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Vestre Sogn Congregation
(By A. T. Ellingboe.)
The History of Renville County, Volume 2
Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Chapter XL
p. 1265

This congregation was organized in about 1870 and services were held in the farm houses and school houses. January 15, 1881, a meeting was held at the home of C. O. Narvestad in the town of Wang to discuss the advisability of erecting a church building. C. O. Narvestad offered to donate land for a church lot and it was decided to build a church. A committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for the church building. They were Elling Johnson, K. Vikken, P. C. Brevig and Ole Ellefson. The next meeting was held at the same place, February 21, 1881. It was decided to build the church in the spring of 1881. At this meeting a building committee was chosen consisting of C. O. Narvestad, P. C. Brevig, Theo. Rongerud, H. T. Ellingboe and Ole Ellefson. C. O. Narvestad donated one acre of land to the church and sold one acre for $l0. At a meeting held at the same place March 5, 1881, the committee on subscriptions reported having received $1,495 and it was decided to advertise for bids on building the church. The church was built in the summer of that year. The first services were held in the new frame church July 18, 1881, but the church was not completed until 1882. Rev. John Bergh was the first pastor. The congregation was incorporated March 30, 1905, by the following persons: P. C. Brevig, C. O. Narvestad, O. K. Williams. The officers were: President, C. T. Clausen; secretary, A. T. Kjersten; treasurer, P. C. Brevig; members of the board, John Engebretson, Hans Grotvedt and Ole Ellefson. June, 1914, the church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.

The congregation is now dissolved and the members have joined other congregations, though at the present time a pretty chapel is being erected on the old site, and here services will be held from time to time.


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