First Lutheran Church, Fergus Falls, ELCA

08/07/2026

08/04/2026

Illuminations Tuesday
The Chapel Story part 2

Fast forward 67 years to August of 2026, mother nature has taken her toll on the wooden frames around these windows. To preserve these beautiful windows, they have been removed from their casings. Stonehouse Stained-Glass Studio is putting in glass to help protect the stain glass, and is installing new metal frames. The windows should be back together before the first day of Sunday School in September. Feel free to check out the very different look of the chapel currently.

08/03/2026

Check out the August Messenger!
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07/31/2026

You are invited to worship at First Lutheran Church this Sunday at 9:00am.

https://www.firstlutheranchurchff.org/

07/28/2026

Illuminations Tuesday
The Chapel Story part 1

In 1959, Louise and Ruth Back, one California and one in Illinois, made a connection with Pastor Preus and asked to be able to give a monetary gift as a memorial to their parents Eli and Anna Back. They wanted their gift to be used towards the chapel's stained glass windows. All correspondence happened though typed and handwritten letters mostly between the sisters and Pastor Preus or Pastor Preus and Conrad Pickel Studio of Waukesha, WI-the window company. The cost of 3 windows on the west side of the chapel and the 3 double sided windows on the north side was more than the sisters had offered but because of their relationship with Pastor Preus they added more and paid for everything. Pastor Preus promised to let them know when the Chapel dedication would be so they could plan to attend. In late 1956, Pastor Preus got very ill with hepatitis and had to be absent from church for many months.
It was not until March 22, 1959 that the Chapel dedication occurred. One month after the dedication, Pastor Preus remembered his promise to the sisters. He wrote two letters of apology and told Louise and Ruth all about the dedication and the wonder of the windows. He hoped they could come and visit sometime.
In 1963, Pastor Preus found out that Ruth had passed away, so he wrote to Louise a letter of comfort. He told her that "the people of First English Lutheran Church would be sharing in her grief."
From 1956 to now, the wonder of the chapel windows and the love of two daughters for their parents have been treasured by the congregations of our First English Lutheran and our First Lutheran Church.

-history from the FLC Archive