First Lutheran Church celebrates 100 years

The First Lutheran Church of Havre celebrated its centennial over the weekend, with activities and ceremonies highlighting 100 years in the community.

Mary Stevens, music coordinator at the church, said the weekend’s full slate of activities went smoothly with only one problem — technical difficulties, likely caused by the lightning storms, preventing the broadcast of the centennial church services Sunday, which included Montana Synod Jessica Crist providing the message for the service.

Stevens said, if repairs are made in time, the centennial service will be broadcast on 610 KOJM at 11 a.m. next Sunday, in place of the actual Aug. 4 service.

But the service was well-attended, she said.

“We had a full crowd on Sunday morning,” Stevens said, adding that many came to the activities all weekend, including a country gospel service after registration Friday night.

“We had a very good crowd for the dinner on Saturday,” she said.

The music for Sunday’s service included a reuinon of current and past members of the church’s choir — including its bell choir — and music from a modified-rock style version of “Mighty Fortress” to music from classical composers.

“We had everything from baroque to rock,” Stevens siad.

The weekend included sales of cookbooks and T-shirts, starting with registration evening before the country gospel service.

Past pastors of the church joined the rest of the group celebrating the church’s 100th anniversary.

The events Saturday started with a tour guided by local historian Keith Doll, with North Central Montana Transit providing busing for the tour. Music-minded members of the church followed that up with the jam session from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with a celebratory banquet at 6:30 p.m.

A luncheon followed the Sunday services, which started at 11 a.m. and included Bishop Crist’s message.