LCA Collection 022. Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church. Records of the Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1871-2009: Overview

Portions of this collection have been digitized and are available online through our digital collections.

To learn more about this collection please see the finding aid link found above, and/or visit the College and Lutheran Church Archives to use these primary sources.

Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Records of the Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1871-2009.  LCA Collection 22.  4 Records Center Cartons, ½ Hollinger box, and 1 flat box.

ABSTRACT:
The Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church collection consists of the church’s records from its founding in 1871 through the church’s closing in 2009.  Materials include annual reports, minutes, membership and confirmation lists, financial ledgers, guest books, and event programs along with other less substantial papers.  Originally, the church served a Swedish-American population, and as a result, some of the records from the 1800s and early 1900s are in Swedish.  Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church was located near the rural town of Butterfield, Minnesota.

The Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church was officially formed on Saturday, 2 December 1871 when the Augustana Synod’s proposed constitution for congregations was adopted.  Congregation members were Swedish-Americans who had started meeting on 11 February 1871 at the home of Hendrick Hendrickson and decided that the community was in need of both a school and a church.  

The congregation suffered sometimes from hardships, including a fire that burned down the church in 1904.  However, members persevered, rebuilt their church, and remained together into the early 21^st century.  After 138 years of service, congregants, due to the “changing face of the rural community,” made the decision to cease operation during 2009. 

*Information obtained from the collection and Matt McCarbe, “Kansas Lake’s 138 Years of Worship Comes to a Close,” St. James Plaindealer, 24 June 2009, accessed 11 November 2011, http://www.stjamesnews.com/news/x135724541/Kansas-Lake-s-138-years-of-worship-comes-to-a-close.

• Administrative, 1871-2009:
  This series shows activities and actions of the church’s administration.  Materials include reports, minutes, and records of the library.
• Events, 1936-2009:
  Materials in this section are diverse but pertain to church events.  Included are bulletins for special events and programs.
• Financial, 1871-2009:  
  Records in the financial portion of this collection consist of budgets, offering/donation records, treasurer ledger books, and financial receipts.
• Groups and Church Bodies, 1892-2009:
  Papers of many organizations active within Kansas Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church are included.  These include the Junior Missionary Society, Luther League, Willing Workers, Christeens, Ladies Aid, Dorcas Society, Lutheran Church Women, Family Night, and Sunday School.  In addition, this collection contains many of the groups’ dues books.  There is also a combined scrapbook for the Dorcas Society, Ladies Aid, and Lutheran Church Women which also contains photographs.
• Histories, 2009: 
  This collection contains a compiled history of the church with excerpts from Reverend David Davoux, Cora V. Eckstrom, and Peggy Romsdahl.  In addition, there are stories and reflections of current and past members of the church.  Also, there is material concerned with the closing of the church.
• Membership, 1908-2008:
  Major materials include church yearbooks, confirmation records, and congregation photos.
• Miscellaneous, 1961-2009: 
  This series contains guest books as well as church correspondences.