"Fifty Years!"
On May 17, 2008, the Minnetonka Church Family celebrates its 50th anniversary since it was officially declared a church for the first time (May 17, 1958). We plan to give attention to this celebration during services on May 10, 2008.
Among the charter members I noticed a Blake family! (Unrelated to the South African Blakes among us). Charter members who are still among us include, Robert Dahl, John and Marie Dougan, Kenneth and Olive Oien, Evelyn Lauritzen, Elsie Pierce, Robert Roderick (all 50 years older now). There were families with familiar last names like, Ekrem, LeBard, Martinson, and others.
There were about 110 members who began to meet in the Wayzata High School Almost one year later ground breaking ceremonies took place for the new church home for the Minnetonka SDA Church.
Less than eighteen months later the first regular Sabbath Service was held in the new church. On April 1, 1964, five years after ground breaking, the final mortgage payment was made. To mark that event a dedication service was held.
The Minnetonka Church moved into its current facility on Williston Road on November 11, 2000, almost eight years ago. Currently we still owe $100,000 on the building. We are not receiving sufficient funds each month to pay our mortgage. Please help us make our payments by placing your donation to the Building Fund in the church envelope.
There is no way to measure the value of belonging to a church family. Fifty years of worshiping God together, baptizing scores of people into Christ, fellowshipping with friends, working together to build God’s Kingdom, sharing pain and loss together, encouraging one another—how does one measure such value?
Those of us who have joined the Minnetonka church more recently would do well to thank God for all His goodness shown to this congregation through the years. and also to honor those who established and built this church. We have grown from 110 members to well over 600. We want to join our pioneers in our commitment to continue growing this church in its ministry to help people know God and share God.
--Pastor Ivan Blake, March 27, 2008
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