Our History: 1940s and 1950s
Rev. C. Haugen served as pastor until June 1940, when Rev. A. N. Eggen came from Bend, Oregon. During his service here, the schoolhouse was moved from the location on the East Hoff Road to the church grounds in 1942 to become the Parish Hall, with a kitchen added.
It was during Pastor Eggen’s ministry that plans for the present church building were begun, and the building fund was established. It was also at this time that the membership in the congregation was increased by a substantial number. The choir, which met regularly under the direction of Hjalmar Monsen received much glowing praise. They traveled and gave choir concerts in Whatcom County Lutheran churches and in British Columbia.
In October 1944, Rev. Eggen left to take charge of the Sunset Home in Eugene, Oregon. Rev. C. Haugen served our congregation until Rev. John V. Halvorson arrived and was installed on October 14, 1945. In May 1946, Rev. Halvorson and Hazel Iverson were united in marriage, making the parsonage their home.
By the fall of 1946, the building fund had grown to more than $7,000. Mr. Henry Halvorson and Mr. Sigurd O. Howem donated the present location of the new church. This made it possible to move away from the cemetery. The sentiment was growing stronger and stronger that something must be done in the immediate future either to the old church or with the building project. At that time, pumice stone was investigated and the congregation decided to build the new church with that material. A number of men felt quite undecided about it. Other possible materials loomed up. After further investigation of all these materials, it was decided to use lumber — the very material for which the Pacific Northwest is known throughout the world.
In 1946, when Dr. John V. Halvorson was pastor, definite plans for a new church were completed. In the meantime, the H. M. Monsen and S. O. Howem families visited a Lutheran church near Eugene, Oregon, and —through the influence of a former pastor, Rev. A. N. Eggen—procured the blueprints of that church. Those plans were reworked by Mr. Leonard Bindon of Seattle.
Ground breaking at the new location at 5782 Lawrence Road took place early in 1947, and the cornerstone was laid on June 22 the same year, with Rev. Dr. H. L. Foss—son of our founding pastor and then-President of the Pacific District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church—present. After many sacrifices, gifts, and valuable hours donated by members, the beautiful new church was completed. It was dedicated on May 23, 1948, fifty years after the dedication of the old church.
In the spring of 1949, the new Hammond electric organ was dedicated.
At the annual meeting, January 30, 1950, the congregation voted to become self-supporting under the leadership of the first full-time pastor, Rev. J. Crary.
On May 18, 1953, the mortgage of the church was burned, and an offering was received to begin a fund for the building of a new Parish House and Sunday School rooms, as an addition to the church. Plans for the Parish House were completed in 1954, the first year of Pastor Bremer’s ministry. Construction began in July, again, with many donations of money and time by members and friends. Church pews were purchased and the Parish House was completed and dedicated on October 30, 1955, with Chaplain J. Crary as guest speaker.