Go to main contentsGo to search barGo to main menu
Friday, August 22, 2025 at 7:26 PM
martinson

S-B Church marks 150 years

First Lutheran Church of Suttons Bay will celebrate its 150th anniversary Aug. 24.

First Lutheran Church of Suttons Bay will celebrate its 150th anniversary Aug. 24.

The church will host a celebration at 3 p.m. and a reception to follow at 5 p.m. All are invited to attend.

Eight former pastors as well as the Synod President of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod and will preach a message highlighting God’s faithfulness to the church in the last 150 years. Among the earliest settlers of Leelanau County were Norwegian, Lutheran families who had left their homeland for greater economic opportunities. Many found the hills and lake of the region reminiscent of their homeland but felt the absence of a Lutheran church. While each household conducted its own devotions and services, they longed for a church, a pastor, and a community of believers. And so, a meeting was called on August 24, 1874, at a home in Suttons Bay for the purpose of organizing a congregation. They formed under the following resolution: “This congregation should hold fast to the old Lutheran teaching that the Bible is the source of truth, learning, and life, together with the Lutheran Confessions.”

The first members were Esten L. Bahle, Paul Hansen, Lars E. Bahle, Niels Einarsen, Osmond Olsen, John Toresen, and others.

There were initially 31 members, including children. By 1910, this membership grew to 351. For 11 years, the congregation existed without a church building and met in the home of Paul Hansen. They were served by the Rev. M.P. Ruh four times a year as he traveled to preach at churches throughout Michigan. As membership grew, the church met in the old public-school house on St. Marys Ave, starting in May of 1876. This is also when the congregation sought to establish a cemetery. Paul Hansen donated a half-acre plot, and the first funeral and burial was for Henry Hanson, who died at birth on November 18, 1875.

By 1882, the congregation possessed enough funds to call a full-time Pastor, and Rev. John J. Maakestad answered the call. In 1883, a parsonage for he and his family was built for $192, and although the congregation had decided in 1875 to build a church, its construction did not begin until 1885 and was completed in 1886. The cost was a little over $1,000, and labor and additional materials were donated, including logs given by members and sawed at the Greilick mill at no charge. A basement for gatherings and fellowship was dug in 1899.

Since its inception, First Lutheran has seen 20 pastors and many updates to the church and parsonage through the years. What remains unchanged is its teaching of the Bible, in all its truth, and people gathering weekly to hear they are saved by God’s grace alone.

Currently, it hosts monthly playgroups during the school year for moms and young children, a VBS each summer, a fall festival, Bible and book studies, and hope to resume its community chili suppers soon. They welcome visitors every Sunday morning for 9 a.m. Bible class and 10 a.m. Divine service followed by coffee and refreshments.


Share
Rate

ventureproperties

Sign up for our free newsletter:

* indicates required
Support
e-Edition
silversource
enterprise printing