Bethania Church

Bethania Church. Heritage Park, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. , Overview , Many immigrants found community in churches where people spoke their language and held familiar beliefs. Women played very important roles in building community in Norwegian Lutheran churches, even though they were not allowed to vote on church matters or serve as pastors until the 20th century. Women also helped with mission work at home and abroad.

. Built in 1901 in Northwood, North Dakota , . Moved to Vesterheim in 1992 , . Still has original furniture and decorations , . Used for concerts, lectures, and presentations , . 1990.136.006 , Museum Purchase with funds from Lutheran Brotherhood

, Churches served the spiritual and social needs for thousands of Norwegian immigrants during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The church was much more than a place of worship, though. It was the site of social suppers and charity auctions, youth group meetings, and weddings for generations of Norwegian-Americans. In churches, immigrants found a community of people who spoke the same language and held the same beliefs or worldview as they did. , While a majority of Norwegians who founded or joined churches in the United States were Lutheran, there were also Norwegian immigrants who were Quakers, Mormons, or Methodists. In Norway, participation in the state church was required, so some immigrants chose not to join a church after arriving in America. , Until the 20th century, only men could serve in leadership roles in Lutheran churches. Women were essential to the success of their local congregations and larger church organizations, even though they were not allowed to vote on church matters or serve as pastors. The wives of early Norwegian immigrant pastors conducted services in their homes when their husbands were away. Women taught their faith to children in their homes, during Sunday school, and eventually at private, church-associated schools. , Kvindeforening, or Ladies' Aid groups, supported a wide range of causes and church activities locally, nationwide, and internationally through fundraising activities like quilt auctions and church dinners. Mission work abroad was one of the few opportunities women had to serve in professional roles. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, another group of dedicated Norwegian-American women organized as deaconesses. They worked in healthcare and social services in large cities, rural communities, and abroad. , The Bethania Lutheran Church served a Norwegian-American farming community in Northwood, North Dakota, for over 80 years. The photo on the left shows the church in its original location. It was built in 1901 and was moved to Vesterheim in 1992 after being decommissioned by the Lutheran Church. The church furnishings are original, including the altarpiece and railing by woodworker Østen Pladsen and the altar painting by August Klagstad. The building was dismantled and moved to Decorah on a series of trucks, where it was rebuilt on its current site.