History

A small group of worshipers who were to become Our Redeemer’s congregation gathered for their first worship service on November 6, 1955 in the Dakotah Theater in Edgeley, North Dakota. They continued to meet here until the completion of the new church building in 1958.

The Rev. Ralph S. Rusley was the first pastor of the parish which consisted of Christ the King Congregation in Ellendale and Our Redeemer’s Congregation in Edgeley.

Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church was formally organized on Wednesday evening May 2, 1956 at the Dakotah Theater. Dr. L.E. Tallakson, president of the North Dakota District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church waas present and presided at the meeting. Twenty-four members were present. The constitution and by laws were adopted and officers were elected at this meeting as follows: President, William Nordley; Vice President, Hans Jensen; Secretary, Doris Mathson; Treasurer, R.G. Burges; Financial Secretary, Charles Jennings; Deacons, Wm. Anderson, Gilbert Leppert, Miles White; Trustees, O.W. Kipp, Wm. Gentz, Oscar Leppert; Sunday School Superintendent, Mae Wold; Board of Education, Laura Burges, Hilda Nordley, and Alma White. The articles of Incorporation were signed on May 17, 1956 by William Gentz, Oscar Leppert and O.W. Kipp.

Miss Inez Leppert, a registered nurse and a member of the congregation was commissioned as a missionary to Madagascar at a special service held in the Community Hall on July 29, 1956.

On July 17, 1956 the lot of the present church site was purchased. Work began on the building of the church on November 7, 1957 with Lynn Hazelton Construction and with the help of volunteer members. The plumbing and electrical work was done entirely by capable members of the congregation. During this busy, exciting period several ladies of the congregation did their part by providing meals for the workers, and were on hand with the coffee pot for those welcome coffee breaks.

Then came the happy day when the church building was completed and the first worship service was held there on Easter Sunday, April 6, 1958.

The dedication of Our Redeemer’s Church took place November 9, 1958. Dr. L.E. Tallakson, District President preached the sermon and performed the service of dedication.

Pastor Rusley left our parish in 1959 and Pastor O.C. Rolfsen served as interim pastor for three months. Pastor H.O. Vold accepted a call to serve our parish and conducted his first worship service here in February 14, 1960.

At the annual meeting in January 1959, the congregation approved a project to excavate the church basement sufficiently for a Sunday School class room.

Pews were purchased in 1965 and later additional pews as well as another chancel chair were added. Pastor Vold left our parish in 1966.

Pastor Roger Schlaefer accepted the call to our parish and conducted his first service here on February 6, 1966. The tenth anniversary of Our Redeemer’s Church was celebrated on May 1, 1966.

In 1973 the basement was excavated under the entire church building providing space for a kitchen, fellowship hall, two Sunday School rooms, rest rooms, and a storage room.

Pastor Schlaefer left our parish on November 17, 1974 after serving our congregation for approximately 9 years. From that date until January 1, 1975 Pastor Emil Lang of Casselton, North Dakota conducted our Sunday worship services. The pastor’s study was completed in 1974.

In 1974 the Edgeley Our Redeemer’s and the Ellendale Christ the King parish was dissolved. Our Redeemer’s Congregation was then included in the Kulm Zion Lutheran and Jud St. Paul’s Lutheran Parish with Pastor Herman Buenting in charge of the 3-point parish until his retirement on September 1, 1976.

Notes were sold in 1957 for the amount of $20,000 to members and others in the community as temporary financing for the down payment for a new church building. The loan was refinanced in 1962 with Lutheran Brotherhood ($20,000 at 5 3/4% due in 20 years) and the local notes were paid. We were able to pre-pay our loan which should have been due Dec. 1, 1982 on January 25, 1974, thus saving $6,203.87 in interest.

In 1975 the kitchen was moved to the new kitchen area in the basement where a complete set of cabinets and counters had been constructed.

Pastor Wayne Eitland, Casselton, ND accepted a call to our parish and arrived here in September 1976. The congregation purchased a new organ for our worship in 1977. A piano had previously been anonymously donated.

In 1977 our membership reached a total of of 201 baptized members. This was the first time in our existence that we had surpassed the 200 mark.

The congregation purchased a new organ for our worship in 1977. A piano had previously been anonymously donated. In 1979, the church was insulated and resided. Carpet in the sanctuary and a central vacuum system were installed in 1981.

The 25th Anniversary of the church was celebrated May 24, 1981. Pastor Eitland and former pastors Rusley, Vold, Schlaefer, and Buenting took part in the service. The Reverend Nelson Preus, Eastern North Dakota Bishop also attended.

Pastor Roy Ott came to serve the congregation from February 1984 until January 1990. He also served Zion in Kulm and St. Paul’s in Jud.

In 1984, the church bell from the Rogate Lutheran Church, Berlin, ND, was given to Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church. A Bell Tower was constructed to house the bell and the sign that was erected out front of the church. A dedication service was held in 1985.

Work began in the fall of 1987 on the entrance addition to the church proper. With its completion in 1988, carpet was installed in the remaining rooms and the main floor. A dedication service was held in February 1989.

Pastor Jo Anne Moeller served as interim pastor from February 1990 until 1994.

Pastor Darrell Schultz, Jamestown, ND served as interim pastor October 1994 through June 1995.

Pastor Ellen Arther was contracted to serve Ellendale’s Christ the King in July 1990. In 1995, Christ the King accepted Our Redeemer’s congregation back into a 2-point parish and Pastor Ellen began ministering to Our Redeemer’s congregation in July 1995. She continued this ministry in Ellendale and Edgeley until February 2001.

Retired Pastor Nels Lillejord was asked to be the Edgeley-Ellendale interim pastor and served until March 2002. At that time, Kulm’s Zion was without a minister and Edgeley-Kulm formed a 2-point alliance, keeping Pastor Nels on an interim basis until 2006.

Pastor Carl Glamm joined us on December 9, 2007 and served until December 31, 2010.

In 2011, Pastor Jordan Gackle was requested to provide ministry for Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, and joined us on February 6. Pastor Jordan brings vibrant and thoughtful worship, and his wife leads our Sunday School music.

In the spring of 2014, we added a Prayer Garden to our grounds. The Paving Stones were created by the Sunday School Youth, while the Garden layout was designed and planted by Kathy DeBolt. Bushes next to the church were planted by Mary Steele and Cheryl Ness.

We are thankful for our past, and excited about our future.