What a special day, PALM SUNDAY, April 13th, 2014, the 120 years of God's Blessings to St Andrew Lutheran Church, Niagara ND. What a special celebration at the home church where not only I and my brother but both my parents were Baptized and confirmed. This is also the church where I was married almost 42 years ago.
Our guest speaker for both the morning 9 AM worship service and 2 pm Anniversary worship service,
was the First Vice President of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Rev. Dr. Herbert C. Mueller Jr.
He is the son of Pastor Herbert Mueller who baptized me and many others from St Andrew Lutheran.
His father was pastor at St Andrew Lutheran Church Niagara
from 1943 until 1955.
Our guest speaker was only 2 yr old when they left.
It was a great message, one I hope to get a tape or CD of one day.
The music was also fantastic with so many charming voices about lifting the rafters in praise. There were duets, choir and the grown cherub choir, organ, piano and instrument accompaniment.
We truly celebrate God's love and faithfulness
through the generations!!
I just had to include a picture of My husband and myself with my mother of 92+ years. We were very happy that she was able to come for the morning part of the celebration. The full day would have been too tiring for her.
I thought it very sweet when this little guy picked up two big palms and started waving them. Made me think of Palm Sunday, Mark 11: 1 - 11 Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of
Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection.
The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!
The noon meal was delicious and so organized to serve over 200 people. Here you can see just a few of the hard working St Andrew women members serving the meal and making sure everything was perfect. Coffee, Tea, Lemon Aid or water. The tables were decorated to reflect Palm Sunday with 2 long palms laying long ways with 3 small candles on each lace covered table.
My Aunt Vera with her granddaughter Sheyenne.
They had everything very organized and planned out with a back N E corner used as a Museum area. You can see several items on display. The old Baptismal font, even in those days it had 8 sides. The shovel used on June 16, 1963 for groundbreaking of the new church.
Next to that is the Hymn board from our old church, where every Sunday, early before church the ushers would slip the correct numbers in the board to let the congregation know which Hymns would be sung.
This big record book is of membership and births. Above you can find my dad's name on line 195, Gregor Edwin Hanssen, father Seede Hanssen born 20, Sept 1918 at Niagara ND.
Below in the same big book, page 20, line 210, Loretta born to John Behm. I am not real sure why it has no date but the Register is only as good as the person that enters the information.
This is the Confirmation Register that was on hand for anyone to look at. On this page you can see both my brother #30 on the page, Dale Lee hanssen, May 27, 1962 His conf verse was Rom 1:16. Then not far beneath him, a year later, May 12, 1963, line 35 is me, Diane Kay Hanssen, conf verse Nehum 1:7. It was certainly fun to glance through these books. I wish I had had more time though.
Here is a picture of me, my second cousin Donna and first cousin Lillian. We were always close friends as children and in our teens so it was great to spend some time visiting.
This was the Pulpit from our old church. The cloth covering and the paraments were made by my Grandmother Behm. This is the pulpit that always stood at the right hand side of the church, the side that all the young girls would sit in the front row during church. Normally you would be about 12 or so but I got to sit up front earlier due to my older cousins pleading for me and telling my mom that they would watch me and make sure i was good. Those were also the days when the Men would wit on the left side facing the front and the women sat on the right side. Then in 1964 with the new church in town, Niagara, the families always sat together, just like that, one side or the other.
This is an old altar-pulpit built by my Grandmaother Hanssens father and brother. The German lettering is the last part of a Bible verse form John 17 verse 17. Your Word is Truth.
By the way, anyone know how many books of Bible actually have a 17th chapter with 17th verse?
Last year I wrote them all out for our oldest grandsons golden birthday, he was 17 yr on the 17th of Feb.
I was surprised to find exactly 17 books of Bible with a 17th chapter and verse 17. Check it out if you don't believe me.
This exact to scale replica of the old church was skilfully made by Bert Krueger. what a nice remembrance of our old church. 1968 Picture of original old church is below.
