Minnesota Conference facts for kids
The Lutheran Minnesota Conference was an important group of churches in the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church. This church group was started by Swedish immigrants in the 1800s. It first covered a very large area, including all of Minnesota. It also included parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Canada, and Wisconsin.
Over time, the conference became smaller. In 1912, some areas like Fargo and the Red River Districts formed their own group. Then, in 1913, the Canada areas also became their own conference. Later, in 1962, when the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) was created, the Minnesota Conference changed its name to the Minnesota Synod.
The first meeting of the Minnesota Conference happened from October 7 to 9, 1858. It was held at Chisago Lake. Important people like Rev. Peter Carlson, Rev. Eric Norelius, and others helped organize it. By the end of 1961, the Minnesota Conference was very large. It had the most members of any group in the Augustana Synod. There were 182,374 members and 300 churches!
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How the Conference Started
The Minnesota Conference was founded by Swedish immigrants. They came to America in the 1800s. They wanted to create a church group that kept their traditions. This group helped Swedish families connect and practice their faith. The first meeting was a big step for them.
Growing and Changing
When the conference first started, it covered a huge amount of land. But as more people moved to different areas, new church groups were formed. This is why the conference became smaller. It allowed the churches in those new areas to have their own local leaders. This helped the church grow even more.
Important Schools It Started
The Minnesota Conference believed in education. In 1862, they started an elementary school in Red Wing. This school later moved and changed its name to St. Ansgar’s Academy. In 1876, it moved again to Saint Peter. It then became a college known as Gustavus Adolphus College.
The conference also helped start other schools. These included Minnesota College in 1904 and the Lutheran Bible Institute in 1919. Some schools, like North Star College and Northwestern College, later joined the Red River Conference.
Leaders of the Conference
The conference had many leaders over the years. These leaders were called presidents. They helped guide the churches and make important decisions. Here are some of the people who served as presidents:
- 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
- 1871-73 - 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
- 1881-82 - Peter Sjöblom
- 1883-86 - Johannes Fremling
- 1887 - Per Johan Swärd
- 1888-92 - Peter Sjöblom
- 1893-96 - Eric Norelius
- 1900 - Peter Sjöblom
- 1901-04 - Johannes Fremling
- 1905-12 - Johan Ander Krantz
- 1913-38 - Peter A. Mattson
- 1939 - Peter A. Mattson, Emil Swenson
- 1940-54 - Emil Swenson
- 1955 - Emil Swenson, Leonard A. Kendall
- 1956-62 - Leonard A. Kendall
