Lake Campbell Lutheran Church

Both names the plaque gives the congregation carry the word Norwegian, and the church bodies above it spent the next century shedding it. In 1917 the Norwegian Synod, the Hauge Synod and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church merged as the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America; in 1946, as part of a wider Americanization, it dropped the national name to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church. That body joined Lutherans of German and Danish background in the American Lutheran Church in 1960, which in 1988 merged into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

What the plaque says

Lake Campbell Lutheran Church The Lake Campbell Lutheran Church was originally the Medary Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Brookings County, Dakota Territory. The congregation was organized June 13, 1870 at the John Thompson home in Sverdrup Township, Minnehaha County. The charter members of the congregation were: Mr. and Mrs. Nils O. Trygstad, Mr. and Mrs. Ole O. Jermstad, Mr. Cornelius N. Trygstad, Ole N. Trygstad, Thomas H. Thompson, Erik Andreas N. Trygstad, Michael N. Trygstad, Martin N. Trygstad, John H. Thompson, Elias H. Thompson, G. Gundersen Tvedt, Christopher H. Baltrud, Jens Amundsen Hage, Magne A. Nesthus, Caroline Trygstad, Jukom Olsen Sundet, and Halvor H. Egeberg. The first recorded meeting was held July 9, 1870 to extend a call to Rev. E. Christensen, who accepted the call and became the first pastor. In 1887 the southwest district decided to take the name Lake Campbell Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. The Lake Campbell Church was built in 1890. The land was donated by Johannes A. Berge. The group of early settlers, who made use of their freedom to worship God by organizing a congregation, also provided religious instruction for their children, by fulfilling Col. 3:23-24 "Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ." This plaque is given in memory of Mr. and Mrs Nils O. Trygstad and sons, and our honored pioneers who labored and sacrificed to establish a Christian congregation in the Lake Campbell community. Erected 1970

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Hagensick's Resort — 1.6 mi
• Medary First Townsite Dakota Territory — 4.9 mi
• First Convention in Brookings County — 4.9 mi
• Medary Townsite — 4.9 mi