Covenant News

Minnesota Church Celebrates 100th Anniversary

VIRGINIA, MN (July 7, 2003) - First Covenant Church will continue celebrating 100 years of ministry with a centennial picnic at Kelava Island at 11 a.m. on July 13. The picnic is one of a continuing series of anniversary events.

On September 7, former pastor Gerald Stenberg will preach at the church's Founder's Day worship service, exactly 100 years to the day of the church's founding. First Covenant will also host a banquet on September 27 at the Park Inn Hotel in Virginia, with a special Sunday morning worship service and dinner at the church the following day.

On Sunday, November 2, the church will host a 4 p.m. centennial organ concert, "Hymns of Our Covenant Heritage," with guest organist Tim Rosengren. A dinner follows the concert. A centennial cookbook and a special newsletter documenting memories by present and past members will be compiled during the year.

First Covenant's initial meeting was held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Oie on September 7, 1903. Two pastors, Josef Mattson and J.J. Daniels, were at the initial meeting. Mattson was the first pastor, Andrew Oie was the first church chairperson, one of eight charter members of the congregation.

After meeting in homes for a year, the congregation received permission to use the building of a local United Methodist church. First Covenant's initial building was constructed in 1907, when it was known as The Scandinavian Evangelical Church of Virginia.

An evangelistic campaign in 1917 led to a growth spurt at the church and the congregation decided to build a new facility on the site where the old building stood. It was dedicated on December 8, 1940. A building expansion project was completed in the late 1960s.

First Covenant Church is located about 60 miles north of Duluth in a town of 9,000. The church currently has an average worship attendance of about 70 under pastor Roger Johnson.

For more information about the 100th anniversary events, call the church at 218-741-7117. The church's web page, www.VirginiaFirstCov.org, has monthly updates under the "Centennial" link.

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