info from - back of Concordia Lutheran Church plate
Grace - Heritage - Hope
1904-1979
Concordia Lutheran Church
Crosby, North Dakota
First services were conducted by Mission Pastor Samuel Peterson of Flaxton in November 1903. May 31, 1904, was the organizational meeting of Concordia Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were 50 baptized members at this time. In the fall of 1906, a small building was erected on the lots given by the Soo Railroad. In 1912 a beautiful brick building was erected. This building was outgrown, and a beautiful modern church was built in 1955 with service of Entrance held on Sept. 2, 1956. In 1960 we merged with other Lutheran Churches and became the American Lutheran Church.
There are 804 baptized members in 1979.
Resident pastors during the 75 years are:
Samuel Peterson 1904-1906
Olaf Ylvisaker 1906-1912
J. W. Rosholt 1913-1928
M. B. Ranum 1928-1936
S. D. Sorgen 1936-1942
E. O. Gilbertson 1943-1948
I. M. Thvedt 1946-1953
H. S. Skilbred 1953-1957
H. B. Benson 1958-1964
N. E. Anderson 1964
"THE LIVING CHURCH MARCHES ON"
50th Anniversary - 1954
"75 YEARS OF GRACE-HERITAGE-HOPE"
75th Anniversary
Info from - back of Concordia Lutheran Church plate
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Concordia Lutheran Church
Were it not for these past 75 years of grace, could we now at Concordia be rejoicing in our heritage and hope? Through the grace of God, our stalwart and dedicated Scandinavian forbears had the faith and vision to withstand all the struggles and hardships of the early 1900's so that we today are privileged to celebrate our congregation's 75th anniversary. Truly Concordia has been blessed.
The first settlement in what is now Divide County was made in April 1902 by Nels Lodahls, but during the summer and fall and in 1904 many young and industrious families of Norwegian descent and from scattered communities in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin came here to make their homes. They were strangers to each other but not for long, for in less than a year a group of these settlers gathered on May 12, 1904, at the home of Ole Thorson Sr. about 5 miles northwest of Crosby for the purpose of organizing a Lutheran church. Those present at the meeting were: Ole Thorson Sr., Ole Holmes, Alfred Erickson, Lars Lokken, J. B. Knudson, Hans Hendrickson, Louis Thompson and S. S. Nelson. May 31, they drew up a constitution and this is signed by H. J. Nordstog, S. A. Ostjord, Ole Bakken, Nels Lodahl, Nels Jorgenson, T. S. Huso, Gunder Simonson, P. O. Bilstad and John Rustad in addition to those mentioned at the first meeting.
It is noteworthy that these 17 pioneers, having come from scattered communities in several states and strangers to each other at the time of their coming did manifest their spiritual faith and urgent need for a place to worship as an organized group by their actions at this meeting.
Rev. Samuel Peterson, a mission pastor, came from Flaxton and officiated as pastor at the meetings until the fall of 1905. The congregation was incorporated in September 1905, and this meeting was held in a schoolhouse which later became the Blooming Prairie Church and is now at Pioneer Village.
In the spring of 1906 Rev. Olaf S. Ylvisaker was called as the first pastor. He served until 1911. The first church was built in 1906 and was 24x18 and cost $204.94. He also served churches as far west as Colgan traveling from parish to parish by horse and buggy.
In 1912 a new church of sandstone brick with a foundation of native rock was built by local contractors at a cost of approximately $10,000. It had a seating capacity of approximately 300.
In 1913 Rev. Rosholt became a leader of our parish-Concordia, Glenwood, Troy and Bethlehem. He left in 1928 to accept a call to Columbus, North Dakota.
Services in the Norwegian language were held regularly until 1936; since that time only occasionally until 1940. In 1928 Rev. and Mrs. Ranum came to be our pastor. The coming of this couple was a big event for we now had our first pastor's wife. With the arrival of Rev. Ranum and his bride the need for a parsonage was felt. This modern stucco structure was built in 1928 at a cost of $9,500.00 and was financed by the Crosby Parish composed of Glenwood, Crosby, Bethlehem and Troy churches. Rev. Ranum left in 1936 to accept a call to Osakis, Minnesota.
In 1936 Rev. and Mrs. Sorgen joined our church group, coming from Lake Alma, Saskatchewan. They left in 1942 for a call at Valley City. In 1943 Rev. and Mrs. E. O. Gilbertson and their two sons, Daniel and Mark, came from Absarokee, Montana. They left in 1948 for Brookings, S. D., and he later became Bishop of the S.D. District.
In 1944 the congregation, feeling cramped for space for Sunday School, acquired a school building from Blooming Prairie Township and moved it to the rear of the church. This was connected to the basement by a tunnel. This building also provided office space as well as a small store where one could purchase religious books and articles.
Pastor and Mrs. I. M. Thvedt arrived the fall of 1948 from Madison, Wisconsin. Rev. Thvedt had a special desire to help the handicapped so in 1953 we bade farewell to them when they went to Ephphatha, Faribault, Minnesota. In 1954, Pastor and Mrs. Skilbred came to be our shepherds coming from Mauston, Wisconsin.
With the growing membership at Concordia and its increasing activities it necessitated calling another pastor to serve the rural churches and the Crosby Parish was divided in 1953 into the Crosby Rural and Concordia Parishes. In 1953 action was also taken to start a building drive which was successful, and groundbreaking took place in April 1955 and the cornerstone was laid in October 1955. September 1956 saw us moving into the new church and what a memorable day it was.
Pastor Skilbred left for a call to Arnegard in 1957 and 1958 found the congregation again shepherded by another wonderful couple, Rev. and Mrs. Howard Benson, who came from Riverdale. They saw us through the merger with the UELC to form the ALC.
