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Ambrose Lutheran Church History
The Ambrose Lutheran Church, seen in the left background in the photo above, was first organized in 1905 as the Norwegian Lutheran Church. Charter members were Mr. & Mrs. Carl Ebbeson, Mr. & Mrs. Ole Sims, Mr. & Mrs. Sven Susag, Mr. & Mrs. Olaus Ryan, Mr. & Mrs. Andres Ryan, Mr. & Mrs. Hellick Haugland, Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Storheim, Hans Haugland, Andreas Altson, Ole Henning, and Halvor Rue.
Pastor Rasmus Olei Hjelmeland served the congregation from 1905 to 1907. He is pictured above with wife Anna and children Syneva, Sophia, Andrew, and Annette. This photo was given to Ardelle Aslakson by Marguerite Anderson on March 6, 1924 and now hangs in the church vestibule.
After meeting in members' homes for eight years, the congregation grew to the point where a new building was needed. The core of the structure seen above was constructed in 1913. At one time, the church had both a Senior Choir and Junior Choir.
In 1959, the building underwent major renovation during which the church was raised and the foundation was completely rebuilt. Improvements included a large dining room, a modern kitchen, Sunday School rooms, a Pastor's Study, and enclosure of the front entryway.
On November 26, 1972, a Mortgage Burning Ceremony was conducted after the final payment was made on the mortgage procured in 1959 to cover the building expenses.
In July of 1994 the parsonage was sold as the pastors were no longer living there. In 1997 and 1998, improvements were made to the interior of the building. Carpet was installed, pews were padded, and shades were installed on the windows. As these recent photos show, the church is beautiful and well-maintained, both inside and out. The Sunday School program of the church is as old as the church itself. In the beginning, only the Norwegian language was spoken. By 2002, the church no longer had enough pupils to support a Sunday School. Luther League was organized in 1915 by Pastor Cornelius Sumstad. The bell for the church was purchased by this organization. With declining membership, the Luther League was forced to discontinue.
History obtained from the
Centennial Pamphlet: |
