The is some history about the Evangelical Covenant Church at Lake Norden, South Dakota, USA The formal organization of the congregation took place in 1898; an official pastor, Rev. G.F. Palmer was hired in 1900 and a church building was erected and dedicated in 1903.

In the winter of 1907-08 the church building was moved 3 miles into the newly founded town of Lake Norden. There was a waterway on the movers route that connected two lakes. They had to wait until midwinter when it was froze solid, before they could cross that spot. The church was moved on big wooden rollers, that had to be carried and moved the whole length of the trip. The labor part of the bill was $36.50. The church was pulled, carefully and slowly by three steam engines. My grandfather Charlie Wayrynen and his cousin Louie Hendricksen operated two of the steam engines. I believe the other one was my grandpa Charlie’s brother. The movers presented a bill to the church council for $175.00 the actual cost came to $193.85. They lost money on one of their first projects.

This is a picture of the new building that was erected right around the turn of the new century. My wife and I have been members of the church since 1976. The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) is an evangelical Christian denomination of more than 800 congregations and an average worship attendance of 178,000 people in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents. Founded in 1885 by Swedish immigrants, the church is now one of the most rapidly growing and multi-ethnic denominations in North America.