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Dassel (MN) Marks 125 Years of Ministry
DASSEL, MN (August 31, 2004) - Donn Engebretson, executive vice president of
the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), preached during Sunday worship
service as the
Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel celebrated 125 years of ministry
last weekend.
The church hosted a barbecue on Saturday as part of the weekend
festivities. Three weeks earlier, the congregation hosted a Heritage
Sunday to commemorate the event.
A total of 20 members were part of the official founding of the
Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel on August 15, 1879, according to
church records. Pastor J.G. Sjoquist was instrumental in helping the
church get started as he led service one Sunday per
month as part of a "circuit preaching" ministry. The church constructed
its first building in 1881 and joined the ECC (then known as the Swedish
Mission Covenant Church
of America) in 1895.
Sjoquist was a pastor at the church until 1902 and also served in nearby
South Kingston. Some of the early church pastors went on to serve in
other ministerial roles in the Covenant. Sigfrid Carlson, became
superintendent of the Upper Michigan Conference (which later became part
of the Great Lakes Conference). Clifford Bjorklund became secretary of
the ECC. Another former pastor, Wallace Pratt, served as chaplain at
Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis.
The Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel currently has an average
worship attendance of 206 under pastor Keith Carlson. For more
information about the church, its celebration activities and its
ministries, call church staff at 320-275-3315.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
