The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1977, Blaðsíða 12

10
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
AUTUMN 1977
June 3-5. It was well organized and
successful.
Rev. Olafson, a kind and sensitive
man, served the area through the de-
pression years and voluntarily took a
cut in salary to ease matters for the
parish. He tendered his resignation
June 9, 1940, having accepted an offer
from the Selkirk congregation, but con-
tinued to conduct an occasional service
in the Riverton church.
Rev. B. A. Bjarnason served the area
for the next eight years, resigning in
1950 because of poor health. Rev.
Robert Jack came from Iceland in
1953 and served the district for two
years, returning to Iceland in 1955.
Pastor Larson came from the United
States to take charge of the churches
in north New Iceland in 1956. He con-
sidered the parish too large and sug-
gested two ministers for the area. This
idea was agreed to by the Riverton
congregation, and it was decided to
build a parsonage on the church prop-
erty in anticipation of a resident Pastor.
Pastor Richard E. Magnusson accept-
ed a call to the Riverton church in
January, 1960, and moved into the new
house on his arrival. He served at
Riverton for five years. During this
period it was agreed to join the Mani-
toba Synod of Lutheran Churches. On
March 13, 1965, “BRAEDRA SOF-
NUDUR” was dissolved, and a new
organization formed to serve Riverton,
Hecla and Hnausa, to be called the
Riverton-Hnausa Lutheran Church.
Pastor Paul Erikson arrived in the
summer of 1965 and began actively
promoting a new church building. The
old church had lasted for almost sixty
years but was now regarded as out-of-
date and beyond repair. It was in use
until 1968, when it was sold and moved
away to make room for the new church,
which was built and dedicated later in
that year.
The Lutheran church dedicated at
Riverton November 10, 1968, is the
source of great pride and satisfaction
to the church council, its members and
the community as a whole. It is geared
to modern needs with a fellowship
hall. Sunday School rooms and an
office for the pastor.
Pastor Kirkwood succeeded Pastor
Eriksson in 1969, and served the com-
munity until 1973. The present pastor
is Gary Schenk, who will preside over
the many activities of this centennial
year.
We approach this anniversary with
a sense of thankfulness and appre-
ciation. We are grateful for the loyal
service rendered by the various pastors,
always under trying circumstances,
over the span of a hundred years. We
also remember with admiration, the
devotion of the many men and women
who worked faithfully to maintain this
organization.
Most of all, we are grateful for the
work being done by the present-day
members. The loyal service rendered by
the organist and choir, the Sunday
School teachers and the church council
can never be fully recognized, but it
is appreciated and valued by the com-
munity of which this church is an in-
tegral part.
(Information based on “Riverton and
the Icelandic Settlement” by S. O.
Thompson.)
* * *
Excerpt from a greeting from Rev.
V. J. Eylands, D.D., former President,
Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Synod,
to the “Fraternal Church” of Riverton:
“While you stand on the shoul-
ders of the pioneers, cherishing their