160th CELEBRATION - To commemorate this special occasion the patrons of Vista Lutheran Church gathered for a photo on the steps of the same church that has been serving the community since 1908. Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer
The pews were filled to overflowing on Sunday, Aug. 19 as Vista Lutheran Church celebrated their 160th anniversary. Chairs were placed in the nursery and the foyer, and still more people came from far and wide to attend the two-hour long celebration of this congregation’s commitment to serving God and one another.
Pastor Brian Gegel presided over the service, expressing his gratitude for the many people who gave of their time and talents to make this event a success. He also read a message of congratulations from their brothers and sisters in Christ at Vista Evangelical Covenant Church, and said that a similar congratulatory message had come from LeSueur River Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Sandy Walstrom, the first female president of the congregation in 160 years, said to those gathered, “We know that, if you are here today, Vista has a very special place in your hearts, as it does for those of us that are fortunate in being able to live in this area and continue to enjoy this beautiful building. We are so glad you could join us today and celebrate the Vista heritage.”
Walstrom introduced a very special guest visiting the congregation, Agnes Johnson Priebe. Although Walstrom acknowledged that it might not be polite to mention her age, the information that Agnes Priebe was born in 1918 resulted in spontaneous applause. Like many in the congregation, Priebe has long ties to Vista Lutheran Church.
Another special guest, Rev. Steven Delzer, Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA, said he had come the farthest to get to Vista; he had just come from a 25-day mission trip to Africa. Delzer gave the message for the service. “Think about how many people through those 160 years have participated in worship services,” said Delzer, informing the congregation, that, if there had only been one service each week for the last 160 years, that is 8,320 worship services. “Over these past 160 years, think about all the children who have been received into the family of faith through the sacrament of baptism. Over these 160 years, think about all of the people who have been fed with the body and blood of Christ through the sacrament of Holy Communion. For these 160 years think about the hundreds, maybe thousands of people whom you have held up in prayer. For 160 years, you have served others through your ministries of Word and sacrament, and you have done that not just here at Vista Lutheran, but for the wider church through the ministries of the southeastern Minnesota synod and the ELCA, and even around the world through your contributions and your support of those ministries.” To illustrate this point, Delzer spoke of his trip to Africa and the many positive effects that the ELCA has had there, citing specific instances in Ethiopia and South Sudan, in which church ministry and contributions have had a direct impact on the quality of life there.
Delzer also pointed out ways that Vista Lutheran has blessed the surrounding community closer to home: through sponsoring the senior citizen’s pie and coffee for $1 at Red Leaf Café, through the Women of the ELCA group that serves cake and coffee at the monthly birthday party at the New Richland Care Center, through the church’s contributions to the New Richland Area Food Shelf. “And those are just a few examples,” said Delzer. “For 160 years, this congregation has been a symbol of God’s presence with and love for all people. It’s been a symbol of God’s presence with and love for those who have been members of this congregation for those 160 years, but it’s also been a symbol of God’s presence with and love for people of the surrounding community.”
Following the Bishop’s sermon and the sacrament of Holy Communion, the entire congregation gathered outside the church for photographs, and then lined up for a meatball dinner in the church basement. No one seemed to mind waiting, as there was a great deal of visiting and reminiscing to be accomplished, which continued unabated through the meal.
The events of the day were a beautiful and fitting celebration of the 160 years that the congregation of Vista Lutheran Church has continued its ministry.
Many thanks are extended to Kathy Tollefson, Jim and Judy Kortz, Laurie Routh, Matt Groskreutz and everyone else who served in the kitchen and helped to make this a day to remember.