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The history of North Prairie Lutheran Church is lacking in details since many of the early records were destroyed in a fire which burned the farm home of a member. From records of a charter member, Ole Bendickson, the names of charter members were as follows: Engebert A. Kvale, Tollef A. Kvale, Peter Roalson, Lars Torbjornson, Anders Rustad, Ole Langfald, Torger T. Bakke, Njeld Johanson, Ole Bendickson, and possibly others, who with their respective families, must have been charter members of the congregation.

Rev. T. A. Torgerson, who served several Norwegian congregations in the Lake Mills area, began work here in 1865, with the first worship service held in the North Prairie community in 1866. Under the leadership of Rev. Torgerson the congregation was organized in 1869. Rev. Torgerson served the congregation for about five years, being succeeded by Rev. J. M. Dahl in the fall of 1873. Rev. Dahl also served Winnebago Lutheran Church and other groups in this area. During the period immediately following organization of the congregation, some of the men who served their church in various capacities were: Ole Bendickson as sexton and teacher in Sunday School and parochial school; Ole B. Wangness, sexton; Ole Jorgenson and Ambros, teachers; Peder Hanson, sexton and Sunday School teacher; N. B. Thompson, sexton and instructor in song.

On April 12, 1877, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Langfald donated a plot of ground to the congregation for use as a cemetery, where many were buried before the North Prairie Church was built. The Center Lutheran Church was built on this piece of land in later years. Rev. Dahl served at North Prairie until 1881, and it was during this period that a Ladies’ Aid Society was organized in the South District. The first officers were Ole Bendickson, chairman and Mrs. Mare Kvale, treasurer. Mrs. Olav Bakke, Mrs. Thea Hjerpseth, and Mrs. Julia Rustad had the meetings in their homes on Sundays when there were no other worship services. The North District was organized a little later with Ole Bendickson as chairman, succeeded by Hans Sande and Ivar Rosheim. A West District was also organized with N. B. Thompson as chairman at these meetings. Rev. H. J. Strand succeeded Rev. Dahl in 1881 and served until 1883. Rev. E. G. A. Christenson served the congregation from 1883 to 1889. During this time the congregation became a more permanent organization by its incorporation on July 21, 1890.

A young pastor, C. N. Pederson, led the congregation until Rev. G. Smedal from Norway answered the call in the year 1890.

A second cemetery was acquired July 25, 1891, given by Mr. and Mrs. Mons J. Monson (Matvig). Their daughter, Cora Luella, passed away that same year and was the first burial in this plot. It was on this two-acre parcel of land that the North Prairie Church was built that year (1891). There are no historical details of the planning of the actual building of this church. It is known that the church was built by contractor Mons J. Monson (Matvig) and he was helped by members of the congregation. The Ladies Aid gave $300.00 towards the church construction and the young people gave the altar and the organ. According to an account of the actual building written up in the Centennial Issue of the Forest City Summit of 1967, the first day’s work on the building was blown to the ground during the night and construction began anew the next morning.

The main building was soon finished on the outside and used for services. With planks as pews and much of the other church furniture of like quality, the first confirmation service was held in the church September 6, 1891. Records show that one child was baptized at this service. He was John Bertin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jorgen Johnson. In 1898, the chancel, vestry, and balcony were built and the entire building completed. The new North Prairie Lutheran Church was dedicated that year. Records indicate that Smedal ended his ministry in 1894, and was succeeded by Rev. Rasmus Malmin.

From invoices, still in the possession of a member of the congregation, it is learned that a committee on behalf of the North Prairie Young People, made the following purchase: K. N. Knudsen, John J. Monson, and S. O. Solomonson, purchased a bell from Meneely & Co. on Dec. 14, 1898. The inscription on the bell reads as follows:

December 25, 1898
North Prairie Ungdonisforening.
“Jeg glader mig ved den som sige til mig,
vi ville gaa til Herrens hus.”

Translated this means “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go unto the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1.

The information we have is that various pastors also served West Prairie and Trinity congregations until about the turn of the century, when the parish was divided. Lake Mills and North Prairie formed a parish, with Rev. A. J. Lee as pastor. In 1907 Lake Mills formed a new parish with Lime Creek, and North Prairie joined Scarville to form another, with Rev. Lee as their pastor. The new parish built the present parsonage in Scarville, with Rev. Lee and his family being the first occupants. He continued to serve the parish until 1913 when Rev. Emil Hanson was called. At this time the church parlors were added to the church building. This project was sponsored by the young people of the congregation, then organized as the Young People’s Christian Association. Later, the young people provided the finds to purchase an electric lighting system.

The merger of 1917, which joined two major Lutheran Church bodies, the Hauge Synod and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church, with the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod to form the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, (later ELC) led to a division in the two congregations of the parish with Pastor Hanson leaving with the minority groups in 1918.

(Information and picture directly from 1999 book, Humble Beginnings:
Scarville, Iowa, Established 1899, pp. 10-12. Used by permission.)