Walk through History with Us
P O Box 927 202 Timmons Scobey, Montana 406-487-2652
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1911-2011
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Just 135 years after the birth of the United States of America, Scobey Lutheran Church, then known as Middle Fork Lutheran Church, was organized by four Lutheran families on August 6, 1911 with the help of Pastor S.J. Fretheim who was serving Plentywood Lutheran Parish as well as thirteen congregations west of Plentywood. They met in a small school house on the Middle Fork of the Poplar River. Services were conducted once a month alternately in Norwegian and English by Pastor Fretheim. The church council discontinued the Norwegian services in 1915. The Lutheran Ladies Aid was also organized on August 6, 1911.
After the arrival of the railroad, Scobey moved to its new location in 1913, and the congregation began holding services in Scobey. Middle Fork Lutheran Church became Scobey Lutheran and in the fall of 1914 a new church was completed. The official laying of the cornerstone and dedication of the church ceremony was held on Friday, August 20, 1915.
Four people were confirmed in the first confirmation and communion class on April 6, 1913. The Scobey Lutheran Altar Guild originated in October 1914. The first vacation Bible School was held the summer of 1916. Scobey Lutheran’s first resident pastor was L. P. Kjer installed on August 4, 1918.
The first parsonage was purchased at the location of 201 6th Avenue East in 1923. The Lutheran Choir was organized in 1923 when Rev. Tjomsland became our pastor. The youth program was expanded to include the Young People’s Society (Luther League) Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and a youth choir.
In 1925, the church bell was purchased by the aid for $526.00. June 28, 1925 marked the official dedication of Scobey Lutheran Church with Pastor C. G. Simonson our resident pastor. The first L.D.R. (Lutheran Daughter’s of the Reformation) was organized by the pastor’s wife, Gladys Simonson.
From 1931 to 1936 the Ladies Aid paid the pastor’s salary of $50.00 every other month through these depression years. Women were given the right to vote in Scobey Lutheran on January 23, 1933 and hold office. The Lutheran Brotherhood was organized in 1933.
On August 9, 1936 Scobey Lutheran celebrated their 25th Anniversary. Our pastor was Melvin E. Ranheim.
In 1948 the church basement was remodeled and a ten burner gas stove and a hot water heater installed in the basement kitchen. This was really appreciated when the annual lutefisk dinner was held as a fund raiser. The guild room was enlarged. These renovations were proposed by our Pastor Virgil T. Foss.
We had our first intern pastor, Arlin Anfinrud, in 1951. The church’s 50 foot two-story annex was built in 1952. This addition provided office space for the pastor, a conference room and seven Sunday School rooms. A front addition was also built. These additions were dedicated and a rededication of the church was held on June 15, 1952. An ordination service for Leslie Vanderpan was held in the afternoon.
In 1953 the parish was split with Pleasant Prairie, Zion Lutheran Church and Flaxville Lutheran Church forming another parish. Peerless was accepted as part of the Scobey parish. Pastor I.C. Gronneberg arrived in 1953 and church services were recorded and taken to the shut-ins, elderly and sick members. Our first parish worker was Carol Esterby who served from 1955 to 1957. Upon her departure Gladys Larson served from 1957 to 1958.
Lutefisk dinner was discontinued in 1959. A new parsonage was built in 1959. On January 1, 1961 the Scobey Lutheran Church which was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) officially became a member of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) after a merger which combined the ALC, the ELC and the United Evangelical Lutheran churches.
In July 8 & 9, 1961 Scobey Lutheran celebrated its 50th Anniversary. We had a baptized membership of 1,156 and a confirmed membership of 681. A banquet was served, open house held in the parsonage, an alumni choir concert was enjoyed and the opening of the cornerstone.
A balcony choir loft was built in the back of the church the fall of 1962. The old parsonage was sold January 1965. In February 1965 the property between the church and the parsonage was purchased. In October 1968 a contract was signed for the building of the Education Building. This building was completed in 1970 and an open house held on June 14th.
In 1973 we began using KCGM to spread the Word of God with fifteen minute sermons every morning and five area parishes participating. This was the first year that women were seated on the church council.
In 1976 Pastor Keen came to serve and introduced children’s sermons and the bringing of small children up to communion to be blessed. The 5th and 6th graders were trained to be Acolytes.
James A. Darchuk, a member of our parish and the son of Katherine Darchuk, was ordained into the ministry on July 8, 1979. Rev. Stanley Knudson was the presiding minister. Miriam M. Knudson, a former member and the daughter of former Pastor Stanley Knudson, was ordained into the ministry on August 19, 1984. In October 1983 the 500th birthday of Martin Luther was celebrated in conjunction with a conference convention in Plentywood. The lutefisk dinner once more became an annual event as revived by the men of the church in 1984.
In 1986 with another merger within the Lutheran Churches we are associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). We celebrated our 75th Anniversary in July. The kitchen was remodeled in the Education building and the old gas stove brought from the church basement. A commercial refrigerator and two wall ovens were installed.
On August 27, 1989 Mark Reiner, son of Jack and Carmen Reiner, was ordained into the ministry at Scobey Lutheran. Mark was a confirmed member of Scobey Lutheran and Rev. Lorin Sanden was our pastor.
