Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church Records

Collection — Box: 09

Identifier: OGLMC-1539

Scope and Contents

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The Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church Records contain materials documenting the history and mission of the Church. The collection is arranged according to the following series: History, Administrative, Annual Reports, Agendas and Meeting Minutes, Congregational Records, Organizations, Publications and Bulletins. Within each series the folders are arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically. History, 1922-2008, contains selective anniversary histories of the church and scrapbooks. The Administrative series, 1934-1992, contains property records, assorted financial documents, correspondence and pastoral reports. The Annual Reports series 1933-2008, consists of summary reports for each calendar year , including financial data and reviews of activities. The Agendas and Meeting Minutes series, 1912-2004, contains meeting records of various church governing bodies including the Board of Deacons, Church Council, and Church Board of Administration. The Congregational Records series contains two sets of membership records, one set for the years prior to 1997 and one for 1997 and after. Both are arranged alphabetically by first letter of surname. In addition, there are membership photos, baptism, and marriage and death records. The series also contains Letters of Dismission and Flyttningsbetyg (Moving Certificates), in English and Swedish, that contain genealogical information on members including their places of birth in Sweden. The Organizations series, 1905-1972, contains meeting minutes and other records for organizations in the church such as the Alter Guild, Ladies Aid Society, Lutheran Church Women (LCW), Lutheran Men’s Club, and Youth Group. The Publications series, 1983-2003, consists largely of The Messenger, a monthly newsletter. The Bulletins series, 1967-2004, has bulletins of church services, including inserts, and are arranged chronologically.

Dates

created: 1898-2008
Other: Date acquired: 01/13/2009

Creator

Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Biographical or Historical Information

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Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church of Grand Forks was organized October 23, 1897 as Gustaf Adolf’s Svenska Evangelisk Luterska Forsamling (Gustavus Adolphus Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation) adopting the constitution of the Augustana Synod. In 1900, a church was constructed at the corner of North Sixth Street and Alpha Avenue. Bethesda and Nyskoga Churches in East Grand Forks operated as part of the parish and shared a pastor with the church. The name was changed to Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Congregation in 1917. In 1922, morning worship services were switched from Swedish to English with evening services remaining in Swedish. Board minutes were recorded in English beginning in 1927 along with the purchase of English hymnals. The church officially became Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1931. In 1947, a lot at 520 University Avenue was purchased and groundbreaking for a new church occurred in 1954. In 1962, the Augustana Lutheran Synod joined with the United Lutheran Church in America, the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the American Evangelical Lutheran Church to form the Lutheran Church of America. In 1988 the Lutheran Church of America merged with the American Lutheran Church to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Augustana celebrated its centennial while rebuilding from damage sustained during the 1997 Red River Flood. The church was renovated and remains at 520 University Avenue.

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