Golberg Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church
118th Avenue NE
Hay Township, Cavalier County, North Dakota, 58269
118th Avenue NE
Hay Township, Cavalier County, North Dakota, 58269
Golberg Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, later called Golberg Lutheran Free Church, was formally organized on 8 Nov 1896. The congregation met in various homes in the area, and it was not until 1908 that the congregation saw their way to build a church. The church was dedicated in 1909 and served the congregation until 1955 when the congregation voted to disband, and members were free to join other churches.
GOLBERG LUTHERAN FREE CHURCH
A meeting was held October 25, 1896, in the Tollefson Schoolhouse to discuss and organize a new congregation. Syver Christianson was elected chairman of this meeting. Syver offered the cemetery that was already on his land to the new congregation, and it was accepted. They also decided to put up a fence around the cemetery. Expenses were to be shared by those using the cemetery.
Another meeting was held November 8, 1896, also in the schoolhouse. Chairman for this meeting was Andrew Syverson and secretary was Syver Christianson. The purpose of this meeting was to complete the organizing of the new congregation and decide on a name. The new congregation would be "Golberg Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran," later called "Golberg Lutheran Free Church." The constitution was read and accepted. The chairman announced the new "Golberg Lutheran" congregation was organized. Following members were written in at this meeting: Syver Christianson, Andrew Syverson, Sever Berger, Tollef Tollefson Golberg, Lauritz Christianson, Haldor Rustan, Martin Haraseth, Tom E. Johnson, Soren Lemmick and Andrew Gustafson. A collection was taken to pay for the deed to the land and putting up the fence around the cemetery. A committee was named to extend acall to Pastor Skugstad for part-time, while serving North
Dovre.
In April of 1897 Halvor Tollefson, Lauritz Moe, C. A. Christianson, Theo Tollefson, Peter Moe, C.H. Christianson, Nels Olson and family, Syver Melberget and wife, Mattius Bakke and Miss Bakke, Rasmus Olson, Arthur Olson, Sven Gunderson and family became members.
The congregation met the next two years at the home of the Tollefson and Syver Christianson homes and later others. It was not until I 908 that the congregation saw their way to build a church. A special meeting was called to discuss building. The Ladies Aid would give what they had, and a list was passed to see if pledges would make building possible. It was decided to build and in 1909 the church was dedicated. With thankfulness to God, they had a church to worship in.
The first summer Bible School was held in 1906 with A. D. Halvorson as the teacher. Sunday School was held
during the spring, summer, and fall due to the cold winters.
For several years, Golberg and Aspelund at Vang were served by the same pastor. Later, Golberg, Aspelund at
Vang, Garfield and St. Petri at Edinburg were a parish and served by the same pastor. Alda Moe and Edna Tollefson were organists.
During the early 1900s, several members moved - some to Canada; others joined North Dovre, who built a
church in 1902.
In 1955 the Lutheran Free Church voted on merging with the American Lutheran Church. At Golberg the older
generation had all passed on. The majority of the members voted for the merger; North Dovre, just two miles south, Dovre at Osnabrock, and United at Langdon were of the American Lutheran Denomination. The last meeting was held at Golberg, October 1955. The decision was made not to call a pastor and those who wished were free to join other churches.
There were too few children to have Sunday School, so those who had children that age sent them to Dovre
Sunday School and they would like to attend service where their children could go to Sunday School. The members eventually joined one of the three A.LC. churches.
Golberg was an active church for almost 60 years. It was with a feeling of sadness tha.t it would not be a
congregation anymore, but thanks and praise to God for touching many lives and to have been a part of God's Plan.
PASTORS WHO SERVED GOLBERG LUTHERAN FREE CHURCH 1896-1955
1896-1899 Rev. Jens Skugstad served part-time, while serving North Dovre.
1900-1904 Rev. J. 0. Arevik, Golberg's first full-time pastor.
1905-1907 Rev. Wm. Hagen
1907-1910 Rev. Nels Harveland
1910-1917 Rev. H. E. Bode
1917-1919 Rev. A. C. Rykken
1919-1927 Rev. G. J. Bretheim
1927-1930 Rev. George Sather
1930-1932 Rev. Hemingson, died in a car accident.
1932-1938 Rev. M. Eggen
1938-1939 Rev. P. O. Laurhammer, temporary service till a new pastor was called.
