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Lutherans in Chassell Many new workers and settlers moving into Chassell were Finnish-speaking evangelical Lutherans and initially, services were held in homes: The activity of the congregation was started in 1911 by Finnish immigrants, among them, John Jalkanen, David Kautto, and Elmer Savela as leaders. For many years clergy related to Suomi College, Pastors Johannes Back, John Nikander, and John Wargelin, provided pastoral services. The first church council lists the following members: Rev. Johannes Back, John Rasku, John Takala, John Makinen, Anselm Beltonen, Matt Kallio, Gust Nikula, Sam Komula, John Jalkanen, Elmer Savela, and David Kautto. Services were held in homes, the Congregational Church was rented when more space was needed, such as for funeral services. Sunday School and confirmation classes were conducted in several rural locations. Among the early volunteer teachers were Elmi Hill, Maria Holappa, John Ohman Sr., John Rasku, Gust Nikula and others. Church Building The first church was built 1911-12, on Hancock Street in Chassell and incorporated with the State of Michigan in 1912. In 1916, the building was enlarged, and a basement added to accommodate the Temperance Society's activity. "The church and the society cooperated closely to serve the constituency." This building was refurbished several times; but, was then damaged by fire on January 4, 1967. The building is now a privately owned abandoned warehouse. The former parsonage was built in 1930, and was occupied by the pastor and family until 1974, when the new parsonage was built next to the church. Lakeshore Parish "Rantapiiri" In 1930, Chassell became the center of the Lakeshore Parish, "Rantapiiri", which included nine congregations of the Suomi Synod: Chassell, Freda-Beacon Hill, Oskar, Jacobsville, Aura, Pequaming, L'Anse, Baraga, and Keweenaw Bay. Pastor David Elm was called to be the first resident pastor and to live in the new parsonage built for the parish. Gradually, the several congregations of the parish made other arrangements for pastoral services, until 1963 when Keweenaw Bay merged with Chassell, thus ending the Lakeshore Parish. Americanization During the 1930-50 decades, the English language was adopted in the activities of the parish. Prior to that, the Finnish language predominated when the immigrants from Finland held leadership. Sunday School and confirmation classes were the first to adopt English. First the pupils and then the teachers found English more facile. An English-speaking Brotherhood was formed in 1956, to keep pace with the Finnish Brotherhood started in 1945. The Women's group had been active for many years, and during the Suomi-LCA merger became the Lutheran Church Women. The congregation adopted a new name in 1958, abandoning the Finnish generic name for evangelical Lutheran congregations. Pastor Henry W. Leino was, in 1954, the first USA-born pastor called on a regular basis to the parish. Fluent in Finnish, this marks a transition date in change. The congregation was a member from the beginning with the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In the merger in 1962, the parish became a part of the Lutheran Church in America. This was a major leap in the process of Americanization. The location of the new modern church built in 1970 on highway US 41, just North of Chassell, placed the facility of the congregation in a very prominent view and attractive to the community. Pastor Patrick M. Bell, called in 1973, our first pastor from outside the Finnish tradition, began a new era of Americanized pastoral service in the parish. In 1973, our new parsonage was purchased, the Conn Organ was purchased in 1974 with Memorial Fund and LCW funds. In 1974, property near the parsonage was purchased and the lower parking lot was blacktopped. In 1976 the old church memorial was erected and land Norht of the church was purchased. in 1979, the church office was added. In 1987, improvements were made: painted church, repaired the parsonage and resurfaced the parking lot. As a salute to its Finnish heritage, Finnish worship and guild still convened once monthly until the 1990s. At these services, Finnish was used in the formal declaration, but even there, English was the language of pre and post conversations. Pastors serving this
church: Click here to see pictures of our Confirmation Classes starting with the 1932 Confirmation class. Click here to read about the early history of the Soumi Lutheran churches in America. |