49

Lutheran
14 March 2006
Assiniboia,Saskatchewan

50

Question
I understand that there were many different ethnic groups that brought the Lutheran religion to the area. Who were they?

Answer

Lutheranism came to the Assiniboia area about 1908, with the Mission Superintendent traveling from Lake Alma to Mossbank and Ettington areas, Congress and Assiniboia, and in the south around Lisieux. This was the United Lutheran, Norwegian affiliation. The same applied to the German groups north of Mossbank and Mazenod, to Lakenheath in the Southwest and Verwood area, known as the Ohio Synod. The Augustana, Swedish settled east of Congress known as Emmanuel is now a heritage site.

Delay in mergers was due to some retaining services in their native language until 1950. Others joined, and as the population declined, church buildings were closed and either sold or moved away to a newly organized congregation. Such was the action in the town of Assiniboia with a church from Archive, Saskatchewan - known as Fryksande. Messiah in Assiniboia was organized in 1952 as Augustana, but folks of many backgrounds joined. The outgrown building now serves the Baptists at Ormiston, and Messiah with a new structure in 1959, serves a wide area. Some homes that held services are still occupied while many are no more.

Lakenheath also is a heritage site, set high on a hill. Mossbank and Mazenod now worship at Trinity in Mossbank and some at St Paul's in Gravelbourg. Ettington, which had the first parsonage with resident pastor, organized 1912 is only farmland now but Grand Cemetery nearby tells a story, as do others.