Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas)

Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Norse, Texas

Our Savior's Lutheran Church, (Norwegian:Vor Frelsers Kirke) is a Lutheran church located near Cranfills Gap, Texas in an unincorporated community known as Norse, Texas.

History

The congregation for Our Savior's Lutheran Church was organized on June 14, 1869 by Norwegian Settlers of Bosque County, Texas. The church itself was constructed between 1875 and 1885. As the congregation grew, it became necessary to build another church in the western part of the Norwegian immigrant settlement. That church, St. Olaf Kirke, started as an extension of the Our Savior's Lutheran congregation upon completion of the church in 1886, but eventually became an independent congregation in 1902.

Monument to the Original Norwegian Settlers, located just outside the church

The cemetery on the church property serves as the burial site for a number of original Norwegian settlers of the area, including Cleng Peerson, considered to be the "father" of Norwegian immigration to the United States. Recently a monument was constructed just outside of the church's cemetery recognizing the 17 original Norwegian settlers of Bosque County.^[1]

Recent history

Our Savior's Lutheran Church continues to be used for regular church services. The current pastor is the Rev. Ruth E. Hetland. The congregation consists of nearly 300 members and is currently affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.^[2]

References

1. ^ “Norwegian Collection. Bosque Museum. Clifton, Texas. http://www.bosquemuseum.org/norwegian.htm
2. ^ "ELCA - Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod. http://www.elca.org/ScriptLib/OS/Congregations/cdsDetail.asp?Id=A6A19DB290.

External links

Our Savior's official website: https://sites.google.com/site/oslcnorse/

• Norse, Texas
• Norse Settlement
• Cranfills Gap, Texas
• Our Savior's Lutheran Church
• Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas) is at coordinates 31°46′21″N 97°40′43″W / 31.772492°N 97.678628°W / 31.772492; -97.678628 (Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas))Coordinates: 31°46′21″N 97°40′43″W / 31.772492°N 97.678628°W / 31.772492; -97.678628 (Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas))