Area residents, along with past and present members of North Prairie Church, are invited to celebrate 160 years of church service.
Pastor Tim Larson of Willmar, Minn. will be the guest Pastor on Sunday, August 28, 2016 for a 10:30 am worship which will begin the special celebration of the church’s anniversary. Pastor Larson is the son of a former pastor at North Prairie Church, Pastor Percy Larson, who served at North Prairie from 1959-1968.
Undoubtedly, Pastor Larson has some fond memories of Fillmore County and will enjoy coming back to share in worship with area residents.
Exceptional music will also be a highlight of the celebration, as HWY 30 will provide entertainment for all with traditional gospel hymns.
A turkey dinner will follow the worship service, with a free-will offering. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit ELCA’s (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) World Hunger fund.
According to Diane Drinkall with North Prairie Church, “The first organized church service of North Prairie was held on September 1, 1856 at the Isaac Jackson home in Arendahl Township,” and grew from there.
The church’s facebook page, facebook.com/northprairielutheran, states that the church was established by Norwegian immigrants who settled in southeastern Minnesota.
According to Kathy Kramer Mosdal, who researched the church’s anniversary books, “Church services were conducted exclusively in Norwegian for many years,” until 1926 when the decision was made to use the English language for every third service. In 1950, it was decided English would be used for every worship service.
As with many rural churches these days, it can be a struggle to keep the doors open and membership numbers up. Such is the case with North Prairie Church located in Arendahl Township.
Lois Ulrich, lifelong member of North Prairie Church, says, “There are less people now” than there used to be years ago. “When I was a youngster, church was full on Sundays,” but that isn’t the case now, states Ulrich.
Drinkall explains that North Prairie is now part of a four part parish, called United Lutheran Parish, which includes Arendahl, Pilot Mound, Grace, and North Prairie churches. North Prairie and Arendahl have a joint service, each every other Sunday while Pilot Mound and Grace do the same.
Reverend Sarah J. Walker Brown has been serving as a full-time pastor for all four churches since 2015.
Despite a smaller congregation, which Drinkall estimates to be approximately 230 people, North Prairie Church and its members are still very active with church services, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, church dinners and more.
Ladies meet for quilting, WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Church in America) meetings take place, weddings, baptisms, funerals and more happen quite regularly.
The Facebook page states that recently, school supplies were collected with more than 50 kits being sent to Lutheran World Relief. The Facebook page also states there will be a fall bazaar at North Prairie Church on September 17, 2016.
Area residents will gather at North Prairie to share in the celebration of 160 years of sharing worship and faith together on August 28 so please join in on the fun if you can.
Ulrich looks forward to the celebration of North Prairie’s 160 years saying, “I’m sure that it will be very nice.”
North Prairie Lutheran Church is located at 35957 State Highway 30, Lanesboro, Minn. For more information visit www.unitedlutheranparish.com.
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