Records show that the church was organized by a group

of twenty-three families most of whom had come from Sweden in 1869.

Under the leadership of Andrew Hallner

they met at the home of John Martinson on August 30.

The church was named the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church, Fridhem.

It was later to affiliate with the Mission Covenant Church of America when it was organized in 1885. The first officers of the church were John Martinson, chairman, A.N. Aspengren, secretary, C. Carlson, treasurer and A. Hallner, pastor.

The year was 1876, and a group of Swedish immigrants met in Swedeburg, Nebraska,

to organize a new church. That year of 1876 the United States was celebrating its centennial, Rutherford B. Hayes was nominated for the presidency, Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone, the linotype was first used and the incandescent lamp was yet to be invented by Edison. Thus we see its place in history.

   The first church was built in 1877 one mile south of Swedeburg.

It was small -- 36 feet long and 24 feet wide. By 1889 more space was needed and a

12 foot addition with a gallery was added to the long side of the building.

This building was struck by lightning and replaced in 1896.

Later, the congregation decided to build a church in Swedeburg and the present building was erected in 1909. A parsonage and a long horse barn were also built

on the site. The cemetery remains at the original church site.

   Andrew Hallner, the organizer and first pastor was a man of many talents and had an impact upon the county and state as well as in his church work. He came to Nebraska to attend the State Normal School in Peru in 1872-1874. In 1874, he came to teach school in

Swedeburg. In 1875, he was a delegate to the Nebraska State Constitutional Congress

as a delegate from Saunders County and his signature is on that document.

He served one term in the state legislature. He was also an organizer of churches.

The organizational meeting of the Mission Covenant Church of America was held in Chicago in 1885, and there was Andrew Hallner as a delegate from Swedeburg.

He served on the constitutional committee, and was one of the seven incorporators

of the Mission Covenant Church of America.

   This church has served the community for over a century and although the membership has decreased as is the fate of many rural churches, its influence is still

a vital one in the community and through its service in world-wide Christian service. Foreign missions have always been a special concern of this church.

Former members have served in foreign and home missions as well as in pastorates.

   The present church board includes Kenneth Carlson, chairman, Mildred Nelson, secretary, Violet Hockinson, treasurer. The sixteenth and present pastor serving the church in its over one hundred years is Rev. Robert Kronberg -- the grandson of Pastor Hallner. (history above is circa 2002)

Swedeburg Church to Mark 125th Anniversary on Sunday

SWEDEBURG (WAHOO mailing address), NE (August 15, 2001)

Swedeburg Covenant Church will celebrate its 125th anniversary on Sunday (August 19) with Midwest Conference Supt. Kenneth P. Carlson preaching at the morning worship service. A community barbecue will follow in the afternoon.

(Swedeburg) Wahoo is a community of 3,000 located 40 miles west of Omaha and about

25 miles north of Lincoln. Originally a farming community, many work in two larger nearby

cities and a highway is being built that will make the town even more accessible to Lincoln.

Pastor Richard Olson has already seen how the growth of the town is affecting his church.

He hopes the anniversary celebration will give his church

of 40 attendees more visibility to the community.

"Wahoo is a growing city and it's moving out south - there are a lot of homes being developed," said Olson, who will celebrate his fifth year at the church in October. "We're reaching out. We've had a float at the Saunders County Parade, we had a booth at the fair

and we're having a free barbecue for the community this Sunday.

About 18 months ago we had eight new members added to the church.

The idea of reaching out has kind of taken off (in the congregation).

I'm really pleased with that."

Swedeburg Covenant was originally named

Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church, Fridhem (House of Peace).

The church was officially organized August 30, 1876, at the farm of

John Martinson with 53 charter members, according to church records.

Many of those members withdrew from the community's

Lutheran church (Augustana Synod), founded in 1870.

Swedeburg Covenant's first church was built in 1877 at a cost of $1,000.

 A year later, pastor Andre Hallner helped organize the church

and remained there for two years before moving to Chicago.

He worked with the Mission Synod as secretary,

as editor of a church newspaper and as a pastor.

After moving back to Swedeburg in 1881, he went to Chicago, Illinois,

and represented the Swedeburg congregation in 1885

at the first annual meeting of the Mission Covenant,

now the Evangelical Covenant Church.

He later served on the Constitution Committee.

It wasn't easy for Swedeburg Covenant early in its existence

as lightning struck and burned the church in 1896.

A new church was built on the same land not long after,

and in 1909 a new facility was constructed in the downtown area of Swedeburg.

That building is still being used today, although the town is no longer incorporated. * *  

Swedeburg Covenant has been known

in the denomination for its service, both locally and globally.

* * additonal edits about the faith and tenacity of the Swedeburg congregation

The Swedeburg NE comunity, founded by emigrants & immigrants (YES both apply),

was part of a larger group of Swedish people, who came to America; and more specifically

to Nebraska to find a new way of life. Nebraska is dotted with several Swedish communities

- some are towns, some are cities, some are now 'unincorporated communities';

EACH and ALL of which began as communities of faith, as we find at least one church

in that community that traces its roots back to the Swedish emigrants & immigrants

One of the best collections of Swedish Churches In Nebraska; < link to pictures

The collection includes Swedeburg's churches of the past & present

Swedeburg NE was no different - it began with the Swedish people establishing

farms, businesses, churches, schools, a post office, an elevator, a bank, etc.

. . eventually a road . . later called US Highway 77 . . went through the community . .

the railroad came in 1886 . . making its last run September 1, 1981 . .

US Highway 77 "by-passed" the community, going past our new church facility, 

built in 1909 - and in the mid 2000's a new 4 lane US 77 was built about a mile west.

The Swedeburg post office ceased rural delivery in 1950 & closed in 1972,

with all mail for Swedeburg now having a Wahoo address.

The School Distriict 109 closed in 1967 - with the children being transported to Wahoo.

we'd kinda like to have a school in town, but Wahoo can

keep the mail deal, seeing as how it looses money anyway J

The story, summarized above, is told in detail

on our History - Swedeburg NE page

Sounds like an epitaph ! NOTHING could be further from the truth !

TODAY, 2011, SWEDEBURG NE continues to thrive as a wonderful community

of families, new and renovated homes, and most important, has celebrated its roots,

with the faith community of Swedeburg Covenant Church as its ANCHOR

MISSIONS have always been a part of the Swedeburg congregation ministry:

In the church's 100th anniversary records,

it is noted that full-time missionaries

from within the congregation included;

Rev. and Mrs. C.J. Nelson (China) and Alpha Almquist Anderson

and Dr. Arden Almquist (Congo).

A handful of other children from the church eventually served in Covenant ministry,

including C. J. Youngren, Edmund Carlson, Ernest Anderson and Lyle Person,

who now pastors nearby at Evangelical Covenant Church of Mead, Nebraska.

Recently, Brian Carlson served as a short-term missionary in Thailand.

Concurrent with the revitalization of the community is the church's own revitalization,

both inside and out. New siding has been installed, new carpeting has been laid and

a handicapped accessible walk-in basement is now in place. Olson, who came to pastoral ministry late in life, has seen how the church has been energized by the recent developments. He is also encouraged that older members of the congregation

have embraced some of the changes.

"I enjoy working with people and seeing lives changed," said Olson,

who was a chemist for the Food and Drug Administration in Kansas City, Kansas,

for 30 years while attending Hillcrest Covenant Church in Prairie Village, Kansas.

"It's been very meaningful for me and it's been a blessing."

 To learn more of the stories and history of the Swedeburg NE community;

LINK: > History - Swedeburg NE page