Minnesota Conference facts for kids
The Lutheran Minnesota Conference was an important group within the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Synod. It was one of 13 such groups. This conference was started by Swedish immigrants in the 1800s. It first covered a very large area. This included Minnesota, parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Canada, and Wisconsin.
Over time, the conference became smaller. In 1912, some areas like Alexandria and Fargo formed the Red River Valley Conference. Then, in 1913, the Alberta District and Canada Mission field became the Canada Conference. Later, in 1962, the Minnesota Conference changed its name. It became the Minnesota Synod when the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) was created.
Early Days and Growth
The first meeting of the Minnesota Conference happened in October 1858. It was held at Chisago Lake. Key organizers included pastors like Peter Carlson and Eric Norelius. Several other pastors and church members were also there. By the end of 1961, the Minnesota Conference was very large. It had the most members of any conference in the Augustana Synod. There were 182,374 baptized members and 300 churches.
Supporting Education
The Minnesota Conference also helped start schools. In 1862, they founded Minnesota Elementary School in Red Wing. This school later moved and changed its name. In 1865, it became St. Ansgar’s Academy. Then, in 1876, it moved to Saint Peter. There, it was officially recognized as Gustavus Adolphus College.
The conference supported other schools too. Minnesota College was founded in 1904. The Lutheran Bible Institute started in 1919. North Star College and Northwestern College were also part of their efforts. These last two colleges later joined the Red River Conference.
Conference Districts
The Minnesota Conference was divided into many smaller areas called districts. Each district helped organize the churches in its region. These districts included:
- Apple River District
- Big Stone District
- Chisago District
- Cokato District
- Goodhue District
- Iron Range District
- Lake Superior District
- Mille Lac District
- Minneapolis District
- Montevideo District
- St. Croix District
- St. James District
- St. Paul District
- St. Peter District
- Sioux Falls District
- Willmar District
Conference Leaders
Many different people served as the president of the Minnesota Conference over the years. These leaders helped guide the conference and its churches. Here are some of the people who held this important role:
- 1858: Johan Peter Carlson Boren
- 1859: Peter Anderson Cederstam, Peter Carlson, Johan Peter Carlson Boren
- 1860: Peter Anderson Cederstam, Eric Norelius
- 1861: Johan Peter Carlson Boren, L. H. Noren, Eric Norelius
- 1862: Peter Anderson Cederstam, Andrew Jackson
- 1863: Carl August Hedengran, Johan Peter Carlson Boren, Peter Carlson
- 1864: Eric Norelius, John Pehrson, Andrew Jackson
- 1865: N. Olson, Eric Norelius, Peter Carlson
- 1866: Andrew Jackson, Carl August Hedengran, John Pehrson
- 1867: Eric Norelius, Peter Carlson, Peter Anderson Cederstam
- 1868: John Pehrson, Andrew Jackson, Peter Carlson
- 1869: Andrew Jackson, Ole Paulson, Peter Carlson
- 1870: Peter Sjöblom, Eric Norelius
- 1871–1873: Eric Norelius
- 1874: Peter Sjöblom
- 1875: Jonas Auslund
- 1876: Peter Sjöblom
- 1877: Jonas Ausland, Peter Anderson Cederstam
- 1878: Peter Sjöblom
- 1879: Eric Norelius
- 1880: Andrew Jackson
- 1881–1882: Peter Sjöblom
- 1883–1886: Johannes Fremling
- 1887: Per Johan Swärd
- 1888–1892: Peter Sjöblom
- 1893–1896: Eric Norelius
- 1897–1899: Johannes Fremling
- 1900: Peter Sjöblom
- 1901–1904: Johannes Fremling
- 1905–1912: Johan Ander Krantz
- 1913–1938: Peter A. Mattson
- 1939: Peter A. Mattson, Emil Swenson
- 1940–1954: Emil Swenson
- 1955: Emil Swenson, Leonard A. Kendall
- 1956–1962: Leonard A. Kendall
