History - A brief history of First Lutheran Church
Worship services of First Lutheran congregation began in 1872, seven years before the church was organized. From 1872 to 1879 Pastor C.J. Scheleen, a Topeka pastor, conducted one service a month for the Swedish immigrants who had settled in Manhattan.
The first meetings were held in a schoolhouse at the west edge of Manhattan. Later the group met in homes of parishioners or in the County Courthouse.
On November 30, 1879, a group of these worshippers organized the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. Seventeen adults signed the charter.
The first church was built in 1885 on the corner of Eighth and Poyntz at a cost of $1,053. Pastor Scheleen served the congregation until the end of May, 1914.
Pastor Victor Holmstedt, Bethany College Professor Linus Bonander and various pre-seminary students from Bethany conducted services for the congregation until July of 1927, when the new and recently ordained pastor, Armour Edberg, began his 10 1/2-year ministry at First Lutheran. In the fall of 1930 a new sanctuary at the corner of 10th and Poyntz was dedicated.
During Pastor Edberg's ministry in Manhattan he married Helen Axelton, a member of the congregation, in July 1937. He accepted a call to Crooks, South Dakota, in January, 1938. The congregation then faced a year and a half with no pastor and concomitant declining interest in the church and its work.
The Rev. Phillip Ekblad then accepted a call to First Lutheran and began his duties in June, 1939. During his ministry he restored confidence in the church. Attendance increased and the financial situation became more stable. Pastor Ekblad resigned in 1948.
A new congregational constitution was ratified in 1940. In 1948 a building fund was established, and a new pastor, Martin Ringstrom, arrived in February, 1949. He served until 1954.
Pastor Paul D. Olson accepted a call in February, 1956, and served First Lutheran for more than 17 years. The rapid growth in membership and attendance necessitated expansion of church facilities. An expansion committee was appointed in 1956. After six years of studies and plans, construction of the new church began in 1963. The building at Tenth and Poyntz, was dedicated May 24, 1964. The facilities were made handicapped accessible in 1986 with the addition of an elevator to the church and the construction of a hallway connecting the church and the parish hall.
Augustana Synod, of which First Lutheran was a member, voted in 1960 to become part of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA). Membership in LCA numbered more than 3 million when it came into existence January 1, 1963.
Pastor Paul Olson resigned in June, 1972 to accept a call to Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Pastor John Benson was called, and began his ministry in March, 1973. Mrs. Ruth Karst accepted a half-time position as parish worker in the areas of Christian education, youth work, evangelism and fellowship.
Pastor Benson resigned effective February 1, 1977. A call was extended to Pastor Milton Olson in April, 1977. He accepted and was installed as the eighth pastor of First Lutheran August 14, 1977.
At the 1978 annual meeting the congregation accepted the recommendation of the church council to call an additional pastor. Pastor Thomas Schaeffer was called, and arrived in Manhattan in mid-July, 1978. Pastor Milton Olson and Pastor Tom Schaeffer served together until 1982 when Pastor Tom was called to a church in Topeka. James Marten served briefly as an assistant to Pastor Milt in 1982-83. The congregation called Pastor Keith Wiens, who had served the Garfield/St. John parish in central Kansas for seven years. He came to First Lutheran in March, 1983. In 1985, Pastor Keith was assigned administrative responsibilities and Pastor Milt focused on outreach and visitation. In 1987, Pastor Milt accepted a position with the synod, helping congregations with evangelism and stewardship. Pastor Dave Beese accepted a call to join the staff in August, 1988. He had served Holy Shepherd parish in Haven, Kansas, for six years prior to coming to First Lutheran. In 2005, Pastor Dave moved to Marquette, Kansas, to serve Elim Lutheran Church.
The shape of the national church changed in 1988 with the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Merging to form this new church were the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (ALC), and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). The new church was comprised of 11,000 congregations and 5.3 million members. The formation of the ELCA united approximately two-thirds of Lutherans in the United States, and the ELCA became the fourth largest Protestant denomination in North America.
As the decade of the 1980's came to a close the congregation began to discuss the need to upgrade and expand First Lutheran's physical plant. There were spirited discussions about what the congregation needed for facilities as well as the congregation's financial capacity to carry them out. Two capital fund drives were held and plans to renovate and expand the facilities were approved. The construction was completed in 1998.
This construction project provides the congregation with a chapel, seven classrooms, an office complex, nursery, music room, library, a parlor and several gathering areas, food pantry, and youth center.
The Nordstrom Outdoor Ministry Area was dedicated in June, 2004. Located just to the east of the worship center and office complex, the area offers space for outdoor activities such as worship, concerts, games and recreation, prayer and contemplation.
Throughout its history, the congregation has been centered in the good news of God's love and mercy through Jesus Christ. From the time when Swedish immigrants came to post-Civil War Kansas and founded First Evangelical Lutheran Church to the present day, the congregation has been responding to the amazing grace of God. Many changes have occurred in these years. People have come and gone. Buildings have changed. Programs and ministries have also changed through the years. The shape of society today is vastly different than in 1879. What has remained constant has been the focus on what God is doing through Jesus Christ. From the late 19th century, through the 20th century, and now into the 21st century, God has been at work in the congregation loving, forgiving, guiding, challenging, changing and inspiring people and sending them into the community, the nation, and the world to bring the love of God to others.
"Repent and believe the good news!"