Title
TAYLOR LUTHERAN CHURCH 1898.
Creator
Shirley Heng
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 140N RANGE 93W
Text
TAYLOR LUTHERAN CHURCH 1898.
The Taylor congregation was officially organized May 1885 by a group of Scandinavian Lutherans meeting at the Erland Paulson home in Taylor (the N.P. section house). Pastor O. J. Norby of Sims was to provide pastoral leadership for the new congregation. First officers of the congregation were Erland Paulson, Martin Breum, Engebrit Torgerson, Johan Fredericks, Ole H. Breum and Ole Peterson. Other charter members with their families were Andreas Knudson, Lewis Peterson, Paul P Ziner, Ole P Ziner, Lise Olsen, Christen Paulsen, Halvor Torgerson, Ole Olsen and Rolf Bakken. Pastor Norby held services for the Taylor congregation once a month. Before this organizational meeting services had been held in various homes. The first recorded service was in October 1884 at one of the Breum homes. After the congregation was officially organized and until a church building was erected services continued to be held in homes. As the congregation grew and more room was needed, services were held in the large freight room of the old depot, in L. L. Lewis' store and sometimes outdoors, weather permitting. After the first Taylor School was built it was used as a regular meeting place. Under Pastor Norby's leadership the first congregational constitution was adopted in 1888. Membership increased as new families immigrated into the area.
After Pastor Norby's resignation 1893, Pastor Thor K. Gaustad was called to serve the congregations in this area. His annual salary from the Taylor congregation was $150.00. During his pastorate the Taylor Lutheran church was built and dedicated.
1906 Pastor Gaustad resigned and the Taylor congregation made the decision to hire its own pastor after financial aid was offered by the U.L.C. Pastor Thorvald H. Larsen was called under this new agreement. He was offered $400 in salary in addition to the $300 given annually by the ULC and $100 promised by the small Belfield congregation. A free parsonage was also provided. Under this plan, Pastor Larsen devoted a part of his time to missionary work in the area.
Pastor Larsen served 25 years in the Taylor-Slope area after his arrival early in 1907. He was 51 years old at the time he accepted the call to Taylor having already completed 20 years in the parish ministry. He held services in Taylor twice a month and spent his other Sundays doing missionary work. He also spent considerable time instructing the young people of the parish. His main objective was to organize congregations for immigrants of Lutheran background helping them to eventually become self-supporting and able to call their own pastor. He could preach fluently in English, German and Norwegian. During his ministry he established congregations at Ridgeway, Marshall, Dunn Center, Halliday, Vang, Gorham and other places. By the early 20's he was able to devote most of his time to the Taylor parish.
Services and confirmation instruction in the early days of the congregation were in Norwegian but in 1926, after a gradual transition, the congregation voted to have all services and instruction in English.
After his resignation in June, 1932. Pastor Larsen resided in Taylor until his death November 30, 1935.
Rev. James Kaupang served the congregation the next two years. He and his wife made an important contribution to youth work in the parish. The Luther League became well established during their ministry.
After Rev. Kaupang's resignation due to ill health. Rev. Waldo Ellickson was called as pastor. Rev. Ellickson was one of the founders of the Badlands Lutheran Bible Camp and was a strong spiritual leader during the days of the depression. He resigned early in 1940.
In August 1940 Rev. Earl M. Sletten was installed as pastor of the parish. He served until January 1945. Under his encouragement several young people from the congregation attended church colleges and Bible Schools.
Rev. Emil Grefthen followed Rev. Sletten as pastor of the Taylor parish. Rev. Grefthen was one of the promoters of the St. Luke's Home in Dickinson. The chapel there was later named in his memory. He was active in laying the groundwork for the UELC and ALC merger and the formation of the ALC Western North Dakota District. He celebrated the anniversary of his ordination while serving the Taylor parish. He resigned the pastorate in 1965.
In September 1966 Rev. Rolf Heng took up the pastorate of the Taylor parish which at that time included three churches — St. John's, Richardton, Ridgeway, Taylor, and Taylor Lutheran Church. A new parsonage was completed in December 1968.
The summer of 1975. the Taylor church celebrated its 90th anniversary. Speaker for the event was Rev. Earl Sletten. Greetings were given by Rev. James Kaupang and Rev. David Egeland, a son of (he congregation. gave a tribute to Rev. Emil Grefthen. recently deceased.
January 1977. the Ridgeway congregation disbanded and organized a Ridgeway Cemetery Assoc.
The Taylor church has been remodeled since its building making the sanctuary and basement areas more attractive and useable.
Other items of historical interest include the organization of the Taylor Ladies Aid around 1900, organization of the Luther League in 1931 (the first president was Grace Knudson) and the organization on the Sunday School in 1887. The first confirmation service was in 1886. The confirmands were Knud Knudson and Karen Johnson.
Descendants from original charter member families still worship in the Taylor church and many new families have been added. The congregation continues to stand on the proclamation of the Word of God and the spirit and dedication of its early leaders is remembered and appreciated.
