News

Swedish Church turns 110 years old

By Scott Wagar

07/23/2013

Editor’s Note: The Bottineau Courant is conducting a series on the history of the Swedish Zion Lutheran Church due to the church’s 110th Anniversary, and the structure being named to the National Register of Historic Places. This week, the Courant concludes the series by looking at the congregation of the church.

Bottineau County’s Swedish Zion Lutheran Church is celebrating the 110th anniversary of the construction of its church this year in association with the building being named to the National Register of Historic Places. The structure, which was built from stone for perpetual purposes, is one of the most unique churches built in the county with its stunning Late Gothic Revival architecture in the purest and simplest form.

Not only does the Swedish Lutheran Church’s structural design stand out in the rolling foothills of the Turtle Mountains, its congregational members shine brightly in personally building the church and serving God through what would become known as the “Swedish Church”, the “Swed Church” and the most common name “the Stone Church.”

The Swedish immigrants of Bottineau County, who formed the Augustana Lutheran Synod church were of modest means, but when it came to their church the Swedish pioneers worked hard and gave up much to bring the presence of God to their part of the county.

The members, themselves, volunteered to move the heavy stones to the church’s location. The stones, which came from the surrounding fields, were free to construct the prairie edifice. The remaining supplies (lumber, windows, doors….) came from personal donations of the congregation’s own personal incomes.

“A tithing plan was used to raise funds for building,” stated the Bottineau Courant on January 20, 1954. “Each member donated one cent per bushel of wheat that was harvested that year.”

On May 17, 1896, a group of Swedish settlers came together at the North School House in Homen Township, and on the homestead of Ole Eklund, to have its first Swedish Lutheran service in the history of Bottineau County. Pastor L.E. Gullander of Sheyenne, N.D., led the service that Sunday morning and gave his sermon on John 15: 18-27, which speaks about the Christian church being not part of the world but part of God, and the importance to be an example to the world through the church.

For those at the service that spring day, there is perhaps no doubt that the last two verses of the passage Gullander read were pointed directly at the new immigrants and their duty to God.

“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

With the Biblical words being a testimony to the world, the Swedish pioneers made the decision to start a Swedish Lutheran Church. That afternoon, after the morning service, the group of Swedish pioneers held a meeting and made a decision to establish the Swedish Zion Lutheran Church.

The church was established two and a half months later on August 3, 1896, in the one-room rural school house under the pastorship of Gullander.

The trustees included Ole Backman, John Ostlund and Carl Lybeck with Backman being chosen the secretary. Fredick Johnson, Lars Olson and John Schroeder were named the deacons.

Gullander, was born in Gularka, Skane, Sweden in 1859 and came to America in 1880. He eventually ended up in Sheyenne, farming the land of Eddy County, along with serving as traveling pastor, which included the Swedish Church which was a 140 mile trip one way (two and half hour trip by car today). Gullander served one year and then returned back to Sweden.

By 1903, the passage of testimony that Gullander     spoke about in the fall of 1896 would turn into church building which would stand tall in the foothills of the Turtle Mountains and be seen by all the different nationalities who had homesteaded in that area of the county.

Through the church, the Augustana congregation performed great tasks to assist each other and those in the surrounding area.

Pastors seldom served the Swedish church for long period of times, leaving the congregation members with conducting sermons and serving those in needs.

Women also played an important part in the church. They organized a Ladies Aid where they spent the majority of their time conducting needlework and having two auction sales a year to raise income for the church.

The women of the church also played an important role during the construction of the church. As their husbands spent time at the construction site, it was the church ladies who stayed back on the homestead and did the men’s chores that needed to be done to keep a successful farm going.

Men who provided labor in constructing the church also played a part in serving the church. From sermons to singing in the choir the men gave of their time for the Lutheran synod.

One of those men was Herman Gustafson, a charter member of the church who spent long hours assisting in the building of the church. Gustafson was born in Westanvik Frysande Torsby, Varmland, Sweden, in 1868. He migrated with his older brother to America in 1887 and settled in Homan Township where he became a farmer.

For Gustafson, the Swedish Lutheran Church played an important part of his life and he enjoyed being in the church worshipping God. He was known for his ability to sing and was a member of the Church’s choir.

Holidays were special times in the church, too, especially during what the Swedish immigrants called Julotta, or Christmas time.

“The early morning (Julotta) services on Christmas morning probably impressed us the most,” stated the Bottineau Courant. “The thrill of riding in the very cold air with a horse drawn sleigh to the decorated candle light church will always be remembered.”

The church existed from 1897 to 1938, a mere 41 years, but during the church’s time on the prairie foothills of the Turtle Mountains it brought the Swedish immigrants together for worship and community time in a gracious and beautiful landmark that still stands tall and shines bright through those rolling hills in the county that definitely is a true testimony to God.  

Writer’s Note: Sources for this article include the Bottineau Courant, “the People of Bottineau County” and Gene Wunderlich’s “Stone Church: A Prairie Parable.”