About the Congregation
This congregation was established in 1880 by Norwegian immigrant settlers. Our congregation is part of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  It has a membership of about 290 baptized souls in about 120 households.  We have a good mix of elderly, middle aged and young families.  Years ago, farm families represented a majority of the membership, but times are changing.  Today, families actively involved in farming represent only about 10% of the congregation.  The Sunday School has about 60 children and our average worship attendance is about 125 per week.

Building Project
In 2000, the congregation completed a momentous building program.  A brand new facility was built on the south end of the same block where the old church had stood for 118 years. We moved into and dedicated the new facility on April 2, 2000.  Some special items were saved from the old church and incorporated into the new building, including pipes from the old organ, the stained glass, the altar candelabras, and the baptismal font.  A few additional smaller projects are still in the works to enhance the site. The congregation has, in a bold and courageous way, declared its commitment to be here to serve future generations, to be a healing, worshipping, witnessing, reconciling, serving body of Christ in this community.

About the Community
The City of Fisher has about 500 residents.   Fisher has experienced some growth over the past decade, even though there are not many businesses left in town.  New apartments and town houses have been built.  Fisher’s convenient location between Crookston and Grand Forks insures its future as a bedroom community for commuters.  It offers small town peace and quiet, its own school (K-12), and a good place to raise children.

Radio Broadcast
As an extra spiritual enrichment each week, you are invited to listen to Lutheran Vespers with Pastor Walt Wangerin, Jr.  It can be heard in our area on the following radio stations:

KFNW             Fargo/Moorhead            1200 AM at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings
KNOX              Grand Forks               1310 AM at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings
KTRF              Thief River Falls            1230 AM at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings

Storm Cancellations
To learn if there is a cancellation of worship or other church activities due to a storm or adverse weather conditions, please tune into one of the following radio or TV stations:
KYCK  97.1 FM
KNOX  1310 AM
WDAZ -TV
KCNN 1590 AM
Z104 KZLT 104.3 FM
KROX 1260 AM

Fisher Lutheran Church – History

1877 - First worship services held in the home of Grunde Aakhus near Fisher’s Landing

1880 - Red Lake River Lutheran Congregation organized

1881 - Materials for building a church bought for $600

1882 - Voted to have three months of parochial school each year

1883 - Parsonage purchased for $900 fro Orie and Clara Whited

1885 - Altar and pulpit built by Mr. Ecklund and land given for a cemetery by John Peterson

1897 - Basement dug, church turned from facing North to West, entry and steeple added, church bell

                          Given by the Ladies Aid

1908 - Sunday School began on a regular basis

1915 - Stained glass windows installed, basement finished, church redecorated

1918 - Moller pipe organ given to the church

1919 - Parsonage extensively remodeled

1939 - Congregation changed its name to Fisher Lutheran Church

1949 - Church reconsecrated after extensive remodeling

1957 - Education addition built

1964 - New parsonage dedicated

1965 - Pipe organ renovations completed

1979 - Church remodeled

1980 - 100th anniversary celebrated

1980-1987 - Tentmakers hired in area of youth ministry

1990 - Steel siding applied to the exterior

1999 - Construction of new church begins

2000 - Dedication of new church

2005 - 125th anniversary celebration

 

Synod Relationships

1905-1917 - United Lutheran Synod

1917-1946 - Norwegian Lutheran Church of America

1946-1960 - Evangelical Lutheran Church

1960-1987 - American Lutheran Church

1988-present - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

 

Pastors

1880-1882 ~ Hans Solstad

1882-1889 ~ A.C. Anderson

1889-1892 ~ Halvard Roalkvam

1892-1904 ~ Hans Skyberg

1904-1907 ~ N.F. Kile

1907-1918 ~ R.W. Peterson

1918-1920 ~ P.E. Moen

1920-1928 ~ O.M. Stensgaard

1929-1941 ~ Hallvard Lie

1941-1943 ~ J.N. Dordal

1943-1954 ~ Carl Field

1955-1967 ~ Clayton Engan

1967-1981 ~ Arne Carlson

1981-present ~ Carl Andersen