Revival in MN, ND in 1940s

[Trishymouse]

I'm researching my hometown history. My hometown is St. Vincent, Minnesota which is in the very farthest northwest corner of Minnesota by Canada. I'm fairly confident that sometime in the 1940's there was a revival of some sort, I'm thinking either several different events, but cummulatively it inspired people to form new churches, etc. I could have been in ND, MN, or Manitoba or all three. The area my hometown is in is a region called the Red River Valley of the North, and the two states and the province has a lot of crossover. Do you have any suggestions where I could research and find out more? (My own homechurch, now known as the Pembina Evangelical Free Church, started out as people meeting in homes in the mid 1940's, formalized in 1947-1949 as Valley Community Church, and later they affiliated with EFCA...)
Thank you!
Trish Lewis from Fargo, ND
trishymouse@gmail.com

 

[davidoffinland]

From Finland

I am originally from the Duluth/Cloquet area, but now over here. Have you talked to some of the older people in the area? Local church history?

In Him, david.

 

[Trishymouse]

Yes I have, but the history is very basic and doesn't include the origins of why they formed, just how. All the older members are also deceased. I need to do my own independent research and that's why I'm asking for ideas on where to go - organizations, individuals, websites, etc. I've done much online research already but haven't found a good source so am posting on many forums...Thanks!

 

[davidoffinland]

From finland

Who/What were the main revival group(s)that were in the area? Do you have a name? Many of the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish speaking old timers living in MN, Michigan, Canada and so forth, were touch by differet ethnic revival groups that even came from Scandianvia going back to the early 1900s..

Over here, these groups, are still active. The Evangelical Free Church that you mentioned in post 1, do they belong to the one that has a bible college and seminary at Medicine Lake, MN? I have a doctor friend and his wife living in Mpls who have complied a book about the history of the Lasestadian Movement from its beginnings to the present that came out couple of years ago. If I remember right, I do not think they have mentioned that group in that area of MN although they are in MN, ND, SD, Wisc, Mich and Canada.

In Him, david.

 

[davidoffinland]

From finland

Who/What were the main revival group(s)that were in the area? Do you have a name? Many of the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish speaking old timers living in MN, Michigan, Canada and so forth, were touch by differet ethnic revival groups that even came from Scandianvia going back to the early 1900s..

Over here, these groups, are still active. The Evangelical Free Church that you mentioned in post 1, do they belong to the one that has a bible college and seminary at Medicine Lake, MN? I have a doctor friend and his wife living in Mpls who have complied a book about the history of the Lasestadian Movement from its beginnings to the present that came out couple of years ago. If I remember right, I do not think they have mentioned that group in that area of MN although they are in MN, ND, SD, Wisc, Mich and Canada.

In Him, david.

 

[Trishymouse]

I only know what i told you. a group a people in my hometown of st. vincent, minnesota felt led to leave local churches and start meeting and it led to a church which eventually affiliated with the evangelical free church of america. see efca.org i'm only interested in finding out more about my group of people, what inspired them to leave the local methodist, lutheran and episcopal churches. they had to be inspired by something and i'm betting it was tent meetings, crusades, revivals, whatever you want to call it, in the 1940's in my area (Pembina, ND/St. Vincent, MN, and southern Manitoba) That's what I want to research. I have not seen anything in the old papers but that doesn't mean there might not be anything and i'll go that route if i must but first i thought i'd ask likely forums in case people knew instead of recreating the wheel...

 

[davidoffinland]

From Finland.

Sorry for the duplicates above....wondering too if some wandering Pentecostal group came through the area. I remember once-in-awhile they came through having revival meetings in my area. You know, the small tent and the loud music with the drums, etc. They would try to get members to leave the church.

In Him, david.