1939-1944 Rev. Alfred Knutson
1944-1952 Rev. P. 0. Laurhammer
1953-1955 Rev. Arthur Bervig
Rev. J. O. Arevik and family, 1900-1904
A meeting was held October 25, 1896, in the Tollefson Schoolhouse to discuss and organize a new congregation. Syver Christianson was elected chairman of this meeting. Syver offered the cemetery that was already on his land to the new congregation, and it was accepted. They also decided to put up a fence around the cemetery. Expenses were to be shared by those using the cemetery.
Another meeting was held November 8, 1896, also in the schoolhouse. Chairman for this meeting was Andrew Syverson and secretary was Syver Christianson. The purpose of this meeting was to complete the organizing of the new congregation and decide on a name. The new congregation would be "Golberg Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran," later called "Golberg Lutheran Free Church." The constitution was read and accepted. The chairman announced the new "Golberg Lutheran" congregation was organized. Following members were written in at this meeting: Syver Christianson, Andrew Syverson, Sever Berger, Tollef Tollefson Golberg, Lauritz Christianson, Haldor Rustan, Martin Haraseth, Tom E. Johnson, Soren Lemmick and Andrew Gustafson. A collection was taken to pay for the deed to the land and putting up the fence around the cemetery. A committee was named to extend acall to Pastor Skugstad for part-time, while serving North
Dovre.
In April of 1897 Halvor Tollefson, Lauritz Moe, C. A. Christianson, Theo Tollefson, Peter Moe, C.H. Christianson, Nels Olson and family, Syver Melberget and wife, Mattius Bakke and Miss Bakke, Rasmus Olson, Arthur Olson, Sven Gunderson and family became members.
The congregation met the next two years at the home of the Tollefson and Syver Christianson homes and later others. It was not until I 908 that the congregation saw their way to build a church. A special meeting was called to discuss building. The Ladies Aid would give what they had, and a list was passed to see if pledges would make building possible. It was decided to build and in 1909 the church was dedicated. With thankfulness to God, they had a church to worship in.
The first summer Bible School was held in 1906 with A. D. Halvorson as the teacher. Sunday School was held
during the spring, summer, and fall due to the cold winters.
For several years, Golberg and Aspelund at Vang were served by the same pastor. Later, Golberg, Aspelund at
Vang, Garfield and St. Petri at Edinburg were a parish and served by the same pastor. Alda Moe and Edna Tollefson were organists.
During the early 1900s, several members moved - some to Canada; others joined North Dovre, who built a
church in 1902.
In 1955 the Lutheran Free Church voted on merging with the American Lutheran Church. At Golberg the older
generation had all passed on. The majority of the members voted for the merger; North Dovre, just two miles south, Dovre at Osnabrock, and United at Langdon were of the American Lutheran Denomination. The last meeting was held at Golberg, October 1955. The decision was made not to call a pastor and those who wished were free to join other churches.
There were too few children to have Sunday School, so those who had children that age sent them to Dovre
Sunday School and they would like to attend service where their children could go to Sunday School. The members eventually joined one of the three A.LC. churches.
Golberg was an active church for almost 60 years. It was with a feeling of sadness tha.t it would not be a
congregation anymore, but thanks and praise to God for touching many lives and to have been a part of God's Plan.
PASTORS WHO SERVED GOLBERG LUTHERAN FREE CHURCH 1896-1955
1896-1899 Rev. Jens Skugstad served part-time, while serving North Dovre.
1900-1904 Rev. J. 0. Arevik, Golberg's first full-time pastor.
1905-1907 Rev. Wm. Hagen
1907-1910 Rev. Nels Harveland
1910-1917 Rev. H. E. Bode
1917-1919 Rev. A. C. Rykken
1919-1927 Rev. G. J. Bretheim
1927-1930 Rev. George Sather
1930-1932 Rev. Hemingson, died in a car accident.
1932-1938 Rev. M. Eggen
1938-1939 Rev. P. O. Laurhammer, temporary service till a new pastor was called.
1939-1944 Rev. Alfred Knutson
1944-1952 Rev. P. 0. Laurhammer
1953-1955 Rev. Arthur Bervig
Rev. J. O. Arevik and family, 1900-1904