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Owatonna Danish Lutheran Congregation |
| Located somwhere in Owatonna, Minnesota. Owatonna Danish Lutheran Congregation was organized in 1870 as part of the "Conference of the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America" with Rev. Nils Olsen as pastor. There were plans to build a church, but much discussion around theological issues ensued. Pastor Olsen felt strongly that Danish Grundtvigian pastors must not preach at the new church. There was much disagreement which resulted in almost all of the Danish members leaving the church. By 1877 there was only one family left. It is unclear what transpired, but it appears that the Danes all left to start a new congregation and the Norwegians stayed behind. Pastor Claus L. Clausen of Blooming Prairie was left to pick up the pieces. He served them from 1877-1879. Pastor Svein Olsen Strand was a Norwegian from Blooming Prairie who served them from 1879-1886. In 1886 they called a Dane named Gottlieb Bender Christiansen. If the congregation was Norwegian why did they call a Dane? Anyway, Rev. Christiansen served them until 1890. The fate of this congregation is unknown. There was a church built in 1877. |
 from Norske lutherske menigheter i Amerika, 1843-1916 By Olaf Morgan Norlie. 1918, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN |