By Norma Dittman
Murray County News staff writer
Lutherans in Avoca, Minnesota have shared in one another’s milestones for 140 years. Cooperatively working together with their faith in God to bind them to each other, these people have seen many changes brought about by a shift away from organized religion, aging congregations, and a drop in church attendance.
Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Avoca, will hold the congregation’s final worship service on Sunday, August 5th, 2018. This Service of Celebration and Declaration of Leave-Taking will begin at 10:30 a.m. that morning.
The congregation’s decision to dissolve is based upon a full year of contemplation, discernment, and prayerful consideration which included two public/congregational discussions held on April 23rd and July 23rd, of 2017.
The Church Council members met in a regular meeting and voted, unanimously, to dissolve. A special meeting of the congregation was held on May 20, 2018, to discuss ‘the dissolution and to set the August 5th date for their final worship service.
“Once discussion became open and honest, all votes were unanimous to dissolve. Once we decided to talk about where our congregation was at, I think the majority were ready personally, privately and publically to make the decision,” Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church Council President, Marvin Isder stated.
“There is sadness because we are a family,” Karen Frisk added. “But we also know that this is what we need to do. There are a number of things that need to be documented and recorded, yet. There is so much history here.” Frisk is the church’s historian and archivist.
Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed when two congregations, Lime Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church (organized August 16, 1878, 1878 – 1962) and the St. Peter’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church (chartered June 17th, 1906, 1906 – 1962) merged together at an organizational meeting held on July 29th, 1962. Reverend Virgil Lundquist of Worthington presided over the meeting.
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