History Of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Duluth MN

Present address:

Lester Park United Methodist Church

219 N. 6th Ave. E.

Duluth MN 55805

Submitted by Kathleen Nelson - katerose@cpinternet.com - March 8, 2000

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church was organized on November 6, 1870 as the First Swedish Lutheran Evangelical Church. The first meeting place was in the basement of an Episcopalian church with P. A. Cedarstrom as pastor. On April 26, 1874, the congregation moved in their new building on the neotheast corner of 2nd Ave. W. and 2nd St.

By 1903 it had become obvious that the old building had become to small so land was purchased at 6th Ave E and 3rd St. On August 19, 1906 the new building was dedicated and still stands in that place today.

The final name change to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church came about in 1933. About the same time the church dedicated the Lakeside Chapel at 48th Ave. E. & Cooke St.

The above information was taken from the booklet entitled: 125 Years of Faith.... Love... Caring... 1870 -- 1995 (A history of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.) The book has some history of Duluth in it but there is no mention of early membership. The people in the photos are not identified. There are rememberances by some of the older members. You may contact the church for further information.

PASTORS

P. A. Cedarstrom................................. 1870

E. Jorlander.......................................... 1873-1874

N. J. Brink........................................... 1874-1875

C. J. Collin (first full time pastor)........... 1882-1894

J. A. Krantz ......................................... 1894-1902

Carl Solomonson.................................. 1903-1911

Carl O. Swan....................................... 1912-1935

Wilton Bergstrand................................. 1935-1937

Paul H. A. Noren.................................. 1938-1944

Arthur O. Arnold................................... 1944-1946

Carl L. Manfred.................................... 1946-1951

Floyd Laurensen................................... 1953-1961

Wilburt Johnson.................................... 1961-1973

Joseph S. Dahlquist............................... 1974-1982

John Engstrom...................................... 1983-1993

Joh Sippola.......................................... 1994-

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