Name of Church: First Lutheran Church This information about First Lutheran Church of Breakings, SD. was compiled by George Norby, 109 7th St. Brookings, S. D. e-mail joseph@brookings.net Address: 703 Main Ave. 1886 - 1956 337 8th St. 1956 - Pastors: Rev. E. O. Ruste 1880 fall of 1883 Rev. M. O. Barge 1884 to 1888 Rev. S. O. Rondestvedt 2/17/1889 to 1893 Rev. G. O. Skaret 10/1894 to 11/1899 Rev. F. G. Norman 1899 to 1904 Rev. J. M. Green 1904 to 5/1910 Rev. H. E. Fosness 10/1910 to 6/1915 Rev. B. A. Benson 10/10/1915 to 6/1936 Rev. Philip S. Dybvig 7/12/1936 to 1939 Burnis Rogness, Intern 1938 Rev. Arthur E. Hanson 10/1939 to 9/1948 Rev. L. D. Onerheim, Assistant 1946 David Preus, Intern 1946 Rev. Everett O. Gilbertson 1948 to 1958 David W. Preus, Assistant Pastor 1950 to 1951 A. Richard Peterson, Intern 1953 Robert Maland, Intern 1952 Ralph Johnshoy, Intern 1951 Donald Severson, Intern 1954 Rev. A. Richard Peterson, Associate 1955 to 1957 James Qaulben, Intern 1957 Rev. Archie Madsen 1958 to 1964 Rev. John F. Nelson, Assistant 1959 to 1962 Rev. Thomas Knudson 1959 to 1961 Rev. Selmer J. Hilmoe 1963 to 8/31/1969 Rev. A. P. Doering 1964 to 4/1965 Rev. James A. Lokken, Assistant 1964 to 7/1/1966 Rev. Edward A. Gilbertson 1/31/1965 to 12/31/1970 Rev. Alfred H. Sevig, Assistant 12/11/1966 to 10/13/1976 Rev. John V. Halvorson 6/20/1971 to 1/28/1976 Rev. Loyal E. Golf, Presiding 7/25/1976 to 1/24/1981 Rev. Daniel T. Haertl, Youth Education 1/30/1977 to 9/1/1980 Rev. Carroll Bagaason, Assistant 4/24/1977 to 8/11/1991 - Retired Rev. James E. Thvedt, Presiding 5/24/1981 to 11/1/1993 - Resigned Dr. E. O. Gilbertson, Interim Pastor 2/15/1981 to 5/24/1981 Rev. Russel H. Anderson, Associate 4/24/1983 to 8/31/1990 Rev. Robert S. Jones, Associate 1/31/1988 to 9/30/1989 Rev. Scott Geister-Jones, Associate 9/16/1990 to 4/23/1995 Rev. Marvin Berkeland, Assistant 9/16/1990 to 10/1/1992 Retired Rev. John M. Moe, Associate 10/11/1993 to Rev. Gary Gilthvedt, Interim Pastor 4/25/1994 to 9/3/1995 Rev. Aanen D. Gjovik, Senior Pastor 6/10/1996 to 8/9/1998 - Resigned Rev. Scott D. Miller, Senior Pastor 12/13/1998 to present Comments: In 1869 a few hardy pioneers left Olmstad County, Minnesota and established a community in Medary, Dakota Territory, along the Sioux River in Lake Campbell area. The records show that the first settlers were Mr. and Mrs. Nels O. Trygstad and their five sons, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Jermstad Sr. and Chris Baltrud. These pioneers, along with others who followed them to the prairie land, established a Church known as the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Medary. The first meeting took place in the home of John Thompson who homesteaded in 1866 south of Baltic. Officers elected were Martin N. Trygstad, Deacon or Ruling Elder, Trustees were Ole Jermstead Sr., Nels O. Trygstad, Ole N. Trygstad, Cornelius Trygstad and Erick Trygstad. The first minister was Emil Christensen, 1870-1873. His first sermon at Medary was on October 28, 1870. Other ministers at Medary were; O. O. Sando, 1873- 1876; O. H. Hole, 1876-1879; E. O. Ruste, 1879-1880. E. O. Ruste became the first minister of the Brookings Congregation in 1880. The organizational meeting of the Medary Congregation was held June 1870 at the home of Martin Trygstad, Secton 9, Township 109, Range 50. Charter members at the June 1870 organizational meeting were; Nels O. Trygstad and wife Kristians, Ole O. Jermstad and wife Randi, Ole N. Trygstad, Michael N. Jermstad, Martin N. Trygstad, John H. Thompson, Elias Thompson, G. Gunderson Tvedt, Christopher H. Bolterud, Jens Amundsen Hauge, Magne A. Nesthus, Caroline Trygstad, Jokum Olson Sundet and Halvor H. Egeberg. Because of distance and difficulty in travel, churches were established as First Lutheran Church of Volga, Lake Campbell Lutheran Church and Blom (Now Sinai) were organized and trace their history to the Medary congregation. In 1880 meetings were held by the Medary congregation and persons of Breakings to determine that the Medary congregation be divided into two congregations. The people living west of the Sioux River known as Lake Campbell Lutheran Congregation and those east of the Sioux River forming the First Lutheran Congregation of Brookings. The Brookings congregation continued to be affiliated with the Volga, Sinai and Lake Campbell congregations until March 4,1886 when the congregation incorporated as the First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brookings, under the statutes of the laws of the territory. The Articles of incorporation were signed by M. Barge, T. R. Qually, George G. Rude, and C. G. Leyse. After the incorporation the following became the congregation's first members: Ole N. Trygstad, Cornelius Trygstad, Ole Staven, Anders Hanson, Hans Philipson, John Philipson, Ole Jermstad, George G. Rude, P. C. Johnson,C. G. Leyse, T. R. Qualey, Olaus Dybdahl, Peter Lunden, Guttorm Kirkeby, Sebjon Aaby, Martin Christianson, Bernt Senjem, Iver Ust, Soren Henry, Halvor Egeberg and Helge Korstad. The congregation's officers or elected officials are the following: Pastor M. Borge, Deacon Ole Trygstad, trustees-foremam S. H. Aaby, secretary George G. Rude, treasurer Halvor Egeberg. On the 26th day of October, 1924 the name was changed from The First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Brookings to The First Lutheran Church of Brookings, South Dakota. The Olds & Fishback Hall near the corner of Main Avenue and Fourth Street was the first place of worship for the new congregation. Later the services were held in the school at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Fourth Street. A small Norwegian Baptist Church was also used for services. S. F. Henry a member of the congregation donated a lot at the corner of Main Avenue and Seventh street for a church. The building was built at a cost of $2,500 and was dedicated in the fall of 1886. This church was replaced by a brick structure in 1908-09. This building was expanded in 1937 as the congregation grew. (This building was torn down in 1992). A new church was built at Main Avenue and Eighth Street in 1956. In 1890 the First Lutheran Congregation became affiliated with the United Norwegian Church of America with George Rude being the first delegate to the convention of the church body in June of that year. All worship services were in the Norwegian language until 1900. In December of 1900 it was decided to have Sunday evening worship service in English. Then in 1933 all services were in English. In 1917 three national churches - The Norwegian Synod, the Hauge Synod and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church merged and became the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America with the First Lutheran Church of Brookings being a member. In 1946 the name Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was changed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church