News : A Snapshot the 17 Pastors of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church

Mark Urlaub is the 17th pastor to serve Bethlehem Lutheran in its 100 years.

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church of Vinton, Iowa, has pictures of 17 pastors from its 100 years, remarkably, including The Rev. E. C. Jessup, who presided over the chartering of the congregation on June 10, 1913. But these photos do not come close to including all who served the congregation. In the early years many of its pastors were under call to other congregations and served Bethlehem as vice-pastor. In fact, in was not until 1918 that the Bethlehem had its first full-time, resident pastor. In subsequent years there was a mix of resident pastors and vice-pastors. Many served relatively short tenures. For some it was their first call, and Bethlehem, like many smaller congregations, provided church leaders their early experience. Others were closing out their ministries and retired from Bethlehem.

Pastor Jessup was succeeded by Anders Gustav Fjellman. He served until his death from influenza in the great pandemic of 1918. In 1940 his son, Carl G. Fjellman, supplied the congregation while a student at Augustana Seminary in Rock Island, Illinois. He eventually became president of Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey, a school of the Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod.

The first regularly called, resident pastor was Svante Carl Franzen. Born in Farhaga Sweden, he served Bethlehem to his retirement in 1921. Pastor Nels Glad had only been pastor a few months when he died of a stroke in 1927. His successor served four years and retired.

Perhaps hoping for a different scenario, the next pastor was newly ordained. In this his first call, G. Harold Lundgren simultaneously served Bethlehem and the Lutheran Church in Delaware, Iowa. Services were held in each church on alternating Sundays. At Bethlehem there were services in English in the morning and Swedish in the evening.

In addition to Dr. Fjellman, other Lutherans distinguished in higher education with ties to Bethlehem included The Rev. Dr. George Forell and The Rev. Dr. Philip L. Hougen. Forell provided interim ministry at Bethlehem while teaching at the University of Iowa. This highly popular professor became Director of the Department of Religious Studies, and Carver Distinguished Professor of Religion. Pastor Hougen was twice vice-pastor at Bethlehem and later was Bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

The first pastor with long tenure was The Rev. Carl O. Soderbloom, 1942-1954. Vinton resident Esther Ann Hite is his daughter.

Bethlehem will celebrate its centennial anniversary on June 9, 2013, with worship at 10:00 a.m. Previous pastors Melvin T. Peterson (1959-63) and Robert Lorenz (1974-83) are expected to be in attendance. Pastor Richard Dowling will be absent. The current pastor is The Rev. Mark C. Urlaub.

The public is invited to share in Bethlehem’s celebration of 100 Years in the Light of Jesus in an open house with ice cream and other refreshments on Monday, June3 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Augustana Hall. The church is at 1206 C Avenue, Vinton, Iowa. More information is at www.bethlehemvinton.org.