150th Anniversary
Our Sesquicentennial Year
2008
Remembrance--Recognition--Renewal
First United Methodist Church is celebrating 150 years serving the LORD in the Chisago Lakes area this year!
Each week this summer, an insert has been included in the bulletin describing some of our history and many things will be happening this fall for our celebration.
Please find the bulletin insert information here:
OUR SESQUICENTENNIAL YEAR (#5)
2008
Remembrance--Recollection--Renewal
MEMORIES SHARED AT THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY
In August of 1958 two guests flew in from California to attend the 100th Centennial Anniversary of the First Methodist Church of Lindstrom. One was Mrs. Minnie J. Smith, age 87. Mrs. Smith was one of only two remaining children of the charter members. Her son, Dr. Wallace Smith, a college professor, accompanied her. He gave a speech at the Centennial Service Titled “Reminiscences of Early Days in Minnesota.” A ten page copy exists in our church archives. Sadly, it is not complete, since page ten ends in mid-sentence. However, the document is so rich with information it will be a source for several bulletins to come.
Previously, the journey of Andrew Swenson, who came by ship to New Orleans, was highlighted. Another charter member of the church was
a teenage girl who left Sweden in 1854 with her parents and older brothers and sister. They sailed for Boston in an old vessel that was blown about on the Atlantic for sixteen weeks before they could land. Dr. Smith said he was told that “cholera had broken out on the ship and the captain
knowing sick immigrants would not be permitted to land, purposely sailed
every which way in order to permit all those sick to die. “
After arriving in Boston, the family took a train to Chicago, Illinois, the
farthest west that trains ran. A steamboat took them down the Illinois River to St. Louis, and from there they traveled on a steamboat carrying supplies to the soldiers at Fort Snelling. Again they transferred to another boat, down the Minnesota to the Mississippi and up the St. Croix to Taylor Falls.
The journey itself was long and difficult and ,unfortunately, the immigrants were ravaged by cholera as well. To quote Dr. Smith,” My grandmother (the young woman, Maja Lena Jonasdotter) lost her father, an older married sister, and that sister’s son. When a victim of cholera died, the captain ordered his crew to wrap a body in a blanket. The boat was stopped, and the corpse buried in a hastily dug, shallow grave along the river bank without benefit of religious service or head-stone. It was a heart-breaking experience for newcomers into a strange land.” More about Maja and her fascinating life in Bulletin #6.
Bulletin Insert #5 1st UMC 150th Anniversary, Submitted by J. Morgan
Information from speech by Dr. W. Smith, August 1958
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Our Sesquicentennial Year (#4)
2008
Remembrance--Recognition--Renewal
WHAT ELSE WAS HAPPENING IN 1858?
Emigrants left Sweden to cross the Atlantic Ocean, landed
in New Orleans and moved northward via the Mississippi River and the St. Croix to finally reach the stopping off place of Taylor Falls. Their journey was not yet over. The weary families walked a heavily wooded trail to reach and make claim to land around Chisago Lake.
While they were on their arduous journey that late spring and
summer of 1858 , events, probably unknown to them ,were occurring around the world. Prior to their arrival Minnesota had been granted state hood on May 11. They may have learned about that only upon their arrival in the U.S.A. Perhaps you will find some world events of 1858 interesting:
JANUARY 28---John Brown organized a raid on the Arsenal at
Harper’s Ferry.
FEBRUARY 11---First apparition of Virgin Mary appeared to
14 year old Bernadetteof Lourdes France.
MARCH 30---Pencil with attached eraser was patented by Hyman
Lipman of Philadelphia.
APRIL 12---1ST U.S. billiards championship was won by Michael
Phelan in Detroit.
JUNE 16---In acceptance speech for Republican nomination for
U.S. Senate from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln said” a house
divided against itself cannot stand.”
JULY 1--Papers by Darwin and Wallace announcing a theory of
Evolution by natural selection were read at London’s
Linnean Society.
AUGUST 3---First street mailboxes were installed in Boston.
SEPTEMBER 17--Dred Scott, American slave died (b. circa 1795)
OCTOBER 27--First Macy’s Dept. store opens in NYC. Gross
Receipts $1106.
NOVEMBER 9--First performance of New York Symphony
Orchestra
DECEMBER 12--First Canadian coins circulated (1, 5, 10, and 20
Cent pieces
Bulletin insert #4 1st UMC 150th Anniversary
Information from Wikipedia & Brainy History, Submitted by J. Morgan
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OUR SESQUICENTENNIAL YEAR (#3)
2008
Remembrance---Recognition---Renewal
CHARTER MEMBERS
Old church documents indicate twenty-one charter members in
1858.They included JOHN AND MAJA SMITH, JOHANNES ELMQUIST, NICHOLAS AND MARIA JOHNSON, ERIC AND
MARGARETA ABRAHAMSON, ANDREW AND ANNA FRIED,
JONAS AND SOPHIA PETERSON, HANS AND ELIZABETH
ERICSON, MAGNUS AND ELIN ANDERSON, OTTO AND HELEN
TOLBERG, PETER AND CARRIE SWENSON, AND ANDREW AND
CATHARINA SWENSON. , The story of Andrew Swenson (a.k.a. Anders Svensson) relates
The difficulty of the early immigrants. He and his wife, Catharina
Born Cajsa Maria Pehrsdotter) left Sweden aboard the“Skogman”, arriving at New Orleans in the summer of 1850. The family was overcome with a serious fever, unable to speak the language
(English) and perhaps slow in seeking medical help. As a result
their oldest son died.
Though sick and discouraged, the family headed north, landing at
St. Louis rather than their destination of Chicago, Illinois. Anders,
without money and among strangers, went looking for work. He had
heard that the Swedish actress, Jenny Lind, was in St. Louis as part of an entertainment tour promoted by P.T. Barnum. Anders went to
The hotel where she was staying and asked her for help. Another
visitor, Rev. Unonius ,a Swedish Episcopalian minister, interceded, and
urged Anders to go to Minnesota rather than Chicago because he
had heard stories of the bountiful land there. Jenny Lind agreed
with the Rev. and offered the Svenssons $75 if they would go
to Minnesota instead. Overwhelmed by her generosity, Anders
promised to take his family to Minnesota--to Chisago Lake!
Bulletin Insert #3 Information adapted from 125th History Booklet
1st Umc 150th Anniversary-----Submitted by J. Morgan
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Our Sesquicentennial Year (#2)
2008
Remembrance---Recognition---Renewal
By the summer of 1859 the newly organized congregation of Methodists had built a log cabin church on the peninsula of land between several lakes, which we now call No. Center, No. Lindstrom, and Pioneer Lake.
The 125th Year Anniversary History booklet describes the effort:
“One can assume that logs for the new church were cut down and sawed into lengths on land near the church site. Teams of oxen skidded the logs up the hillside to another crew of workers. This team notched the log ends, rolled them into position before a pair of stout skid-poles, and, with the help of all men, women, and children of the congregation, rolled them up into place. When finally a halt was called at mid-day, Pastor Agrelius led the singing of the “Doxology” and the tired workers sat down to their sumptuous lunch served by the ladies on makeshift tables beneath a canopy of pine branches and oak leaves.”
Carl Petter Agrelius, the first pastor, originally a Lutheran, had been sent from Norway to minister to Norwegian settlers in Wisconsin. After arriving in New York in 1848 he was befriended by a Methodist, Olof Hedstrom, and was soon converted to Methodism. He was sent to various places to minister to Scandinavian emigrants, serving the Wisconsin Conference from 1850 to1854. He took care of the Swedish Mission in St. Paul also. While he held this position he became acquainted with Methodists in the Chisago Lake area and Washington county. His efforts had led to the organization of a Methodist Episcopal congregation in Center City and the church construction. His advanced age (60) prevented him from staying to see the church dedicated. He retired to Marine Township. The new church contained living quarters which the next pastor, C.F. Lindquist, occupied with his wife and three young children.
Thanks be to the determination and faith of our first church members!
Bulletin Insert #2
1st UMC 150th Anniversary
Source: 125 th Anniversary book--1993
Submitted by J. Morgan
Our Sesquicentennial Year (#1)
2008
Remembrance---Recognition---Renewal
One hundred and fifty years ago in the month of May, Minnesota officially became a state. In that same year, a small group of Swedish immigrants to the Chisago Lake area attended Methodist worship services in the cabin of one Anders Svensson in what is now Center City. About a dozen families comprised the congregation. The group had met for some years in one another’s homes, In the summer of 1858 a camp meeting ,or religious gathering ,lasting several days took place on the shores of Chisago Lake in what is now Lindstom. One of the several preachers, Pastor C.P. Agrelius, met with the settlers to form a Methodist s ociety or class, which was the beginning
of an organized congregation. The congregation sought a suitable site to erect a church. Luckily, Andrew Swenson, one of the --charter members (first known as Anders Svensson) owned property in Center City. For five dollars the congregation purchased land from Andrew and his wife Catharina. The deed was dated December 28, 1858. By the summer of the next year a log cabin church had been built.
In the coming months we will celebrate the 150th Anniversary with special activities and events. We will remember our past; we will give recognition and thanks to those who established First Church and kept the Faith over the years; and we will renew our spirits and our church with a commitment to becoming Devoted Disciples of Jesus.
Bulletin Insert #1
1st Umc 150th Anniversary
Information adapted from 1993 -125th Anniversary History
Submitted by J. Morgan
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