DAKOTA
CONFERENCE NEWS
Minot Church Celebrates Centennial Photos: Courtesy Dakota Conference
Members and guests of the Minot Church gather to honor its founders 100 years to the day after the church was organized.
Pastor Robert and Elizabeth Carlson
Pastor Allen Myers
T
he Minot Church of Minot, North Dakota celebrated its centennial anniversary on Sept. 19—100 years to the day since its opening. The theme of the Minot Centennial celebration was Almost Home. Former pastor Allen Myers used the theme as the title of his sermon. Noon and evening meals were provided, as well as children’s programs and an afternoon sacred musical concert. Since North Dakota has the greatest per capita influx of immigrants in the United States, songs were sung in several languages. Pastor Robert Carlson, with his centennial committees, arranged for a large white tent to be set up behind the church for meals and fellowship. KXMC television was on hand to record the centennial celebration. Visitors and former members enjoyed touring the heritage room, where memorabilia showed how God had led throughout the years.
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$5, all of which was of deep Then in December 1989, concern.” “when wind chills reached 78 A teacher was hired for $45 degrees below zero, the new per month and they moved year brought excessively warm forward in faith. “Then came and dry conditions to the Minot Highlights from history 1929, the year of the crash… area. The senior members of the Martineus Ruskjer came to It was voted that the church church recalled, with foreboding, Minot around 1913 as a Bible women, who outnumbered the the depression of the 1930s. instructor and colporteur. men, raise money to help pay the Nevertheless, the Minot SeventhIn 1914 Pastor E. L. Stewart tax bill by sewing, selling whole day Adventist Church had much followed with a tent meeting and wheat bread, or by selling books. to be thankful for…and they officially organized the church It was later decided to defer share their joy with you.” into a tent tabernacle on Sept. 19, payment on the taxes and use Articles by Jacquie Biloff, 1915, with 17 charter members. the money to repair the leaking In November the church made a roof.” Because of the depression, communication director for the Dakota Conference. down payment of $300 on a lot it took 10 years to pay off the for their tent. $1,300 mortgage. Excerpts from the 75th anniversary brochure read, “Since the new church was close to the Mouse River, baptisms took place by walking a short distance to nature’s baptismal font, and the candidates went down into the water like our Saviour did so many years ago.” They had an “overwhelming task of providing not only a church plant, but also a church school. This seemed a financial impossibility but was deemed a dire necessity for the children involved. By November of 1916 The Minot Church was organized as a tent they had a church indebtedness tabernacle on Sept. 19, 1915 with of $1,300, a coal bill of $35.68, 17 charter members. taxes of $48, and a light bill of
DECEMBER 2015