From the "Glyndon (MN) Gazette"

By Delores Hagene

Concordia Lutheran Church, Glyndon Minn. celebrated its 110th anniversary on Sunday, June 27.  Pastor Kenneth Kramer, our present pastor, presided.

Not much is known about any group's organizational meeting or when the first plans were formed for a church, but it is known that Our Saviors and Moland Lutheran congregations were organized in the rural community abou the same time.  These two continued independently of each other until 1892, when they united into one congregation, Concordia Lutheran Church.

The main part of the first church was built in 1884, but not completed or dedicated until October 26, 1894.  Prior to that time the congregation had met at various school houses already in existence.  Pastor J. O. Hougan came in 1884.  Later building improvements included a basement under the church and electric lights about 1921.

Disaster struck the congregation in May 1931 when a tornado destroyed the church.  Saved from the storm were the following articles, still in use in the present church:

  The church bell, which was bought by the Young People's Society.  In Norwegian on the bell is inscribed "Kom Nu Unge, Kom Nu Gamle, Herren Alle Vil Vorsamle."  In English this means  "Come young, come old, the Lord would have us all together."

   Two silver candlesticks on the present altar, the church pew in the annex and the baptismal font are the other articles still in use.

One of the many things lost in the tornado was the altar picture of Hoffman's "Christ in Gethsemane."  One of the members of the congregation, Orabel Thortvedt, attempted to fix the original but when this task was found to be impossible, she reproduced the painting on canvas.

Because of economic conditions during the time following the tornado, another church wasn't built until 1938.  In 1974 an annex was added to the church.

On June 16, 1972, Concordia celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Then on June 27, 1982 we celebrated our 110th anniversary with a festival worship service at 10 a.m.  Pastor Joseph Vold, a former pastor from Bejou (MN) was our guest speaker.  Pastor Kramer assisted with the service.  Special music and a reading of the church history was provided by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Anderson, Arnold Horpedahl, Alene Taylor, Alice Grover, and Gordon Kassenborg.  A noon dinner followed with an afternoon of visiting, during which coffee was served.