Many times in years past our church ladies would each create a quilt block from fabrics they had at their home. I would assume that this 1938 quilt was made in that fashion with each lady embroidering their name on the block. If you look carefully, you might find a relative or someone you might know from the Niagara area.
I find all the different print fabrics interesting and wander how many were flour sacks and if they had been dresses, aprons, baby blankets etc. if only each piece could tell a story. My mother would have been 17 years old when this quilt was created,
I would bet she wore something from one of the fabrics in my grandmothers block.
My grandmother must have made this square block for this old 1938 quilt, ELLA BEHM, my mothers mom.
This is my Aunt Vivian in the wheel chair. She has been recovering from a broken hip from a fall in late winter. It was a hard winter for ND with 2 of my Aunts breaking a hip. It was a very nice spring day and so happy her son Lynn at left and grandson Matt could bring her for the special celebration.
There were many photos of the original people who helped to start the St Andrew Lutheran Church 120 years ago. Above is a picture of my great Grandma and Great Grandpa John M Behm. Next to them is Johns brother Henry.
A lot of work went into the planning for the special celebration. Everything was great from the worship services, the power point slide show, the museum area, to the food, decorations and dessert. My cousin in the purple helped serve the dessert. There were so very many delicious choices it was almost overwhelming. It was a good day.
Below are some of my cousins as they watch the slide power point presentation.
These are just a few of the many many confirmation pictures on display in a binder. Above in the Black and white picture is my brother, Dale Hanssen , second from the left, 1962 confirmation picture. The color picture is Me at the right, the last class to be confirmed ion the old church, 1963. There were only 2 of us, Gary Bornson and me. I sewed my own white dress, I loved to sew and even sewed dresses for my Grandmother Behm. I always remember my childhood sitting in church and looking at the big Altar picture as if it should move to reflect the rest of the Bible reading of Jesus helping Peter as he had stepped out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus but then started to sink with doubt.
My mothers confirmation picture taken out side of the church about 1935 0r 1936. It was just her, Loretta Behm and Marvin Krueger. Her dress was white and I would guess it was sewn by one of her older sisters. Below is my Aunt Doris confirmation picture.
About 1932 or 1933 My Aunt Doris is the shortest girl on the left. i love how all their dresses look so similar. In years past, there were no confirmation robes but all the girls wore white and the boys wore new suits. It was such a special occasion.
Notice all the old cars. We used to have a Mission festival once a year when the afternoon service was held outdoors in the parking lot. Oh for the excitement! There was always a special mission pastor to speak about telling the Gospel to those who have not heard. I was intrigued. I think I was about 5 yr old when I came to realize there actually are people who have not heard about Jesus love. I remember being so thankful that i was born in America and to Christian parents who taught me the True word and I thought what if i had been born in another unchristian nation and who would have told me about Jesus?
Some old pictures of old church just for the fun of it.
St Andrew: An Anthem
Upon this plain in days gone by
Our fathers tilled the soil.
In bitter winters, darkest night
They struggled toward their goal
Yet through it all, despairing not,
A legacy complete:
"Their Hod, Our Father, blessed their hands
Through Christ, the Prophet, Priest."
The Church was built, and then re-placed
St.Andrew yet remained;
A strong committed Christian band
Subduing God's great plain,
And constantly, with fervor great,
They serve their Lord and King
With Joy and hope and peace and love
Amid some suffering.
The stones stand bare, some mounds of earth
Mark saints who've gone before.
A plot of ground, the entrance way
To God's eternal shore;
Where laid to rest in Jesus' hands,
By pastors young and old,
Our fathers passed unto their sons
The gift of life extolled.
So may we as our heritage
Of Lutherans strong and free
Give thanks to God, the Father, Son
And Holy Spirit, three.
We ask our God to keep us sure,
Forever in His Word,
Give each the strength to joy in Christ
Who died and rose for thee.
Amen.
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