In 1964 Pastor Benson and family accepted a call to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. For fifteen years now we have been led by a wonderful person, Pastor Norman Anderson, and his gracious wife, Connie, who came in 1964 from Luverne, Minnesota.
The Bethel Bible Series was introduced in 1965 with thirty-nine adults graduating from the course.
Our present parsonage was built in 1966 on lots acquired from the estates of Henry Homestead and Carl Hanson.
Several churches in the area have closed and their members joined Concordia. They are Blooming Prairie-1946; Long Creek-1950; Emmanuel-1964 and Skabo-1970.
Info from - Crosby Diamond Jubilee, 1904-1979 (pages 19 & 20)
Were it not for these past 75 years of grace, could we now at Concordia be rejoicing in our heritage and hope? Through the grace of God, our stalwart and dedicated Scandinavian forbears had the faith and vision to withstand all the struggles and hardships of the early 1900's so that we today are privileged to celebrate our congregation's 75th anniversary. Truly Concordia has been blessed.
The first settlement in what is now Divide County was made in April 1902 by Nels Lodahls, but during the summer and fall and in 1904 many young and industrious families of Norwegian descent and from scattered communities in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin came here to make their homes. They were strangers to each other but not for long, for in less than a year a group of these settlers gathered on May 12, 1904, at the home of Ole Thorson Sr. about 5 miles northwest of Crosby for the purpose of organizing a Lutheran church. Those present at the meeting were: Ole Thorson Sr., Ole Holmes, Alfred Erickson, Lars Lokken, J. B. Knudson, Hans Hendrickson, Louis Thompson and S. S. Nelson. May 31, they drew up a constitution and this is signed by H. J. Nordstog, S. A. Ostjord, Ole Bakken, Nels Lodahl, Nels Jorgenson, T. S. Huso, Gunder Simonson, P. O. Bilstad and John Rustad in addition to those mentioned at the first meeting.
It is noteworthy that these 17 pioneers, having come from scattered communities in several states and strangers to each other at the time of their coming did manifest their spiritual faith and urgent need for a place to worship as an organized group by their actions at this meeting.
Rev. Samuel Peterson, a mission pastor, came from Flaxton and officiated as pastor at the meetings until the fall of 1905. The congregation was incorporated in September 1905, and this meeting was held in a schoolhouse which later became the Blooming Prairie Church and is now at Pioneer Village.
In the spring of 1906 Rev. Olaf S. Ylvisaker was called as the first pastor. He served until 1911. The first church was built in 1906 and was 24x18 and cost $204.94. He also served churches as far west as Colgan traveling from parish to parish by horse and buggy.
In 1912 a new church of sandstone brick with a foundation of native rock was built by local contractors at a cost of approximately $10,000. It had a seating capacity of approximately 300.
In 1913 Rev. Rosholt became a leader of our parish-Concordia, Glenwood, Troy and Bethlehem. He left in 1928 to accept a call to Columbus, North Dakota.
Services in the Norwegian language were held regularly until 1936; since that time only occasionally until 1940. In 1928 Rev. and Mrs. Ranum came to be our pastor. The coming of this couple was a big event for we now had our first pastor's wife. With the arrival of Rev. Ranum and his bride the need for a parsonage was felt. This modern stucco structure was built in 1928 at a cost of $9,500.00 and was financed by the Crosby Parish composed of Glenwood, Crosby, Bethlehem and Troy churches. Rev. Ranum left in 1936 to accept a call to Osakis, Minnesota.
In 1936 Rev. and Mrs. Sorgen joined our church group, coming from Lake Alma, Saskatchewan. They left in 1942 for a call at Valley City. In 1943 Rev. and Mrs. E. O. Gilbertson and their two sons, Daniel and Mark, came from Absarokee, Montana. They left in 1948 for Brookings, S. D., and he later became Bishop of the S.D. District.
In 1944 the congregation, feeling cramped for space for Sunday School, acquired a school building from Blooming Prairie Township and moved it to the rear of the church. This was connected to the basement by a tunnel. This building also provided office space as well as a small store where one could purchase religious books and articles.
Pastor and Mrs. I. M. Thvedt arrived the fall of 1948 from Madison, Wisconsin. Rev. Thvedt had a special desire to help the handicapped so in 1953 we bade farewell to them when they went to Ephphatha, Faribault, Minnesota. In 1954, Pastor and Mrs. Skilbred came to be our shepherds coming from Mauston, Wisconsin.
With the growing membership at Concordia and its increasing activities it necessitated calling another pastor to serve the rural churches and the Crosby Parish was divided in 1953 into the Crosby Rural and Concordia Parishes. In 1953 action was also taken to start a building drive which was successful, and groundbreaking took place in April 1955 and the cornerstone was laid in October 1955. September 1956 saw us moving into the new church and what a memorable day it was.
Pastor Skilbred left for a call to Arnegard in 1957 and 1958 found the congregation again shepherded by another wonderful couple, Rev. and Mrs. Howard Benson, who came from Riverdale. They saw us through the merger with the UELC to form the ALC.
In 1964 Pastor Benson and family accepted a call to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. For fifteen years now we have been led by a wonderful person, Pastor Norman Anderson, and his gracious wife, Connie, who came in 1964 from Luverne, Minnesota.
The Bethel Bible Series was introduced in 1965 with thirty-nine adults graduating from the course.
Our present parsonage was built in 1966 on lots acquired from the estates of Henry Homestead and Carl Hanson.
Several churches in the area have closed and their members joined Concordia. They are Blooming Prairie-1946; Long Creek-1950; Emmanuel-1964 and Skabo-1970.
Info from - Crosby Diamond Jubilee, 1904-1979 (pages 19 & 20)