The Mission Covenant Church

The building still stands on the east side of Ogden although now put to different use. It was built in 1882 when the Swedish Evangelical Mission society was organized. Mission work had begun in the late 1860’s in nearby Swede Valley and Moingona and then in Ogden after 1873. The first Swedish sermon preached in Ogden was delivered by C.A. Bjork who was the organizer of the first Covenant Church in Iowa at Swede Bend near Stratford. Bjork became the first president of the Mission Covenant of America, which is now known as the Evangelical Covenant Church with its headquarters in Chicago, IL.

From 1875 to 1890 Gust Ogren served as chairman and lay minister. John A. Peterson was elected to succeed Ogren as chairman and served in that capacity for over 30 years. Peterson also served as a Sunday School teacher for more than 40 years. 

Throughout the next almost 100 years, the congregation was served by more than 20 pastors beginning with Rev. Ernest Lindholm who served from 1890-1897. In 1899 a parsonage was built a block west of the church during the pastorate of Rev. L. G. Johnson.

Read more on this moment in Ogden's history in the Feb. 3, 2016 issue of The Ogden Reporter.

Ogden Reporter

Ogden Reporter
124 S. Street
Madrid, IA 50156
1-515-795-3667

News: news@madridregister.com
Sales: sales@ogdenreporter.com

Mid-America Publishing

This newspaper is part of the Mid-America Publishing Family. Please visit www.midampublishing.com for more information.