By Shirley Heng
Taken partially from 75th anniversary booklet
The Taylor congregation was officially organized May 1885 by a group of Scandinavian Lutherans meeting at the Erland Paulson home in Taylor (the N.P. section house). Pastor O. J. Norby of Sims was to provide pastoral leadership for the new congregation. First officers of the congregation were Erland Paulson, Martin Breum, Engebrit Torgerson, Johan Fredericks, Ole H. Breum and Ole Peterson. Other charter members with their families were Andreas Knudson, Lewis Peterson, Paul P Ziner, Ole P Ziner, Lise Olsen, Christen Paulsen, Halvor Torgerson, Ole Olsen and Rolf Bakken. Pastor Norby held services for the Taylor congregation once a month. Before this organizational meeting services had been held in various homes. The first recorded service was in October 1884 at one of the Breum homes. After the congregation was officially organized and until a church building was erected services continued to be held in homes. As the congregation grew and more room was needed, services were held in the large freight room of the old depot, in L. L. Lewis' store and sometimes outdoors, weather permitting. After the first Taylor School was built it was used as a regular meeting place. Under Pastor Norby's leadership the first congregational constitution was adopted in 1888. Membership increased as new families immigrated into the area.
After Pastor Norby's resignation 1893, Pastor Thor K. Gaustad was called to serve the congregations in this area. His annual salary from the Taylor congregation was $150.00. During his pastorate the Taylor Lutheran church was built and dedicated.
1906 Pastor Gaustad resigned and the Taylor congregation made the decision to hire its own pastor after financial aid was offered by the U.L.C. Pastor Thorvald H. Larsen was called under this new agreement. He was offered $400 in salary in addition to the $300 given annually by the ULC and $100 promised by the small Belfield congregation. A free parsonage was also provided. Under this plan, Pastor Larsen devoted a part of his time to missionary work in the area.
Pastor Larsen served 25 years in the Taylor-Slope area after his arrival early in 1907. He was 51 years old at the time he accepted the call to Taylor having already completed 20 years in the parish ministry. He held services in Taylor twice a month and spent his other Sundays doing missionary work. He also spent considerable time instructing the young people of the parish. His main objective was to organize congregations for immigrants of Lutheran background helping them to eventually become self-supporting and able to call their own pastor. He could preach fluently in English, German and Norwegian. During his ministry he established congregations at Ridgeway, Marshall, Dunn Center, Halliday, Vang, Gorham and other places. By the early 20's he was able to devote most of his time to the Taylor parish.
Services and confirmation instruction in the early days of the congregation were in Norwegian but in 1926, after a gradual transition, the congregation voted to have all services and instruction in English.
After his resignation in June, 1932. Pastor Larsen resided in Taylor until his death November 30, 1935.
Rev. James Kaupang served the congregation the next two years. He and his wife made an important contribution to youth work in the parish. The Luther League became well established during their ministry.
After Rev. Kaupang's resignation due to ill health. Rev. Waldo Ellickson was called as pastor. Rev. Ellickson was one of the founders of the Badlands Lutheran Bible Camp and was a strong spiritual leader during the days of the depression. He resigned early in 1940.
In August 1940 Rev. Earl M. Sletten was installed as pastor of the parish. He served until January 1945. Under his encouragement several young people from the congregation attended church colleges and Bible Schools.
Rev. Emil Grefthen followed Rev. Sletten as pastor of the Taylor parish. Rev. Grefthen was one of the promoters of the St. Luke's Home in Dickinson. The chapel there was later named in his memory. He was active in laying the groundwork for the UELC and ALC merger and the formation of the ALC Western North Dakota District. He celebrated the anniversary of his ordination while serving the Taylor parish. He resigned the pastorate in 1965.
In September 1966 Rev. Rolf Heng took up the pastorate of the Taylor parish which at that time included three churches — St. John's, Richardton, Ridgeway, Taylor, and Taylor Lutheran Church. A new parsonage was completed in December 1968.
The summer of 1975. the Taylor church celebrated its 90th anniversary. Speaker for the event was Rev. Earl Sletten. Greetings were given by Rev. James Kaupang and Rev. David Egeland, a son of (he congregation. gave a tribute to Rev. Emil Grefthen. recently deceased.
January 1977. the Ridgeway congregation disbanded and organized a Ridgeway Cemetery Assoc.
The Taylor church has been remodeled since its building making the sanctuary and basement areas more attractive and useable.
Other items of historical interest include the organization of the Taylor Ladies Aid around 1900, organization of the Luther League in 1931 (the first president was Grace Knudson) and the organization on the Sunday School in 1887. The first confirmation service was in 1886. The confirmands were Knud Knudson and Karen Johnson.
Descendants from original charter member families still worship in the Taylor church and many new families have been added. The congregation continues to stand on the proclamation of the Word of God and the spirit and dedication of its early leaders is remembered and appreciated.
By Shirley Heng
Taken partially from 75th anniversary booklet