Churches to celebrate 130 years of ministry

Celebration is this Sunday

Trinity and Storla Lutheran churches will be celebrating 130 years of ministry, together on Sunday, Nov. 4 with a joint worship at Storla at 10:30 a.m. followed by a potluck dinner. All members, former members, friends and neighbors are invited.
The combined celebration is appropriate because the history of the two churches has been intertwined from the beginning.
The two congregations began as a single congregation at a meeting on April 7, 1882. At that meeting a single congregation was formed and a cemetery was established. Several people were buried before any church building was built. When it was time to build the church the members were divided over the location. Some wanted it across from the cemetery, where Trinity is located. Others wanted it a mile north of where the present day Storla church sits. Four miles may seem to be a short distance, unworthy of a disagreement today. But those were the days of horses and wagons and walking, and if you lived on the far side of either location it was worth disagreeing.
In 1924 Storla congregation moved their church building one mile to the south into the village of Storla. Two weeks later a wind storm blew down many buildings in the area, including both church buildings.  At this time when there was neither an east nor a west church a motion was passed to build one church building, but the motion did not specify a location. A parsonage was built from the lumber of the destroyed Storla church, but when it came time to rebuild they built two churches three miles apart.
Trinity and Storla have shared pastors over the years, sometimes with each other and sometimes with the other congregations to the north (Woonsocket) or the south (Victor or Emmanuel.)
In 1944, Storla and Trinity joined to call Pastor O.M. Knudson. Since then Storla and Trinity have worked together in ministry in the community.  Today they share a Sunday School, a Board of Christian Education, Luther League and confirmation classes. They worship together on Sunday mornings, alternating between these two beloved old building.  In 1996, Salem Lutheran, Mt. Vernon, asked to join Storla and Trinity and to form a three-congregation parish.
Both congregations continue to have a strong heart for mission today. Both Storla and Trinity are recipients of the “Holy Cow Award” from the South Dakota Synod Hunger Task Force for their per-member giving to the World Hunger appeal. They have been diligent supporters of Lutheran Social Services, Lutherans Outdoors, the Lutheran Malaria Campaign and the food pantries in Aurora, Sanborn and Davison counties.
Trinity and Storla congregations invite everyone to join them in a day of celebration.

PHOTOS, FRONT: Storla Lutheran; ABOVE: Trinity Lutheran.

Comments are closed.

  • Weather

    Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed
  • Upcoming Events

    March 2024
    Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
    February 25, 2024 February 26, 2024 February 27, 2024 February 28, 2024 February 29, 2024 March 1, 2024 March 2, 2024
    March 3, 2024 March 4, 2024 March 5, 2024 March 6, 2024 March 7, 2024 March 8, 2024 March 9, 2024
    March 10, 2024 March 11, 2024 March 12, 2024 March 13, 2024 March 14, 2024 March 15, 2024 March 16, 2024
    March 17, 2024 March 18, 2024 March 19, 2024 March 20, 2024 March 21, 2024 March 22, 2024 March 23, 2024
    March 24, 2024 March 25, 2024 March 26, 2024 March 27, 2024 March 28, 2024 March 29, 2024 March 30, 2024
    March 31, 2024 April 1, 2024 April 2, 2024 April 3, 2024 April 4, 2024 April 5, 2024 April 6, 2024
  • Recent Posts

  • Contact Us

    Ph/Fax: 605.796.4221
    Email: swj4221@icloud.com

    PO BOX 218
    Woonsocket, SD 57385
  • Archives