A History of Our Savior's

On January 5, 1899, a meeting was held at the home of Peter Johansen, east of Ferndale, for the purpose of establishing an Evangelical Lutheran congregation. Eleven people attended and the group elected Jeppe N. Lund as chairman. Two weeks later, the bylaws were presented and accepted, and it was determined that the new church would conduct its worship service in Danish, but that its Sunday school was to be conducted in English. At this time the Rev. A. H. Jensen of Eureka was called to be the first pastor, for an annual salary of $400, plus offerings from Christmas, Easter, Pentecost; any donations from baptisms, weddings, and funerals; a house; free water; and a stable.

Church services were scheduled for the first and third Sundays of each month. The first Sunday school started with 18 children and four teachers.

In June, 1899, the congregation met and agreed to incorporate for 50 years. At this meeting, women were given permission to speak. 

Later that same month, the congregation decided to build the new church on two lots on Shaw Avenue, acquired from Isabel Shaw.  The building committee decided to erect a 36 x 70 square foot structure with an 80-foot steeple. T. J. Frost of Ferndale drew up the final plans, designing the church in the Gothic style of architecture. In August, Mr. Mathews was contracted to build the church for a price of $586 (the lumber, previously purchased, was $450; the lot, $320). When construction was complete, Kinzel and Hansen was awarded the contract to furnish seats and railings. The altar was built by John Edeline, a wood carver from Fields Landing. The altar was a gift from Sonnick Christiansen; the pulpit was given by Chris Terkelsen; the organ and the carpet also came from individual donors.

On Sunday, October 8, 1899, the cornerstone was laid in the southeast corner by Pastor Jensen; in the metal box in the cornerstone were placed a Bible, a copy of the congregation’s constitution, and a history of the church thus far written in both Danish and English. On December 10, the congregation dedicated the new church, with Pastor Jensen and the Rev. Paul Borup attending. The Danish sermon was given by Rev. S. H. Madsen of Hayward and the English sermon by Rev. Stensrud of San Francisco. Historical accounts report that although the weather was bad, the service was well attended.

The parsonage and stable were completed in 1901 and dedicated on October 20 of that year. According to The Ferndale Enterprise, “The new edifice is a commodious and comfortable dwelling which adds greatly to the appearance of Shaw Avenue.”

A year later, in 1902, the Luther League was organized for young people, and the Ladies’ Aid donated the church bell. For several years, the Ladies’ Aid had been operating the lunch booth at the Humboldt County Fair, and it continued to do so until the church was declared out of debt in 1903.

In 1910, the Ladies’ Aid was given permission to guild on to the social hall. The Luther League papered and painted the new hall and it was dedicated on October 16. The building committee also agreed to install two “Patent Water Closets” in the woodshed and to have the chicken house moved to a more appropriate location. In 1915, the married women of the church were given congregational voting rights – for the purpose of electing the Sunday school board only. In 1917, women’s voting rights were extended to widows and single women “who contribute to the congregation.” (Women did not receive full voting rights in the quarterly meetings of the congregation until 1932.)

In 1920, a special worship service and celebration was held to commemorate the reunification of Schleswig-Holstein with Denmark. A year later, an English worship service was begun on the third Sunday evening of each month and the German Lutheran congregation of St. Mark’s was invited to attend. In 1928 the Luther League and the Sunday school were given permission to acquire English hymnals for use at their meetings, and at the English evening services. In 1930, the church service schedule was changed to English on the first and third Sundays; Danish, the second, fourth and fifth Sundays. Danish services were continued on Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. Church council meetings were not held in English until 1940. In 1944, the fifth Sunday in Danish was discontinued, and in 1946, all Danish language services were discontinued, except for Christmas and Easter.

The kitchen in the social hall was completed in 1950. The Sunday school building was constructed in 1960 and dedicated on February 18, 1961.

In 1970, the first annual concert of the Christmas choir, which included members of both Our Savior’s and St. Mark’s Lutheran churches, was presented. By 1973, the choir had grown so large the concerts were moved to the Congregational Church and were presented on two nights to accommodate the large audiences. Today, the choir, known as the Ferndale Community Choir and directed, as in the beginning, by Betty Diehl, has over seventy members and presents Easter and Christmas concerts in three or four county-wide venues.

In April 1992, three major earthquakes devastated Ferndale, and Our Savior’s church suffered structural damage; the parsonage was knocked off its foundation. Because the disaster received national coverage, donations to the church to pay for the repairs came in from all over the country, from people of all denominations. The church was able to make extensive repairs without any special fundraising events or borrowing money.

A few months after the temblor struck, Our Savior’s council president, Wally Winslow, said, “Let us be thankful for what God has given us and continues to give. Let us all be a witness to His love and blessing.”

Those words continue to be our prayer.

 A detailed booklet on the history of the church may be obtained by writing us at P. O. Fourth & Shaw Streets, Ferndale, California 95536, and enclosing a donation for mailing and supplies.

A section of the photograph of the congregation of Our Savior’s Danish Lutheran Church in Ferndale, California on October 7, 1923. The full photograph can be viewed in our social hall. Note the parsonage with its full complement of gingerbread. We recognized Chris Rasmussen on the far left, and Helen Detlefsen (Smith) in the front row, holding the hand of her baby brother, Harlan.