THE EARLY HISTORY OF ST. ANTHONY PARK LUTHERAN CHURCH

A brief sketch of the history of the congregation with emphasis on the efforts to build our present (1974) church structure.

Wartburg Evangelical Lutheran Church; 1902-1937

The congregation of St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church has its origin in 1902 when, on November 28 of that year, the faculty and students of what was then the United Norwegian Lutheran Church Theological Seminary - today Luther Theological Seminary - organized the Wartburg Evangelical Lutheran Church. Membership in the congregation in 1902 was 27, mostly students and members of the faculty at the seminary.

Gradually, as the St. Anthony Park community began to develop - there were few homes in the Park in 1902 - residents of the community joined the congregation until, by 1905, membership in the congregation numbered 146. Students from the University's Farm Campus worshiped with the congregation as well.

Services during this phase of the congregation's life were held in the old seminary chapel located in what is now known as Bockman Hall. Seminary professors served as part-time pastors to the congregation in addition to teaching at the seminary. Among the professors who served the congregation were Dr. M.O. Bockman, who served for 13 years, and Dr. C. M. Weswig who served 17 years.

Until 1931, regular services were conducted in Norwegian. In that year, English became the language used at regular services although Norwegian continued to be used at special services for some time.

Another major development in the history of the congregation which occurred in 193l was the establishment of a building fund campaign for a permanent home for the congregation. By the end of the first year, the building fund totaled $1,251.15.

Six years later, on March 25, 1937, the name of the congregation was formally changed to St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church and a new era of the congregation's life was about to begin.

The transition from a seminary to a community congregation: 1938-1946.

By 1938 the congregation had determined that its membership needed a full-time pastor, and so, on February 13, 1938, Pastor J. M. Langemo was installed as the first full-time pastor of the congregation.

By that time membership had risen to 218 and the congregation was experiencing growing pains. Some space had been found in 1937 when the congregation along with the Norwegian Lutheran Church synod (later to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church and, today, the American Lutheran Church) purchased the Strickler property on Luther Place (the property that is, today, solely owned by the congregation). The building on the property (known in recent years as the "old parish house" until it was demolished in 1970) became the parish house and parsonage for the congregation. The remaining vacant land (between the parish house and Como Avenue) was retained by the synod.

In 1943, Pastor Langemo joined the chaplaincy of the U.S. Army. Pastor Gerald Giving served the congregation as interim pastor until 1944 when Pastor A. G. Lewis was installed as pastor of the congregation.

Upon the end of World War II, the congregation turned its attention again to the need for a permanent home for the congregation.

Building a new home for the congregation; 1947-1955

In 1947 the building program moved a step closer to reality when the congregation selected the architectural firm of Hills, Gilbertson and Hayes, with Vic Gilbertson serving as head architect for the project, to design a new building. The congregation had acquired land for the building by exchanging, with the synod, in 1944, the parish house for the synod's vacant property on Luther Place.

The congregation set, as a target, a maximum cost of $150,000 for the building, exclusive of services. But, finding the funding for the project was a major problem. The congregation had about $50,000 in cash by that time but the maximum mortgage that could be secured from Lutheran Brotherhood was $60,000. This brought the total funds available for the project to $110,000 - $40,000 less than what was needed.

Largely through the efforts of Pastor Lewis, the synod - working through the seminary - gave the congregation a grant of $30,000 for the service the congregation was providing to the seminary. In addition, a $20,000 non-interest loan was negotiated with the Lutheran Student Foundation, through its executive secretary at the time, Dr. Morris Wee. This loan was made possible because of the ministry the congregation had provided to Lutheran students at the farm campus. All total, $160,000 had been raised, or committed, to the project by the time construction bids were opened in 1948. The evening the bids were opened was a sad one for the congregation, however, as the low bid received for the project was greater than $230,000, far in excess of the funds available.

The Building Committee, under the chairmanship of Oscar Lee, went to work to trim costs, eliminating many desirable features contained in the first plan, The basement was eliminated because the poor soil, which was mostly fill, made the cost of a structure with a basement extremely high.

Instead, the architect was persuaded to design, at no additional cost, a one story parish house to be attached to the back end of the church. Other features that were deleted were pews (folding chairs were used for several years), a bell tower that was to be located on the Luther Place side of the church, a toilet between the choir loft and the Doswell entrance to the church, all landscaping (this was done later by members of the congregation), all interior painting, plastering of the parish house walls, and a large ventilation fan for the sanctuary. In addition, asphalt roof was substituted for the tile roof that was in the original plan. The cross on the chancel wall, the altar, baptismal font, pulpit, brass cross and candelabra were all furnished as memorials.

With these changes, the cost of the project was reduced to within the $160,000 limit and construction began. On Sunday, March 20, 1949, the congregation, now grown to 600 members, held its first worship service in the new sanctuary.

This wasn't to be the end of the congregation's building efforts, however. One year later, the parsonage was built for the pastor. During this time, the church operated a food stand at the State Fair, Funds generated by the fair booth were used to purchase the carpeting in the chancel area and the pews.

By 1954, membership had hit 1,000 and a second building program to provide additional Sunday school and other working space was started. The expanded facility, which was dedicated on May 13, 1956, included the second story of the parish house, a new kitchen (the first kitchen was in the present serving room area), and an extension of the first floor of the parish house to provide space for the stairways, the stage as well as more space in the Fellowship Hall. Post-building era; 1956-present

In 1960, Pastor Lewis resigned to become chaplain of the Lingblomsten Retirement Center. He was succeeded by Pastor Robert Anderson who served the congregation until 1970·

During the 1960's the congregation talked, again, of adding additional facilities, including constructing a new sanctuary. Another building committee was appointed and plans were developed. The "old parish house" property was again purchased from the seminary to provide additional land. One proposal, which called for a sanctuary to be built along Como Avenue extending across Luther Place (the road would have been vacated) was rejected by the building committee because of its high cost, and another proposal, which called for a new sanctuary to be built behind the parish house on much of the property that is now vacant (the parsonage in this plan would have been moved) was rejected by the congregation.

Today, as the congregation commemorates 25 years of worshiping in its present sanctuary, it is being ministered to by its fifth full-time pastor, Pastor Rolf Hanson (in addition, Pastors Simonson, Rogen, Coffey and Foster have served as assistant pastors), and it is in the midst of another building effort.

A building committee, under the chairmanship of Dr. Charles Anderson has been appointed. Already the congregation has approved a contract for a new pipe organ and the building committee is working to present plans to the congregation and Millers Pharmacy, additional space on two floors behind the kitchen, new secretarial space, and a more flexible seating arrangement in the sanctuary. If the timetable is met, and the congregation gives final approval, such a proposal will be under construction by fall .

March 24, 1974

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