The West Denmark Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th anniversary on the weekend of June 24 and 25, 2023. As people gathered on Saturday afternoon, there was a feeling of reunion in the air, not only among the peo- ple in attendance but also, through special exhibits, with all the saints of the congregation from its very beginning to the present. The display about the woodcarver Jes Smidt, nicely arranged by his granddaughter Kathy Wilson, was a reminder that several Danish immigrant churches had a bit of West Denmark in them with his altars, frames, lecterns, and such.
After the welcome by Pastor Linda Rozumalski and Council President, Terry Speiker, the past and present came together as everyone sang the gathering song, set to the tune of the beloved Grundtvig hymn “O Day Full of Grace.” The artful lyrics of Henrik Strandskov’s “Six Hun- dred Seasons” convey the inspiration from nature that heirs of Grundtvi- gian immigrants still hold. Erik Hansen followed, channeling his grand- father, with a presentation in the old Danish storytelling tradition. Also in good Danish tradition, the kitchen crew was always busy, providing coffee and treats for breaks and classic Danish dishes for meals. Fittingly, commemorative cookbooks and hand-crafted coffees mugs were available to purchase. A presentation about the buildings on the West Denmark campus, including recollections of the Petersen brothers who were instrumental in constructing the present church building thirty-eight years ago, reminded all of the persistent dedication and skill of different generations who, after the church building twice burned to the ground, saw to the construction of a new one each time. The congregation displayed its dramatic talent and wry humor with a play about a pastor taking a needed rest leave, well-meaning congregation members, and the intervention by nisse. The fun continued into the evening with live music and folk dancing, led by Shawn Mai. In addition to the worship service on Sunday, there was a concert that afternoon. Christine Johansen played selections from Danish composers on the piano; Chuck Parsons offered a couple of celebratory pieces by on the organ, and the West Denmark Choir, conducted by Harry Johansen. For sake of posterity, the pastor dedicated a newly planted tree near the Founder’s monument, and a photographer, raised aloft by a bucket truck, took an official photo of the assembled group. Actually, two sets of photos were taken, the second with everyone holding a number on which folks wrote their names so as to be identified for future generations of West Denmark Lutheran Church.
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Editor InformationBridget Lois Jensen Archives
March 2023
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