| Summary: | love for His Word, and devotion to His church. They coveted a chance to preserve not only that faith but all the appurtenances of the homeland which meant art, books, foods, language and the mode of living in general. Their first pastor was the Reverend Gustav Westerlund. He was born in Sweden and had attended a Bible or Mission School and served for a time as a lay preacher. He came to Rutland in 1883 from Sweden. After being ordained as a pastor at the annual meeting of the Hauge's Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Red Wing in 1886 he was called to shepherd the folks at the congregation which was organized in 1885, Nordland. During the summer he also conducted services in the Brandt Schoolhouse 2M miles south of Forman. The pastor did not own a horse but walked to and from his homestead to his various preaching places. In November 1887 an organization meeting was held at the Brandt Schoolhouse, a constitution adopted under the guidance of Pastor Westerlund, and the name, "Scandinavian Lutheran (Free) Church" selected. Reverend Westerlund also served this congregation until 1891, holding services regularly once in three or four weeks at Brandt and Nordland. In 1890 a merger was effected when the Norwegian Lutheran, the Anti-Missourians, the Norwegian-Danish Conference, and the Augustana Synod, formed The United Norwegian Lutheran Church. There were many long and lively meetings but the congregation finally decided joining the United Church would mean more effective work at home and abroad. On the advice of Reverend Westerlund and on recommendation of Reverend Anderson, the Home Mission Superintendent of the United Lutheran Church, the congregation applied for membership and decided to call a pastor, together with Milnor and adjoining congregations as they should come into being. Reverend Rasmus Lavik was installed on February 21, 1891, and served the congregation 20 64 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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