August Berg was one of original members of the first Lutheran Church congregation. His son Arthur (Art) Berg, in going through his father's papers many years later, came across the original handwritten documents of the two initial meetings to form the church. Art framed the historical treasures and hung them in the current Lutheran Church. Art and his grand-daughter, Anita Melby Solberg, share them here.
Many of the early arrivals in the Kremlin area were of Scandinavian descent. On June 14, 1911, a small group met in the little yellow two-room school house with the firm purpose of establishing a Lutheran congregation.
In that first meeting, they created and signed a handwritten document of intent to form a Lutheran Church. They followed the first meeting with a second meeting on July 2, 1911, drafting a detailed document of organization.
The undersigned hereby declares willingness to participate in organizing a Norwegian Lutheran church in Kremlin.
Kremlin Mont
June 14, 1911
Church Organization Meeting
Kremlin Mont July 2,1911
Meeting chairman Rev. Kjøs
Secretary Aug. Berg
The following officials were elected:
Deacon 1 year R.G.Haugen
Deacon 2 years Theo. Oltesvig
Deacon 3 years N. Suckow
Trustee 1 year I. Havskjold
Trustee 2 years E. Mikkelsen
Trustee 3 years Aug. Berg
Secretary 1 year Aug. Berg
Treasurer 1 year I. Havskjold
Decided that the church is called Oslo.
Decided that this church will stay in contact with the United Church, and authority was issued to the United Church administration related to servicing priests.
NOTES:
While the record states "10 voting card members", the list of numbers beside the initials below it add up to 18, to which is added 7, and a total of 25 listed. If you have thoughts on these mystery mathematics, please let us know via the Contact Us link.