History Of St. Peter's

by Beatrice Hansen  |  Written in the 1980's

“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Like the writer of the psalm we have much to give thanks for in New Denmark. His steadfast love has indeed been with us and our congregation over the last 75 years.

The story of St. Peter’s begins around the turn of the century. Although the settlement of New Denmark was then well established, many of the settlers longed for the services of a Danish Lutheran Church. In 1905 it was felt that the time had come to organize a Lutheran congregation.

On November 19, 1905 a meeting was held in the old Patron’s Hall. This is the first recorded meeting of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. At this meeting Mr. Fredrick Hansen of Falmouth, Maine was chairman, and Anders J. Jensen of New Denmark was secretary. A temporary Church Council was elected so that matters pertaining to the new church might be efficiently handled. The first Church council included the following: Hans Hansen, chairman; Lauritz Lauritsen, secretary; Johannes Nielsen, treasurer; Ludvig Nielsen, Christen Madsen, auditors; Jens Jensen, Julius Hansen, Lars Bertelsen, Morten Christensen and Jorgen Larsen, trustees. In organizing the Church Council, the constitution of the Westbrook Church was used as a guide. At his meeting it was also decided to call a pastor, providing him free lodging and a salary of $25 per month. At a subsequent meeting on November 22, a constitution was adopted and Peter Andreason’s house was rented to serve as a parsonage. A letter of call was sent to Pastor A. P. Hansen, and he was installed by Pastor L. H. Kjaer, President of the Atlantic District, February 4, 1906. Pastor A. P. Hansen thus became the first Lutheran pastor in the New Denmark Settlement.

When Pastor A. P. Hansen was installed, there were 49 confirmed members in the newly-organized church. Services were also held in the Foley Brook and New Denmark Station area. This was called the “Annex Congregation”.

The ladies of St. Peter’s met at the building then being used for a church on January 26, 1906 to organize a Ladies’ Aid. Pastor A. P. Hansen called the meeting to order and 9 ladies were present. All were in favor of organizing a ladies’ group and the following were the first executive members: Mrs. Morton Christensen, president; Miss Rosa Christensen, secretary; and Mrs. Peter A. Hansen; treasurer. It was decided to meet at the homes of members on the first Tuesday of each month at 2:30 pm with a contribution of 10 cents. The day and hour of the meeting was never changed. The meetings were always conducted in Danish. They remain an active group in the work of the church, although there aren’t as many members as they do not meet as often.

The need for a church building and cemetery was apparent from the start. Action was initiated that a suitable lot for both might be found. In 1908 two acres of land were purchased for $100, in the north-east corner of Mr. Anton Johansen’s farm to be used as cemetery grounds and church site. That same year our congregation was admitted into membership of the United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Pastor A. P. Hansen conducted his last service in New Denmark on August 15, 1909, and student James C. Petersen from Philadelphia was engaged to serve the congregation from May 20 to August 29, 1910.

On August 27, 1910 the church site and cemetery were dedicated by Pastor Lewis Larsen, then District President from Falmouth, Maine.

On July 12, 1912 Atlef J. Hansen was installed, and he served the congregation until May 30, 1915.

Then on July 2, 1916 Pastor Frank Nielsen preached his first sermon in New Denmark. He was installed the following Sunday.

On November 27, 1916 at a meeting of the congregation, it was decided to build a church and parsonage. Pastor Frank Nielsen, Jens. F. Johnsen, Rudolph Hansen, Anton Johansen, and Peter A. Hansen were elected to the building committee. The church and parsonage, built by Christian “Snedker” Christensen, were completed on the present site in 1917. Pastor Frank Neilsen’s first service in the new church was on February 14, 1918. Among other things the Spanish Influenza forced the closing of the church from October 3 until December 1, 1918. Pastor Frank Neilsen served the congregation until June 26, 1921.

In 1922 the congregation called John M. Jensen who was then a student at Mt. Airy Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. He accepted and was installed on August 6, 1922 by Pastor C. C. Kloth.

During Pastor John Jensen’s term in office a building was purchased to serve as a church in the New Denmark Station area for the Annex Congregation. Later it was found unsuitable for this purpose and was sold. Pastor John Jensen served until November 11, 1926.

In 1927 Pastor Emil Nommesen became the pastor. That same year the parsonage burned and the building of a new one was begun. The present parsonage was completed in 1928. Also, at this time, a Parish Hall was built next to the church. On May 8, 1928 a building committee was elected for the purpose of building a church in the New Denmark Station area, and the building was completed the same year. The Young People’s Group was very active at this time. Interesting facts from their treasurer’s book of 1928 are that they had an income of from their treasurer’s book of 1928 are that they had an income of $154.94 with $46.87 being coffee collection – a substantial sum for those days. Pastor Nommesen served the congregation until 1931. A Danish folk school was also begun. Pastor Ravnkilde Moller of Laeso, Denmark assisted with this work and also held services during the vacancy. During Pastor Nommesen’s time here a number of new Danish immigrants came from the “Old Country” to the “Colony”; “Denye Dansker” as they are often called.

