125 Years of Ministry

The Day of Celebration for 125 years of ministry has passed and I hope all of you who attended felt welcome and blessed. It was a day to long remember.

Sundahl's doors were thrown wide open. The woodwork and sanctuary floors inside gleamed with new varnish and elbow grease. Original art, painted by Gerald Hamlin in 1985, was chosen to grace our Anniversary Celebration Program cover. This painting hangs on a basement wall of Sundahl. Following is a copy of the program beginning with the cover and continuing with the Worship Service. Click on the image to enlarge.

The worship service was powerful and meaningful. I hope that the images are readable when enlarged on your computer. You will see that we had special music by the Sunday School and that Taylor Webster, representing the seven generations of continuous membership in Sundahl for her family, lead a dialogue of Thanksgiving. Former pastors read scripture. Our pastor, Rev. Ken Iverson, gave the children's sermon. Bishop Bill Rindy of the ELCA Eastern ND SYNOD gave the sermon. Allyse Hoge, sang a solo in her clear and sweet soprano voice. As the choir sang one could imagine that they were an echo of a heavenly choir of former Sundahl singers whose perfect eternal voices were leading the church choir through the songs. It was that kind of day. 

Former pastors sent written greetings which are on the following images:

Following Worship there was a Meatball Dinner served in the basement. Tim and Jill Haakenson and Russ and Marilyn Hoge served as hosts for the dinner. Each table was decorated with a pieced center cloth representing the thousands of quilts that have gone out into the world from this church. Made by the women each winter, this year they made a point of constructing 125 quilts. The quilts are distributed through Lutheran World Relief, as well as locally to those in need of warmth or comfort. The centerpieces on every table were pitchers containing flowering garden plants. This traditional pioneer table decoration brought back memories of long ago Ladies Aid suppers. It was during the meal that those in attendance began to reminisce. There were videos and photos on display in the entry area of Heritage Hall. Time passed quickly and soon all were being called into the sanctuary for the program:

This was a time of laughter and tears. Bill Miller, as Master of Ceremonies, shared excerpts from long ago meeting minutes of Sundahl Ladies Aid. There were greetings from Paul Retzlaff, President of Sundahl Congregation, and Kay Sundquist, WELCA President. Joan Huso, a great granddaughter of founding members,  gave a historical presentation on the name Sundahl and its 
connections in Norway. 

We heard from John Furu who brought greetings and a cast iron candle holder from Sunndal, Norway. He is a great grandson John Mehle, a founding father who later returned to Norway and raised his family there. 

Logan and Norway Congregations were recognized and the descendants of the respective  founding fathers were asked to stand.

 Paul Huso and Joe Miller spoke of gratitude in their hearts to the congregation, and of the grace of God which has spread the Word out from this remote little church to ends of the earth. The music was inspiring with Robbie Lukens singing a solo as he accompanied himself on guitar. The Daughters of the Congregation, which was defined in this instance as singers who were confirmed at Sundahl, sang as a women's chorus. The men's chorus, who Bill joked would have been a Huso chorus except that Tim Brakke and he had infiltrated to give it some class, sang Beautiful Savior. And the beloved Sundahl Choir, this time directed by former director, Rev. Arlyn Anfinrud, sang The King Is Coming. When they were finished, we wondered if the Lord would indeed return today.

The program was followed by cake and coffee in the church basement served by the WELCA officers. That group used to be called the Ladies Aid. 

Which leads me to a story that my grandmother told:

When the women were serving meals and lunches in the early days, much of the baking was done at home in a wood fired oven. I can barely imagine how difficult it would be to regulate the temperature and properly bake something as delicate as a cake. It was a challenge that often resulted in a slightly burnt corner on the cake. The frugal baker carefully disguised the burnt area with frosting. She then would try to eat that piece herself, and no one would be the wiser. 

Once, as Grandma was trying to set aside a piece of burnt cake for herself, a well-meaning neighbor took it. 

Grandma told her, "No, I will eat that one, it is burnt on the corner."

"That's all right," her friend replied. (my mind always hears a thick Norwegian brogue in this reply) "I like burnt. It makes you good to sing!"

The cake on Celebration Sunday was perfect in every way. But I think perhaps there has been a lot of burnt cake eaten in the Sundahl Lutheran Church basement. 

Faith of Our Fathers, Joy to Our Mothers. Thank You to All the Cheerful Workers for preparing such a Wonderful Day! 

Thanks Be to God!