The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1977, Qupperneq 11

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
9
grimur Jonsson, secretary. The follow-
ing summer, 1885, a “safnadar hus” or
parish hall was built on the east side of
the river. It was of good size, 37 ft.
long and 14 ft. wide, with a shingled
roof. This building was to be used for
church services, public meetings and
entertainments.
In the meantime, the Rev. Magnus
Skaptason had accepted a call from the
Lake Winnipeg congregations and
arrived from Iceland August 1, 1887.
He delivered his first sermon in the
Parish Hall, August 7, and made his
home at Hnausa until he moved to
Gimli in 1891. A noteworthy event of
this period was the meeting of the Ice-
landic Lutheran Synod held at Icelandic
River in June, 1890. The invitation was
extended by a very poor congregation,
but the visitors who were billetted and
fed during the three-day convention,
were very pleased with their reception.
In January, 1893, Rev. Skaptason
tendered his resignation. The church
was again without a pastor, but the area
was visited at intervals by clerics from
Winnipeg — Bjarnason, Pjetursson and
Bergman.
In September, 1893, a call was sent
to the Rev. Oddur Gislason in Iceland,
which was accepted. He arrived at the
River aboard the steamer Ida with his
wife and seven of his ten children, July
20, 1894, and delivered his first sermon
in the Parish Hall, July 24. He served
the area until 1902 and resided at
Icelandic River. After his resignation,
interest in church affairs was again at
a low point, nourished only by an occa-
sional service by visiting clergy.
Selkirk now had its own resident
pastor, Rev. N. S. Thorlakson. Gimli
had detached itself from the Lake
Winnipeg parish and was served by the
Rev. Runolfur Marteinsson.
In 1903 the chairman of the church
board was Thorvaldur Thorarinson,
with Jonas Jonasson secretary and
Halfdan Sigmundson, treasurer. The
annual meeting was held in May, much
later than usual, and the chairman
asked for discussion on a subject that
he had broached before, — the build-
ing of a church at Icelandic River. A
building committee composed of H.
Sigmundson, Jonas Jonasson, J. T.
Jonasson, B. Marteinsson, V. Half-
danson and Thorgrimur Jonsson was
appointed. On June 11, 1906 work com-
menced on the foundation. On October
2, Trausti Vigfusson took charge,
aided by many volunteers, and the
building was completed as to outside
construction before the cold weather
set in. Work continued the following
summer and on July 27, 1907. theology
student Johann Bjarnason occupied the
pulpit for the opening service in this
beautifully designed church. The
Christmas concert that year was held
in the church.
After his graduation from the Luth-
eran seminary in the spring of 1908,
Rev. Johann Bjarnason agreed to serve
the New Iceland congregations. He was
ordained in the church of the Brethren
at Icelandic River that summer with
Rev. Jon Bjarnason officiating.
Rev. Bjarnason was 42 years of age
at the time of his graduation, and served
the area for twenty years. His strength
of character gave stability and meaning
to the efforts of the church as a whole.
There was regular Sunday School
established under the guidance of
Gudrun Briem, and later, by Kristbjorg
Sigurdson. The confirmation classes
were also in charge of Gudrun Briem.
Rev. Sigurdur Olafson was engaged
by the parish early in 1929, and the
church for the second time hosted the
convention of the Icelandic Synod,