Does anyone want to buy a church?
By Carol Stender
cstender@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 04/01/2010 9:14 AM
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ROTHSAY, Minn. — The ad is pretty straight forward.
Church building for sale.
Its seller is the congregation that's currently using the building — New Life Lutheran Church in Rothsay. NLLC is the joined congregations of Hamar Lutheran Church and Our Saviors Lutheran Church.
NLLC hopes other congregations in need of a worship building will be among the interested parties. The structure, the former Our Savior's Lutheran Church building, can be sold with or without furnishings depending on whether it would be used as a church or a home. The 30-foot by 69-foot building was constructed in 1891 and has a sanctuary, chancel and balcony. A front entrance was added in 1976. The building, including the entrance, measures 2,598 square feet. It was shingled in 1991 and has steel siding.
Those are the particulars, but the story that brought the Our Savior's and Hamar congregations together is rich with the history of the people who came to Rothsay and who call it home.
Nine years before Rothsay even became a community, area residents formed Hamar Lutheran Church. In 1874 they built a log church and cemetery near what would become their hometown.
Our Savior's was formed in 1888 and the church building constructed at its cemetery site in 1891.
The Hamar congregation constructed it's current church in town in 1886 while the people of Our Savior's moved their building to its current location in 1926.
Only a street separated the two until they became one congregation in 2008.
There had been talk of the two churches joining for many years, say church leaders. Like many rural communities, the churches faced challenging questions: Are two ELCA churches needed in the community? Can the two share staff? How can they be more fiscally responsible?
The discussions to join became more serious in 2001, said NLLC member Bruce Brenden. A series of meetings took place and church leaders decided to move forward with a merger and to develop a timeline for the process.
"The churches followed the youth," said Pastor Paul Huso, who moved to Rothsay in 2006 and now is pastor for NLLC and Little Bethany churches. "The Luther League youth group and Sunday school classes from both churches were meeting together before the church's joined."
The church councils took a measured approach throughout the process, said NLLC member Roberta Ouse. They took the time necessary to work out all details and questions raised by the congregations.
In 2002, New Life Lutheran Parish was formed. It included Our Savior's and Hamar Lutheran Churches in Rothsay and Little Bethany located between Rothsay and Barnesville.The discussions became more focused in 2005. In 2007, Little Bethany chose to remain independent.
The discussions became more focused in 2005 and timeline committees were formed to discuss a tentative process to become on congregation. IN 2007, Little Bethany chose to remain independent and continue to share staff with NLLC.
"The process was emotional at times, but thorough it all the congregation moved forward," said congregational president Kevin Brenden.
On Jan. 6, 2008, Hamar and Our Savior's closed their churches and became the New Life Lutheran Church. It is part of a two-point parish with Little Bethany.
Their work to establish one church has been noted by the ELCA's Northwestern Minnesota Synod. The congregation said they would help any congregation discussing a similar union. Two Leonard, N.D., congregations accepted the offer. NLLC members discussed their approach to becoming one congregation with the Leonard churches and they followed suit.
"It was reaffirming that we helped someone else to do this," said Bruce Brenden.
Huso agreed.
"Often one congregation will blend into another," he said. "We knew we didn't want that to happen. We took a different track in forming a church. It was our decision to close the existing churches and form one new congregation. It would be everything coming together as one."
The new church location will be on the site where Hamar and the Olson-Grina Funeral home once stood. Preparations are already under way to clear the area. The Hamar building was moved to a farm northeast of Rothsay. The Olson-Grina Funeral Home was sold and moved to a location southeast of town. It will become a home for a young family.
Bids will be let this month, a contractor chosen by next month with construction to follow this spring. NLLC expects to move into the new church building around Easter 2011.
The new building will be furnished with some of the items that served the two former congregations.
"We are not just looking at maintaining and taking care of ourselves," Huso said. "We are a congregation trying to serve the larger community around us."
Bruce Brenden agrees.
"It has the potential for renewed opportunities for growth," he said.
As their building logo states, they are "Building on Faith for the Future."