After serving the Plaza Parish for 3 years, Pastor Ed Bastedo accepted a call to St. Thomas, North Dakota. Pastor Steve Anderson and wife Susan accepted the call and began serving the Plaza Parish in August of 1982. They have 4 children (1 girl and 3 boys).

In the past 5 years many improvements have been made in the kitchen and basement. New combination storm windows were installed on all the windows of the church.

Annual events have been: Sunday School serving breakfast before the Easter services, the congregation service and potluck picnic at the Leo Ringoen Farm in July, balloon launch on the first day of Sunday School and in October a roast beef and all the trimmings dinner has been served by the men and women of the church with the Lutheran Brotherhood matching funds.

Lunch was served at 3 auctions in the community.

In July, 1986, the ladies hosted a Ladies Guest Day. Women from Makoti, Plaza Parish, Tagus and Blaisdell were invited. About 60 women came. Sonya Hernes was our guest speaker on her trip to the Philippines. Lunch was served after the program.

MEMORIALS AND FUNDING

Several memorials have been given to the church: Eternal Light, Picture, Lord's Prayer Plaque and the Advent Wreath given in memory of Dianne and Tom Matatall, 2 flower stands in memory of Clarence Knutson, and ceiling fans in memory of Oliver Aas.

Money has been given to various project funds such as the shrubbery fund that we made use of in planting the shrubbery around the church. Many memorials and donations have been given to the Cemetery Fund by relatives of those buried in our cemetery. This has been a big help because the Parish Luther League have been hired to mow the grass at the cemetery as it is needed. Two new banners have been made. One in memory of Oliver Aas and the other in memory of James Moen, Sr.

In the summer of 1986, history repeated itself at Shell Creek. In 1912, John Evenson and John Berg went to Northwood, North Dakota to solicit funds to help build a

church. Most of the homesteaders came from the Northwood area. With these and other donations, sufficient funds were accumulated to build the church in 1913. This year we had a church that was badly in need of scraping old paint and new paint or new siding. A letter was sent to all baptized members of Shell Creek to ask for help to put new siding on the church, as this seemed the most feasible thing to do. The response was beyond our expectations. We will be ever grateful for the memorial gifts sent to us to help us take care of this. White rock was placed all around the church to help with the drainage problems. Shrubs and trees have been planted on the east and south sides of the church.

Present officers of the Church Council are Elroy Christianson, Steve Hallingstad and Jim Moen. Myrna Bredahl is Secretary and Karen Ringoen is our Treasurer. The Aid officers are Karen Ringoen, president; Myrna Bredahl, vice-president; Clarice Abrahamson, secretary; and Doreen Moen, treasurer. Mary Abrahamson is stewardship secretary and Geneva Bredahl is education secretary. Gladys Sherva is our organist and Doreen Moen is our pianist.

1987 to 1991

At the time the homesteaders organized the Shell Creek Congregation in 1906 and then solicited enough money to build the church in 1913—do you suppose they had a vision of how the church would look today? I'm sure they didn't. We have a different church than the one they built because that church was struck by lightning in 1968 and burned to the ground. The church may have burned that day, but the spirit lives on in Shell Creek.

Much work has been done by the men and women of the church to have it the way it is today, both inside and outside in the yard. In the last five years, improvements have been made in the kitchen area. Some new cupboards, relocation of the sinks and new tile on the floor. The inside of the church has been painted and some cupboards built in the entrance.

Annual events have been: Sunday School serving breakfast before Easter Services, the congregation service and pot luck picnic in July at the Leo Ringoen Farm, and in October a roast beef dinner with all the trimmings has been served by the men and women, with the Lutheran Brotherhood matching funds. The women also have a bazaar the day of the dinner.

Lunch or dinner (as the family desires) is served following a funeral to the bereaved family and friends.

OTHER EVENTS

The women have served for several occasions: Henry Trulson's and Roy Abrahamson's farm auctions, the North Mountrail County Soil Conservation banquet, Mona and Felipe Gonzalez wedding reception in Berthold, Dorlan and Mable Vesey's Golden Wedding reception in Minot and the Homemakers Council meeting.

In August of 1988 we had a birthday party for Andrew Strand. It was his 86th birthday. He is the oldest member of Shell Creek. In 1956 when we had the 50th Anniversary of the church, Andrew's dad, Gudmand Strand, had the honor of being the oldest member then. We have two former members of Shell Creek who live in Stanley who can share in the honor with Andrew. They are Alice Hebig and Ragna Olson.

In 1989 a special service was held to celebrate the 100th birthday of North Dakota. Special music was presented by Oscar Hovey, who sang a Norwegian song and played the piano. Norwegian cake and coffee was served afterwards.

DONATIONS AND MEMORIALS

A crocheted picture of the Lord's Prayer was given by Nancy Koren in memory of her grandparents, Adolph and Bertha Vedvig. Bertha Vedvig crocheted the Lord's Supper picture that hangs on the north wall in the church. This was given in memory of her parents and was one of the few things saved from the burning church in 1968. Money was given by Dorlan and Mable Vesey and a mixer was purchased for the kitchen. We are thankful for the many memorials given to the church and cemetery fund. The latter fund helps pay for mowing of the cemetery by the Luther League when it is necessary.

The Kickapoo Country Inc. rents the church basement for making their products.

This year there is one Sunday School pupil and this class is taught by Doreen Moen. There is an adult Sunday School class too.

Pastor Steve and Susan Anderson are serving the Plaza Parish. During the three summer months Pastor attended the U.S. Army Chaplain's Officers Basic Course at Fort Manmouth, New Jersey. While he was away, Susan took over the pastoral duties and she did a great job.

Present officers of the Church Council are Jim Moen, Steve Hallingstad and Earl Eskelson. Doreen Moen is Sec. and Karen Ringoen is Treas. Ladies officers are Mildred Solberg, Pres., Edna Moen, Sec., Doreen Moen, Treas., Mary Abrahamson, Stewardship Sec., and Karen Ringoen, Education Sec. Doreen Moen is the pianist.

The Pastoral Acts from 1986 to 1991 were:

LOOKING BACK

The following article relates back to some of the musical activities of Shell Creek Church from its beginning: Since the early church services were held in homes or schoolhouses an instrument wasn't always available. Then the songs were usually led by the "klokker" or song leader which in that day was Gust Solberg.

When the church was built in 1913, its first musical instrument was an old-fashioned pump organ with bellows. Mrs. Otto Olson was organist and a charter member of the church and Ladies Aid. She played the organ while John Evensvold pumped and inflated the bellows of the organ. They sang from the "Salme Bog" and later the Lutheran Hymnal. Later a piano was given in memory of Mrs. Vie. A choir was organized in the 1930's. Mrs. Olson was organist for the Shell Creek Church until her death in Feb. 1944.

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