Pastor Nommesen was succeeded by Harold Nielsen. He was installed by John M. Jensen, then pastor in Montreal, on June 29, 1932. Pastor Harold Nielsen served until 1939. These years were marked by the Depression which affected all of North America and the European Continent as well. This is reflected in the treasury books of the Young People as they had an income of only $15.47 with a coffee collection of $2.32 in 1935.

Pastor M. P. Bollesen arrived in the summer of 1939. In January, 1940 it was decided to hold English services the third Sunday of the month, and the Sunday School was almost entirely in English. However, the Danish summer School was continued for a number of years. Pastor Bollesen served until April 16, 1944.

Pastor A. N. Skanderup was installed by Vilhelm Beck of Montreal on September 5, 1944. During the ministry of Pastor Skanderup, the Annex Congregation organized as a separate church, choosing the name Bethany. The English-speaking ladies’ groups were also organized: the Willing Workers in St. Peter’s and the Helping Hand in Bethany. A motion-picture projector was purchased by the two congregations. Pastor Skanderup held his last service in New Denmark on April 25, 1948.

Pastor Ejvind H. Nielsen was installed by the Atlantic District Vice President, Pastor Vilhelm Beck of Montreal, on July 18, 1948. He first came to New Denmark as a student-pastor during the summer of 1947. He stayed until March, 1953.

Fred V. Jensen, the son of John M. Jensen, was installed as pastor on August 15, 1954. During his time here, oil furnaces were installed in the parsonage and the church. He left New Denmark in June, 1959 to become pastor in Montreal as his father had done in 1926.

Pastor Immanuel Johansen was installed in September, 1959.    During his ten years with us St. Peter’s joined The American Lutheran Church (January 1, 1961), and many of our children and Young People enjoyed Bible Camp in Maine with campers from Caribou and New Sweden. An electric range and a washer were placed in the parsonage. Memorial stained-glass windows, depicting the Twelve Apostles, were installed in the church, and an oil furnace was purchased for the Church Hall. Ecumenical services were held every Sunday at 10:45 A.M. in English, and on the first and third Sundays of each month there would also be a Danish Service at 11:30 A.M. On a fifth Sunday the service would be in English. Before 1961 all church meetings had been conducted and minutes written in Danish. After 1961 until 1965 the meetings were opened in Danish and several hymns were sung, but then the business was completed in English. Our church joined the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada on January 1, 1968. Pastor Johansen left New Denmark in June, 1969 after serving longer than any previous pastor.

Pastor Pedersen, originally from Bethany Church, was installed on September 3, 1969. During his term of office English services only, were held at 11 A.M. each Sunday with one Danish hymn being sung during the service. New red hymnals (The Service Book and Hymnal) were purchased and a new constitution adopted. A carpet was laid by the altar and an electric organ was donated. St. Peter’s also entered a float in New Denmark’s Centennial Parade on June 19, 1972. It won first prize of $35. The theme of the float was “Faith, Hope, and Love.” We had several family camps at Camp Wainwright, Riley Brook. The ladies’ organization, Willing Workers, was changed to Lutheran Church Women after joining the ELCIC. Pastor Pedersen left New Denmark at Christmas, 1974.

Pastor Pedersen was replaced by an interim pastor, Henning Olsen, who served us for 3 months. Pastor Harold Nielsen returned as pastor for one year or until a call to another pastor was accepted. Photographs of all our pastors were obtained and placed in the church. Steel steps replaced the wooden ones at the church entrance. Pastor Harold Nielsen served until August, 1976 when our new pastor, Douglas Moore arrived from Luther Seminary in Minnesota.

An archway to the cemetery was constructed and the cemetery was improved and extended.  New roofs were put on the church and parsonage. The parsonage also had new windows installed and was insulated. All members now receive the church paper, “The Shepherd.” St. Peter’s helps to sponsor a missionary, Dr. Paul Jacobsen in Cameroon. Pastor Harold Nielsen returned again in the summer of 1977 to fill in while the pastor was on vacation. In 1978 the church received steeple repairs and a new cross. Project Philip Evangelism Program was begun. A new kitchen was built onto the Hall, and the interior was recently completed. There have also been joint Lenten Services the past few years with the Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

FIRSTS IN ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

The first baptism was Richard Carl Rasmussen, son of Hans H. and Anne Marie L. Rasmussen, on May 5, 1906. Lauritz and Anna Laursen were sponsors.

The first confirmation class was on March 24, 1907. It included: Valdemar E. L. Nielsen, Josephine M. Nielsen, Fritz Hansen, Rosa C. Christensen, Ellen P. Lauritsen, Christen Madsen, Drusilla J. Nielsen, Marius J. Rasmussen and Benjamin Hansen.

The first wedding was between Peter Andreasen and Karen Dorothea Hansen on February 11, 1906.

The first funeral was for Jens Jeppesen on June 23, 1906. Church records were begun on February 4, 1906.

The total number of baptisms at St. Peter’s from 1905 until the present is 543. The total confirmed is 405. As of January 1980 there are 146 baptized members, 115 confirmed members, and 60 households belonging to St. Peter’s.

In looking over the past, we can today truly give thanks for the many blessings God has given us. We pray that he will continue to bless us in the future.

“O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”