The Lutheran Churches of Southeast Minnesota

Subject:  Who was first – what church was organized first and by whom. According to O.M. Norlie who published: Norsk Luthereske Menigheter I Amerika 1843-1916, published by Augsburg Publishing House in 1918.

1.      Highland Prairie Lutheran Church organized 1854 by U.V. Koren in the Norsk Synode and Rev. N.E.S. Jensen 1859-1869. Predominate Telemark and Nannestad early membership, but included members from every district in Norway. The congregation was served by missionary type pastors until 1859 when Rev. N.E.S. Jensen arrived on the scene. It is generally agreed by church historians that Highland Prairie Lutheran

Church was the first Lutheran Church in Southeast Minnesota.

2.      Elstad Norsk Evangelical Lutheran Church organized 1854 and was served by missionary type pastors until 1859 when Rev. N.E.S. Jensen became the pastor. Elstad at one time was called Richland Prairie Norsk Evangelical Lutheran Church. The members had emigrated from many areas in Norway. Some of the earliest emigrated from Hadeland, Trondheim, Telemark and of course many of the other areas of Norway. The origin of this church was also the Norske Synode

3.      Houston Evangelical Lutheran Church organized 1855 and was served by missionary

type pastors until 1859 when Rev. N.E.S. Jensen became the pastor according to O.M. Norlie. Its origin was the Norske Synod. Many of the members of this church were from Fyresdal  and Vraadal areas of Telemark. James Skree in his booklet on the Stone Church indicates that in the fall of 1854 Rev. U.V. Koren did missionary work in Badger Valley. So who among us can really say what church was first.

4.      Rushford Norske Evangelical Lutheran Church, Norske Synode, organized 1856? The

first pastor was Rev. N.E.S. Jensen 1859-1868. The early membership included 5 Svensker (Swedes) , 5 Danes, 5 Tysker (Germans) and was predominately Norwegian. Some of its members emigrated from Numedal, Telemark, Sogn, Hadeland as well as all areas of Norway.  These two congregations merged.

Trefoldigheds menighet (The other Evangelical Lutheran Church) Augustana Synode or Antimissouri. It was called Rushford Norske Evangelical Lutheran Church and was organized in 1868 by A. A. Scheie and was served by Rev. Andreas Wright for many years.

5.      Highland Lutheran Church was orgainized in 1858 as a missionary church and was call

Den Forste Evangelical Lutheran Church . It became part of the Augustana Synode or Antimissouri in 1860. It was served by Rev. A.A. Scheie and later by Rev. Andreas Wright. The membership perhaps was mostly Rogaland, Telemark and Trondelag emigrants.

6.      Arendahl Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1857 and was Hauge Synode

Rev Arne E. Boyum was the pastor from 1857 until 1913. Ordained by by Elling Eielsen in Wisconsin prior to his coming to the Arendahl area. The Hauge Synode was considered the “Low Church” and the Norske Synode was considered the “High Church” or followers of the State Church of Norway and had some influence from the German Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri. The Augustana Synode was antimissouri or anti slavery and had its roots in a similar background as the Hauge Synode.

7.      North Prairie Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1858 and became part of

Norske Synode in 1868. Rev. U.V. Koren became pastor in 1853-1857, F.C. Claussen became pastor in 1857-1858 when Rev. N.E.S. Jenson became pastor 1858-1868. The membership represents emigrants from Sogn, Telemark, Gudbrandsdal, Valdres as well as many other areas of Norway.

8.      Peterson Norsk Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1871 by Rev. Arne E.

Boyum who served this Hauge Church from 1872-1895. This church was a branch off of

The Arendahl Lutheran Church. Many of its members were from Numedal, Toten, Telemark, Hadeland as well as many other areas of Norway. Photo’s of this church show two entrances, one was used by the men and one by the women and children.

9.      Our Saviors Lutheran Church of Peterson was organized by members of the Peterson

Community in 1894 to serve those who preferred the United Lutheran Church. Many people in the Peterson area would walk to Rushford, North Prairie or Highland Prairie to attend church because they felt the Hauge Church didn’t really represent their beliefs. So you have several families in the Peterson area who have there ancestors buried at the Rushford Lutheran Church cemetary. This church was organized by individuals who had emigrated from Hallingdal, Numedal, Toten, Rogland, Sogn and Telemark.