Our Heritage

Though our history may be told as the  saga of a building – it is really the story of people and their journey  to become closer to their God. Each era has had its challenges and  demands.   People have prayed together, worked together, and sacrificed  together.   They have mourned together as loved ones have been laid to  rest, and they have rejoiced together as they see the work of God in  their lives. This is a brief history of the congregation – but certainly  not a vivid picture of what has all been done as we share the love of  Christ.

On October 7, 1888, a group of Scandinavians from Pine  Creek and Little Black gathered at the home of Ole Larson for the  purpose of organizing a congregation in the Scandinavian settlements  near Medford.  Niels Nielson donated an acre of land for the church and a  cemetery site. It was decided that the congregation would be called  “The Scandinavian Lutheran Church of Pine Creek and Little Black.” The  church was to be built of logs and would be thirty by twenty feet in  size.

The congregation soon outgrew the log building and in 1901  church leaders decided to build a new church. The new building was  completed in 1905 and the church continued to serve the community and  expand.  As other nationalities began to attend church here, the name of  the church was changed to “The Holway Lutheran Church”.

In the  1930’s the women’s organization was established, electricity was  installed in the church, and the Norwegian language was discontinued. In  the 1940’s and 50’s land was added to the cemetery, the church was  remodeled, and women were given the right to vote.

From 1962 to  1977 Reverend R. I. Tellock served Our Saviour’s. During his pastorate,  the name of the congregation was changed to “Our Saviour’s Lutheran  Church of Holway,” and an extensive remodeling was done to the church  building to meet the again growing needs of the congregation.  The new  addition gave extra classroom space to the Sunday School program and  provided overflow space for special services that drew more people.  During these years the youth group flourished and a three-year  confirmation program was implemented.

The 1980’s up to the  present have brought continued change and growth. In 1988 we celebrated  the 100 year milestone, and in 2002 renovations were made to up-grade  and improve our facilities so that we could do more to share the love of  Christ. This addition gave us a new kitchen and bathroom facilities  upstairs, thus making our building more accessible to the elderly and  the handicapped.  The addition of the Heritage Room in 2011 gave us a  space to reflect on who we are and what God has done in our lives.

And  so it is as we move into the future. As the building changes and the  times change, the love of God will not change, and as a congregation we  will continue to work and pray together, to love, laugh and rejoice as  we go about God’s work.  

By Kathy Weeks