First Lutheran Timeline
October 1875 – Immigrants from Iceland arrive in what is now Manitoba.
August 11, 1878 – Trinity Congregation established. First service held August 18 by Rev. Jón Bjarnason, passing through to New Iceland. Congregation largely served by lay people.
August 1884 – Rev. Bjarnason called as first pastor and serves for next 30 years. Trinity Congregation renamed First Lutheran Church.
January 25, 1885 – Founding of Icelandic Lutheran Synod. In June at the first synod convention in Winnipeg, Rev. Bjarnason elected president, a position held for next 23 years.
March 18, 1885 – The “Bandalag” (Young Peoples’ Society) formed, with 60 charter members. It costs ten cents to join, and dues are five cents per month.
August 1886 – Founding of The Women’s Organization of the First Lutheran Congregation in Winnipeg (later called the Ladies’ Aid).
December 18, 1887 – Consecration of the first church building, at Pacific and Sherbrook. Cost of building: $4,000.
June 26, 1904 – Our second church building (the Gothic church), consecrated at the corner of Bannatyne and Sherbrook. Cost of building: $25,000. A fire on December 23 caused serious damage. After repairs, services resume on March 19, 1905.
March 8, 1906 – Rev. Bjarnason’s wife, frú Lára, leads the congregation’s women in establishing a fund for an old folks’ home.
June, 1906 – Sister Jóhanna Hallgrímsdóttir called as deaconess.
1912 – Rev. Bjarnason tenders his resignation due to ill health, but the congregation refuses to accept it.
November 30, 1913 – First service held by the Tabernacle Congregation in our present church building (580 Victor Street). The building erected at a cost of $59,000.
June 3, 1914 – Death of Rev. Bjarnason. Twenty-four ballots are needed before the congregation decides to call Rev. B. B. Jónsson as the next pastor.
1914-1918 – From our congregation 114 men and three nursing sisters serve in the First World War.
March 1, 1915 – The first Betel Home, the result of frú Lára’s planning, opens at 854 William Avenue. Later it moves to Gimli.
1919 – First Lutheran’s Icelandic Junior Hockey team wins the junior championship of Manitoba.
April 26, 1920 – The Winnipeg Falcons, most of whom were members of First Lutheran, win the gold medal for hockey at Winter Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.
January 25, 1921 – The Bandalag offers a petition with 118 signatures to ask for worship services in English. After seven weeks of discussion, the congregation votes to hold morning services in English and evening services in Icelandic.
September 25, 1921 – Rev. Jónsson preaches his first sermon in our present building on Victor Street, purchased from the Tabernacle Congregation.
1923 – First Lutheran membership stands at 1155 adults and 500 children, with 200 in the youth group and over 120 in various women’s groups.
May 2, 1926 – Our church bell is dedicated by Rev. Jónsson.
November 1926 – 50th Anniversary marked with the installation of the copper plaque honouring Rev. Bjarnason, now in the narthex.
May 13, 1938 – Death of Rev. Jónsson, after 24 years of service.
September 18, 1938 – Installation of Rev. Valdimar Eylands as pastor. He serves for 30 years. His services are broadcast on radio in the 1940s.
December 1938 – An objective for the year of 75 new members is exceeded when 87 new members are welcomed.
December 5, 1943 – Lieutenant Governor R. F. McWilliams addresses the congregation to honour 240 members who joined the forces in the Second World War.
March 24, 1944 – Ceremonial burning of the Victor Street building mortgage.
February 27, 1944 – First visit to North America by Bishop of Iceland, Sigurgeir Sigurdsson, who preaches at First Lutheran.
October 1953 – Celebration of 75th Anniversary. Sanctuary renovations include carpets, a lower pulpit, and cushioned pews replacing chairs. Membership stands at nearly 2100, with over 500 living between Valour Road to the west and Sherbrook to the east. There are 179 Johnsons in the congregation, and 59 Sigurdsons.
1958 – Organ receives first major repair since its installation in 1913.
1959 – Sister Laufey Olson called as deaconess to First Lutheran.
1960 – Phase one of extension to original building includes office space for pastor and secretary, new stairways, and Sunday School rooms at the sub-basement level.
1962 – Phase two of construction: the building of the parish hall.
June 5, 1962 – Final day in Gimli of the Closing Convention of the Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
August 28, 1962 – First Lutheran hosts the founding convention of the newly formed Central Canada Synod of the Lutheran Church in America. Rev. Eylands elected Dean of the Manitoba section.
1965 – Extensive chancel renovations include relocation of organ and choir to balcony, moving of Christ statue to niche, and installation of new large wooden cross, altar, pulpit and lectern.
September 22, 1968 – Rev. Eylands gives farewell sermon. Rev. John Arvidson installed as senior pastor in October.
1971 – Sister Linda Wedman called as deaconess.
October 30, 1977 – Rev. Eylands leads a special memorial service at Brookside Cemetery to honour three early Icelandic-Canadian Lutheran pastors: Jón Bjarnason, B. B. Jónsson and Runólfur Marteinsson. In later years, Rev. Eylands and Rev. Arvidson will also be buried nearby at Brookside.
1978 – Congregation celebrates 100th Anniversary. Approximately $2,000 is raised to distribute to various charities.
1981 – Elevator installed.
1986 – Formation of our current national church body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).
1988 – Retirement of Rev. Arvidson. Rev. Ingthor Isfeld called as senior pastor.
July 1990 – Rev. Barry Rasmussen called as assistant pastor, and later associate pastor.
May 11, 1991 – First Lutheran Choir makes a recording, Sing Out a Song.
1999 – Rev. Ingthor Isfeld and Rev. Richard Dederick honoured for their 40th and 25th years in ministry, respectively. Sister Laufey Olson delivers a sermon on occasion of 40th anniversary of her ordination as deaconess.
September 24, 2000 – Rev. Isfeld’s last service and retirement banquet.
September 28, 2000 – Rev. Michael Kurtz ordained and installed as sixth senior pastor.
July 2001 – At national convention in Waterloo, ELCIC enters into full communion with Anglican Church of Canada.
September 23, 2001 – 80 years of services in Victor Street sanctuary.
May 4, 2002 – Kerrine Wilson presents recital during rededication service for organ, after it receives extensive repairs.
April 20, 2003 – Holy Communion offered to children for the first time on Easter Sunday.
October 17-19, 2003 – First Lutheran celebrates its 125th Anniversary with a Homecoming Weekend.
2007 – First Lutheran becomes a distribution point for weekly food banks, supplied by Winnipeg Harvest.
2008 – Sanctuary renewal undertaken, with the heritage wooden floors restored. Pulpit and Communion table moved to the main level among the people.
Summer 2010 – Kids’ Klub Drop-in created for children in the West End neighbourhood of the church
Adapted from the timeline created by Brian Darragh for Rooted in Christ: A History of First Lutheran Church (2003).
