our heritage

First Lutheran Church

Seminary & Water Streets

Galesburg, IL  61401

{short description of image} 309-343-3176

Come Share the Spirit

Working Together...Making Christ Known...Alive in Our Heritage and Hope for 158 Years

This Page is Dedicated...

To the blessed memory of the pioneer fathers and mothers, who so well established the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ here; and to all the sainted ones who, during the course of the years, have carried forward the work begun here in the name of Lord; and to all the faithful members of our church who during these later years, in prayer, service, and sacrifice, have contributed toward the work of this church.

First Lutheran Church of Galesburg, Illinois was organized at the close of the Communion Service on August 24, 1851 by Pastor Lars P. Esbjorn, a pastor of the state church of Sweden. Our church was the third church in the Augustana Lutheran Church Synod organized by Pastor Esbjorn. Our church work in Galesburg began in the fall of 1849 when Pastor Esbjorn visited Galesburg, and gathered his countrymen for the first Lutheran services held in Galesburg. The first meeting house was erected in 1850.

In late 1851 Pastor Ture N. Hasselquist of Akarpe Church, Skone, Sweden was called to be the new church's pastor, and he arrived in Galesburg in late 1852. Pastor Hasselquist became the first president of the Augustana Lutheran Synod when it was organized in 1860. He resigned as pastor of First Lutheran in 1863 to become a professor at the synod's newly established Augustana College.

Under the leadership of Pastor A.W. Dahlsten, from 1863 to 1869, a second church building was planned. Construction began in 1869, and the building was dedicated on March 4, 1870. During this time period church membership had doubled.

In 1906 Trinity Lutheran Church of Galesburg was organized out of the members of First Lutheran who wanted to worship in the English language. By 1919 services at First Lutheran included the Swedish and English languages.

From 1923 to 1926, under the leadership of Pastor Charles E. Bengtson, subscriptions were gathered and plans made for the third and present church building. The cornerstone for the building was laid on August 29, 1926, and the first service in the new building was held in February of 1928.

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