The Village of Standard is celebrating an institution that helped build and bond the community a century ago.
The community is celebrating the centennial of the founding of the Nazareth Lutheran Church.
According to the Standard History Book, three laymen at a Danish Lutheran Church Convention in Iowa, along with Pastor J.J. Kildsig were elected to travel to Canada to look for land suitable for a Danish Settlement.
They contacted the CPR and found a tract of land suitable and in March 11, 1911, the Jens Rasmussen family, the J.R.H. Myrthu family, the O.P. Larsen family and Anton and Willie Myrthu arrived in Gleichen.
Already there were families in the community of Standard including the Jens Jensen family and the Niels Jensen family.
Original services were held in the homes of members, and then later in the schoolhouse. At a meeting on October 29, 1911, they moved to pay $225 for the land to build a church and parsonage. Pastor J.K. Jensen was hired, and the parsonage was erected. The lumber cost $556.80 and Niels Thomsen and Anton Sorenson were contracted to build the parsonage for $275.
The next order of business was of course to build the church. It was decided to ask the Evangelic Lutheran Church Synod for a loan of $400 for the building fund. They also decided they would not build before they had $3,000 available. In 1917, the church was completed.
The church became a community centre and a faith centre. The choir has been very active and Sunday School was started in 1913. By 1936 there were 112 children enrolled in Sunday School.
As the times changed so did the church. In 1927, electric lighting was installed and the parsonage was replaced in 1943. In 1953, the church voted to start heating with oil rather than coal.
In 1928, English-speaking people in the community sent a letter to the board asking for English services along with the Danish services.
The church also struggled with the times, and in 1930 at the start of the depression, the Pastor had to face a cut in his wages. For the next Pastor they hired in 1932, the church offered donation of wheat as well as $50 of milk per year to offset wages.
The church officially changed its name to the Nazareth Lutheran Church of Standard in 1954. Another change came in 1960 when the new addition to the front of the church was undertaken and dedicated at its 50th anniversary in 1961.
Another source of pride for the community is that a number of men who grew up in the church in Standard were ordained.
The church endured for another 50 years, and Brad Everett has led the congregation since 2000.
This weekend the church and indeed the whole community is celebrating its centennial. On Saturday, June 4 there will be an afternoon coffee from 2 -5 p.m. in the church basement, followed by a banquet at the Standard Community Hall, with a program. On Sunday there will be a church service followed by the dedication of a commemorative site beside the church. Included in the event will be the opening of a 25-year-old time capsule. At noon, there will be a Danish style lunch.
The Nazareth Lutheran Church of Standard invites all to join in the festivities of the weekend.
