Scarville Lutheran Church: Fiftieth Anniversary

The Program for the Day
9:30 a.m., Festival Worship (Norwegian)
10:30 a.m., Festival Worship (English)
12:00 noon, Dinner and Social Hour
2:30 p.m., Anniversary Program

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” – Psalm 34:3

Praeludium – Mrs. Edwin Gran, Organist
Indgangsbøn – Pastor Theodore A. Aaberg
Salme, No. 5 – “Søde Jesus, vi er her”
Kollekt – 4. søndag efter Trinitatis
Evangelium – Luk. 6:36-42
Troesbekjendelse
Salme, No. 3 – “Alenest Gud i himmerig”
Praediken – The Rev. Paul Ylvisaker (Hartland, Minnesota) –
“ ...Vi...i Kristus...Guds Retfaerdighed” – 2 Cor. 5, 21.
Salme, No. 312, V. 1-3; 8-10 – “Min største hjertens glaede”
Kollekt for ordet
Velsignelsen
Salme, No. 211 – “Skriv dig, Jesus, paa mit hjerte”
Slutningsbøn
Postludium

Prelude – Mrs. Edwin Gran, Organist
Opening Prayer – Pastor Theodore A. Aaberg
Hymn, No. 11 – “Ye Lands to the Lord” (4 verses)
Altar Service – The Confession of Sin, the Kyrie, the Absolution; The Gloria; The Collect; The Epistle
Hymn – “O, That I Had a Thousand Voices” (The Children)
Altar Service – The Gospel; The Confession of Faith
Hymn, No. 5 – “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” (5 verses)
The Sermon – The Rev. Joseph N. Petersen (Mankato, Minnesota) – “God’s Everlasting Love and Gracious Care for His People.” – Deut. 32:7-12.
Hymn, No. 10 – “I Praise Thee, O My God and Father” (5 verses)
The Offering – For new ELS mission in Lima, Peru.
The Choir – “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” (Mrs. Conrad Faugstad, Director)
The Collect for the Word. The Benediction.
Hymn, No. 31 – “Now Thank We All Our God” (3 verses)
Closing Prayer
Postlude

Prelude – Mrs. Edwin Gran, Organist
Hymn, No. 443 – “O Would, My God, that I Could Praise Thee” (Congregation – 6 verses)
Scripture Reading
The Choir – “I Will Extol Thee” (Mrs. Conrad Faugstad, Dir.)
Address – The Rev. Nils Oesleby (Eau Claire, Wisconsin) – “Where to Stand When You Worship God,” – Jn. 4:19-26.
Hymn, No. 339 – “Thou Art the Way: to Thee Alone” (Congregation – 4 verses)
The Offering
Greetings
Hymn – “Around the Throne...” (The Children)
Prayer and the Benediction
Hymn, No. 137 – “God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage”
Announcements
Postlude

A hearty welcome to our visitors, one and all! We bid you welcome in Jesus’ name. Thank you for sharing the joy of the day with us.

The congregation invites you to be its guest for dinner at noon, and at coffee following the afternoon program.

Scarville 50th invitation

A sincere thank you to the speakers of the day for expounding God’s Word in our midst; to Pastors Paul Ylvisaker, Joseph N. Petersen, and Nils C. Oesleby. Thank you to all the others who also participated in the day’s events.

All guest and members of the congregation, including the little ones, are asked to sign the guest register in the entry.

A picture and book display has been arranged in the church basement. You are invited to view this.

A brief history of the congregation has been printed. You are invited to take a copy with you. If you have not received one, please ask an usher for a copy.

The Synod’s 50th anniversary volume, “A City Set on a Hill,” will be available in several weeks. The price is $5.95. If ordered through the congregation it may be purchased for $5.00. You may place your order at the table in the entry, and pay on delivery.

While the entire congregation has been active in planning and working for this anniversary, we do want to acknowledge the work of several committees who have spearheaded the celebration; they are: Remodeling, Harry S. Olson, Donovan Hauge, Nels D. Faugstad, Clarence Dale; Arrangements, Selmer Andersland, Norman Faugstad, Helmer Wermedal, Milford Brudvig; History, Conrad Faugstad, John Faugstad, John Knutson, Merle Albertson. Ladies Aid, Mrs. Nels D. Faugstad, Mrs. Harry S. Olson, Mrs. Helmer Wermedal, Mrs. Donovan Hauge, Mrs. Agnus Songstad.

Special anniversary projects: Five-year participation in ELS Thankoffering, with $11,000. contributed to date; property improvements, 1967, hot water heating system, remodeling of kitchen, redecorating of church basement; 1968, new windows in sanctuary, designed by architect Adrian Hestness, installed by Invold Leverson and Glenn Bergo, painting and varnishing by Tony Knutson; aisle carpeting by Ladies Aid; sidewalks by LYS under direction of Bert A. Songstad. Total cost of improvements, about $10,000.

Of the several organizations in the congregation, the Ladies Aid ranks as the oldest and, undoubtedly, the most significant. An old book which turned up in the belongings of Mrs. Knute Holstad in Center congregation, records the following interesting information about the beginning of the Ladies Aid in 1918: “The Ladies belonging to the minority of Scarville and North Prairie, met at the parsonage July 10, 1918. They decided to organize again, and continue the work as before. They decided to meet on Sunday afternoons for awhile at least. The following officers were elected. Pres. Mrs. Ole Albertson. V. Pres. Bolette Nerness. Sec. Mrs. Knute Holstad. Treas. Mrs. Lyon Storby. The proceeds of this meeting were $10.60 half of which goes to the Scarville Aid.”

One of the finest contributions the Ladies Aid has made to the congregation over the years has been the serving of a dinner after a Sunday service once each month. This has given the members of the congregation an opportunity to keep in touch with one another and has helped to unify the group. The origin of the custom, which is still continued, came about quite by necessity in that the ladies were few in number and hardly any of them drove automobiles.

The Dorcas Society, which began early in the 1950’s, and meets the third Friday of each month, corresponds more closely to the Ladies Aid organizations of most congregations. By continuing the Sunday dinners as well, the ladies garner a considerable amount of cash each year, and have been able to contribute generously to projects both in the congregation and in the Synod.

The Young People’s Society, now called the Lutheran Youth Society (LYS), has been active throughout the congregation’s history. For many years its monthly meetings were held on a Sunday evening when there was no morning service in the congregation, and the programs were planned for the entire congregation. There was often an outside speaker at these meetings. For some years now the young people have been meeting by themselves, although they still host several events for the congregation, such as the New Year’s Eve oyster stew, and the summertime ice cream social. The young people have purchased several items for the church such as the fireplace, lectern, and rose bushes. They have also installed the sidewalks outside the church. The society takes part in both the circuit and synod-wide LYA groups.

There are two educational organizations in the congregation, the School Friends Society and the Bethany Auxiliary. The School Friends Society meets five times during the school year and seeks to promote the welfare of the Day School. In the past ten years they have purchased such items as encyclopedias, book cases, library books, phonograph, humidifier, and floor cleaning machine. The children of the school have presented some excellent programs at these meetings. The Bethany Auxiliary consists of ladies from the congregation who join hands with groups in other North Iowa congregations of the Synod to promote the cause of Bethany College. The school receives a very substantial sum of money each spring and fall.

It should be said that in the congregation the various organizations have always been subsidiary to the congregation itself, and that the use of the Means of Grace has been primary with the members. This has been reflected in their regular hearing of the Word of God and their faithful use of the Sacraments.

("Church Organizations" written by the Rev. Theodore A. Aaberg in 1968 for Scarville's 50th anniversary)

"The pastor reported for the Anniversary Planning Committee. At a meeting together with the Center committee, the goal of the 50th Anniversary was set as: Praise and thanks to God with renewed appreciation of the Gospel. All special activities for the 50th Anniversary are for the worship and praise of God; honor to those who have labored and gone on before; and promotion and extension of the congregation's present day interests."