Blake Norby was a youth director from August 1992 to 1994. The intern program was revived again in 1994 with the arrival of Lori Carlson.
Patty Murphy Callaghan was ordained into the ministry at Scobey Lutheran on March 12, 2000 with Pastor Paul Landeraaen presiding. Patty was a former member of Scobey Lutheran and a daughter of Chet and Edna Murphy.
Pastor Paul Landeraaen is presently serving Scobey Lutheran. Pastor Paul, his wife Val, and daughters Morgan and Hannah have been with us since August 17, 1997.
Four people were confirmed in the first confirmation and communion class on April 6, 1913. The Scobey Lutheran Altar Guild originated in October 1914. The first vacation Bible School was held the summer of 1916. Scobey Lutheran’s first resident pastor was L. P. Kjer installed on August 4, 1918.
The first parsonage was purchased at the location of 201 6th Avenue East in 1923. The Lutheran Choir was organized in 1923 when Rev. Tjomsland became our pastor. The youth program was expanded to include the Young People’s Society (Luther League) Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and a youth choir.
In 1925, the church bell was purchased by the aid for $526.00. June 28, 1925 marked the official dedication of Scobey Lutheran Church with Pastor C. G. Simonson our resident pastor. The first L.D.R. (Lutheran Daughter’s of the Reformation) was organized by the pastor’s wife, Gladys Simonson.
From 1931 to 1936 the Ladies Aid paid the pastor’s salary of $50.00 every other month through these depression years. Women were given the right to vote in Scobey Lutheran on January 23, 1933 and hold office. The Lutheran Brotherhood was organized in 1933.
On August 9, 1936 Scobey Lutheran celebrated their 25th Anniversary. Our pastor was Melvin E. Ranheim.
In 1948 the church basement was remodeled and a ten burner gas stove and a hot water heater installed in the basement kitchen. This was really appreciated when the annual lutefisk dinner was held as a fund raiser. The guild room was enlarged. These renovations were proposed by our Pastor Virgil T. Foss.
We had our first intern pastor, Arlin Anfinrud, in 1951. The church’s 50 foot two-story annex was built in 1952. This addition provided office space for the pastor, a conference room and seven Sunday School rooms. A front addition was also built. These additions were dedicated and a rededication of the church was held on June 15, 1952. An ordination service for Leslie Vanderpan was held in the afternoon.
In 1953 the parish was split with Pleasant Prairie, Zion Lutheran Church and Flaxville Lutheran Church forming another parish. Peerless was accepted as part of the Scobey parish. Pastor I.C. Gronneberg arrived in 1953 and church services were recorded and taken to the shut-ins, elderly and sick members. Our first parish worker was Carol Esterby who served from 1955 to 1957. Upon her departure Gladys Larson served from 1957 to 1958.
Lutefisk dinner was discontinued in 1959. A new parsonage was built in 1959. On January 1, 1961 the Scobey Lutheran Church which was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) officially became a member of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) after a merger which combined the ALC, the ELC and the United Evangelical Lutheran churches.
In July 8 & 9, 1961 Scobey Lutheran celebrated its 50th Anniversary. We had a baptized membership of 1,156 and a confirmed membership of 681. A banquet was served, open house held in the parsonage, an alumni choir concert was enjoyed and the opening of the cornerstone.
A balcony choir loft was built in the back of the church the fall of 1962. The old parsonage was sold January 1965. In February 1965 the property between the church and the parsonage was purchased. In October 1968 a contract was signed for the building of the Education Building. This building was completed in 1970 and an open house held on June 14th.
In 1973 we began using KCGM to spread the Word of God with fifteen minute sermons every morning and five area parishes participating. This was the first year that women were seated on the church council.
In 1976 Pastor Keen came to serve and introduced children’s sermons and the bringing of small children up to communion to be blessed. The 5th and 6th graders were trained to be Acolytes.
James A. Darchuk, a member of our parish and the son of Katherine Darchuk, was ordained into the ministry on July 8, 1979. Rev. Stanley Knudson was the presiding minister. Miriam M. Knudson, a former member and the daughter of former Pastor Stanley Knudson, was ordained into the ministry on August 19, 1984. In October 1983 the 500th birthday of Martin Luther was celebrated in conjunction with a conference convention in Plentywood. The lutefisk dinner once more became an annual event as revived by the men of the church in 1984.
In 1986 with another merger within the Lutheran Churches we are associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). We celebrated our 75th Anniversary in July. The kitchen was remodeled in the Education building and the old gas stove brought from the church basement. A commercial refrigerator and two wall ovens were installed.
On August 27, 1989 Mark Reiner, son of Jack and Carmen Reiner, was ordained into the ministry at Scobey Lutheran. Mark was a confirmed member of Scobey Lutheran and Rev. Lorin Sanden was our pastor.
Blake Norby was a youth director from August 1992 to 1994. The intern program was revived again in 1994 with the arrival of Lori Carlson.
Patty Murphy Callaghan was ordained into the ministry at Scobey Lutheran on March 12, 2000 with Pastor Paul Landeraaen presiding. Patty was a former member of Scobey Lutheran and a daughter of Chet and Edna Murphy.
Pastor Paul Landeraaen is presently serving Scobey Lutheran. Pastor Paul, his wife Val, and daughters Morgan and Hannah have been with us since August 17, 1997.