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HISTORY OF PAINT CREEK, IOWA CHURCHES

1850 – Pioneers came to Paint Creek

? – Organized Congregation

1851 – Built and started school

1852 – Requested Pastor from Norway or elsewhere

1853 – Pastor Urek Vilhelm Koren was called to Paint Creek and Washington Prairie Parish

1/1/1854 – First sermon by Pastor Koren in the log house of Syver Vold (former Lester Busness home, 1058 Chestnut Road Waterville, IA)

1854 – Log church built

1855 – Paint Creek joined Norwegian Synod

1858 – Congregation was divided into East and West Paint Creek due to growth

1862 – Pastor Koren resigned East and West Paint Creek churches because of being overworked. He continued at Washington Prairie

1862-79 – Called Pastor Ove Jakob Hjort from Norway

1880-86 – Pastor Hagert A. Hartmann

1877 – Predestination issue started in the Norwegian synod by Professor F. A. Schmidt. Pastor Hartmann supported Professor Schmidts’ view

1882 – Complaints lodged against Pastor Hartmann for teaching false doctrine (predestination issue)

1883 – Pastor Hartmann forced a vote on the issue at West Painst Creek. Pastor Koren held a visitation.

1/14/1885 – Pastor Koren held meeting with East Paint Creek after Pastor Hartmann forced a vote (predestination issue)

1/26/1885 – Minority sent district president Koren a complaint against Pastor Hartmann

2/18/1885 – President Koren brought District Council along. Pastor Hartmann did not believe they had a right to be present. Refused to meet.

6/3/1885 – Iowa District of Norwegian Synod Convention. Synod declared that no congregation has the right to accept a new Confession where there are members that are against it (predestination issue)

7/15/1885 – District Church Council, in accordance with the Synod’s mandate, came for visitation. Pastor Hartmann did not announce the meeting and refused to meet. The Council and the minority met elsewhere. Pastor Hartmann was suspended.

1885-88 – Served by President Koren’s assistant, Pastor Andreas Kittelsen Sagan

1888-1901 – Pastor Michael Olsen Borge. Reorganized under Borge 
 

1890 – East Paint Creek church built 

 

1891 – West Paint Creek church built 

 

1901 – Parsonage built 

 

1901-04 – Pastor Simon Aslakson Scarvie called and ordained (first resident in parsonage after split) 

 

1905 – Congregations celebrated 50^th Anniversary of joining the Norwegian Synod 

 

1905-08 – Pastor Zakarias Johannesen Ordal 

 

1908-17 – Pastor Lauritz Seman Guttebo 

 

1917 – Predestination controversy tears apart Norwegian Synod 

 

1918 – Reconstituted Synod formed, now Evangelical Lutheran Synod, ELS 

 

1918-46 – Pastor Joseph Bernhard Unseth 

 

1919 – Paint Creek churches join ELS under Pastor Unseth 

 

1947-51 – Pastor Arvid Gullerud 

 

1952-56 – Pastor Levine Hagen 

 

1957-64 – Pastor Walther Gullixson 

 

1964-66 – Pastor Neil Hilton 

 

1964 – Churches decide on joint service, alternating between East and West Paint Creek Churches 

 

1967-69 – Pastor Willard Olson 

 

1970 – Pastor Milton E. Tweit served as vacancy Pastor with Vicar John Smith 

 

1971-73 – Pastor John Smith 

 

1973-74 – Pastor Thomas Mickelson 

 

1974-81 – Pastor Milton E. Tweit 

 

1981-83 – Pastor Otto Trebelhorn 

 

1984-85 – Pastor Milton Tweit and Vicar Mark DeGarmeaux 

 

1985-88 – Pastor Mark DeGarmeaux 

 

1988-94 – Vicars served 

 

1994-2000 – Pastor Paul G. Madson 

 

2000-05 – Pastor Harvey Abrahamson



2003 - East and West Paint Creek Synod Churches vote to try holding services in town.



2004 - East Paint Creek Synod congregation voted to go back to their church building and the West Paint Creek Synod voted to continue services in town. The result of this vote was a split between the two congregations. The congregration that stayed in town then voted to change the name to King of Grace.



2005 - New building was purchased in town at 101 2nd St. NW Waukon, IA.  

 

2006-Present – Pastor J. Kincaid Smith