Ascension Lutheran Church of Navarino is celebrating a milestone anniversary this year.
The small congregation will commemorate its 150th anniversary this fall. The church has been on the same plot of land since 1879. The current church building was built at W6101 Navarino Road in 1977, just south of the Navarino Nature Center.
“Obviously, it’s a huge milestone, and we’ve got all kinds of things lined up,” said co-pastor Mark Sabin. “On Sept. 15, we have a Remembrance Sunday, going through old records, photographs, videos, and in October, a polka fest is coming up. Nov. 3 is actually our 150th anniversary. Everything is working well, and we’re excited.”
Planning for the anniversary celebrations hasn’t stopped them from continuing the numerous events this very active community holds on a regular basis. They hold fellowship gatherings with a meal after Sunday services, host a Vacation Bible School and will hold a brat fry in September. The popular monthly Birthday Sundays to honor parishioners continue, as well as Sunday School, support of a mission in Nairobi and various fundraising events.
In addition, “Take Your Tractor to Church” Day was held on Aug. 4, after Sunday services.
Five church members drove their tractors to the church, one taking an hour and a half to make the trip. Joining the tractors was one motorcycle, an ATV and even a Can-Am Spyder owned by co-pastors Marcia and Mark Sabin. One church member quipped that it was really “Take Your Unique Vehicle to Church Day.”
The Sabins were called to serve the parish in July 2017.
“We still have a lot of Norwegians, northern Europeans, generally,” Mark Sabin said. “I’m a Wisconsin native, German. Marcia is Norwegian, but I forgave her a long time ago.”
The Norwegian heritage of the church actually dates back to Dec. 7, 1869, when Martinus and Bertha Anderson hosted a worship service in their home for the Norwegian settlers in the area. The Rev. E.J. Homme conducted the worship service. He would go on to charter the Scandinavian Evangelical Church of Navarino in November 1874, which grew into the current community of Ascension.
A list of charter members of the church includes the Klemp family, which includes Darrel Klemp, a current member, who brought a tractor to church on Aug. 3.
“I grew up on a farm in Readfield, near Fremont.” Klemp said. “My dad died when I was 15 and left money to purchase a tractor for the farmstead.”
Even though he doesn’t farm, he’s held on to the tractor, which is kept on his wife’s family farm. That farm is just one and a half miles from the church, so Darrel was able to drive it to the tractor event easily.
Klemp’s wife, Toni, is director of Christian music on the church’s praise and worship team. Music for the Remembrance and actual anniversary events is still in the planning stage, according to Toni Klemp.
Dean Rueden has been a church member for just about seven years. The John Deere tractor he brought to the tractor event was bought new by his parents in 1951.
“They had just started farming in Seymour and it was their first, and only, tractor for a long time,” Rueden said.
He still lives on the home property.
In about 1990, the tractor still ran, but was in rough shape. With Rueden’s dad and a friend, they tore it down and worked on it for about 3 1/2 years, a complete rebuild and repaint. Rueden, one of 10 children, inherited the tractor.
In 2013, Rueden drove the John Deere to Rantoul, in central Illinois, and back for a working vintage farm show. It was more than 350 miles one way.
“I wouldn’t do it again,” he said.
Committee members for the 150th anniversary are Bonnie Weyers, Jean Conradt, Everett Olson, Kris Jensen, Glen Peebles, Phyllis Peebles and Denelle Daniels.
Daniels’ son, Scott, drove a Farmall tractor to the church from their family farm. Daniels grew up in the church, with both of her parents and their families being members. She livestreams Sunday services each week for about 100 church members.
In addition to compiling historical research, she helps her aunt, Kris Jensen, gather historical information to display at anniversary events.
Daniels said that the Remembrance Sunday is open to anyone with a current or past connection to the church. They are planning to play videos from the 125th church anniversary and will also show black and white movies from even further back.
A special recording of the Lord’s Prayer said in the Norwegian language as read by Mabel Christianson Prestrud will be featured. Prestrud is remembered by current church members for her interest in preserving Ascension’s history.
Church Council President Glen Peebles and his wife, Phyllis, prepare the food for the weekly Fellowship Meal after Sunday services. His family moved to Navarino in 1959; Phyllis was from Krakow.
They are organizing the meals for the anniversary celebrations, including traditional Norwegian food for the Remembrance Sunday on Sept. 15. Old church cookbooks will provide recipes for vintage treats from original church members. The meal is planned as a potluck, and everyone is encouraged to bring a dish to pass.
More information can be found on Ascension’s website, www.ascensionnavarino.com.
Celebrating 150 years of faith, worship
