OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Minnesota Historical Society
Bethlehem Baptist Church
(Minneapolis, Minn.).
Church records.
1871-2000.
Annual reports, minute books, some ministerial records,
newsletters, Sunday bulletins, member directories, subject files, some photographs,
and other material relating to and documenting the programs and ministry of a
Baptist congregation located near downtown Minneapolis that began in 1871 as a
congregation of Swedish immigrants.
13.25 cu. ft. (16 boxes).
See [Detailed Description](a9) for shelf
locations.
HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH
Bethlehem Baptist Church was organized in 1871 as the First Swedish Baptist Church of
Minneapolis. It was an off-shoot of First Baptist Church, Minneapolis. Within two
years the church had a pastor and broke ground for its first building, which was
constructed at the corner of 6th Street and 12th Avenue South. That building burned
in 1885. In May of that year the congregation purchased the Second Congregational
Church building, located a few blocks away at 8th Street and 13th Avenue South,
which continued to serve them for more than 100 years. In 1893 bi-monthly services
in English were added. Swedish-language services were discontinued in the mid-1930s.
The name of the congregation was changed to Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1946. The
old sanctuary was demolished and a new 1400-seat sanctuary was constructed on the
site and opened in 1991.
Bethlehem was involved in starting several new Baptist churches in the Twin Cities
area, including Elim, Spring Lake Park, Edgewater, Wooddale, and Immanuel
Baptist.
Bethlehem Baptist Church is affiliated with the Baptist General
Conference, which operates Bethel College and Seminary in St. Paul. It is
also affiliated with the Minnesota Baptist Conference.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION
There is information about the history and development of the congregation from a
small ethnic church into a large and influential metropolitan church; its programs
and ministries with and for men, women, and children; and about missionaries and lay
workers it sent out into the wider world, both at home and abroad. There is
information about pastors; church anniversaries; building programs; the
congregation's finances; its Sunday School programs and its ministries to teenagers
and young adults; and the activities of a wide variety of organizations within the
church. There are minutes of congregational business meetings, and of meetings of
the Board of Deacons and of the Board of Trustees. There are some ministerial
records. Card files give information about members and others in the community,
compiled by Elsie Viren in the course of her long visitation ministry.
Correspondents include Viren, pastors, lay leaders, and others. There are a few
printed materials from the Swedish Baptist General Conference of America, the
Swedish Baptist Conference of Minnesota, and First Swedish Baptist Church (later
Payne Avenue Baptist Church) in St. Paul. Much of the early material is in the
Swedish language.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE RECORDS
These documents are organized into the following sections:
- Advisory Board Minute Book.
- Annual Reports.
- Audio-Visual Materials.
- Board of Deacons Minutes.
- Board of Trustees Minute Books.
- Christian Education Records.
- Church Bulletins.
- Member Directories.
- Minute Books.
- Newsletters.
- Records of Church Organizations.
- Subject Files.
- Viren, Elsie: Card Files.
- Overize Materials.
RELATED MATERIALS
Consult the catalog for the locations of other print materials published by the
church, which are cataloged separately in the Minnesota Historical Society library.
Some additional historical materials were donated by the congregation to the Baptist
General Conference History Center, which is located at Bethel Seminary, St. Paul,
Minnesota.
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the
catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials
about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using
these headings.
Topics:
Baptists--Minnesota.
Baptists, Swedish--Minnesota.
Church records and registers.
Church work with young adults.
City churches--Minnesota--Minneapolis.
Sunday schools--Minnesota.
Swedish Americans--Minnesota.
Persons:
Bodien, Olof, 1857-1912.
Chalberg, Ewald.
Fleming, Bruce S.
Viren, Elsie.
Organizations:
First Swedish Baptist Church (Minneapolis, Minn.).
First Swedish Baptist Church (Saint Paul, Minn.).
Payne Avenue Baptist Church (Saint Paul, Minn.).
Swedish Baptist Conference of Minnesota.
Swedish Baptist General Conference of America.
Types of Documents:
Church bulletins.
Church records.
Directories.
Motion pictures (visual works).
Photographs.
Videocassettes.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here].
Bethlehem Baptist Church Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 15,938.
Processing Information:
Processed by: David B. Peterson, May 2007.
Catalog ID number: 006398509
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
ADVISORY BOARD MINUTE BOOK
142.I.17.3B
1
1948-1960.
ANNUAL REPORTS
Before 1930 most annual reports are contained in the corresponding volumes of
business meeting minutes of the church.
142.I.17.3B
1
Undated and 1908, 1916-1919, 1921.
1930-1931.
2 folders.
1936.
1938.
1940.
1946-1949.
4 folders.
1951-1965.
8 folders.
1967-1998.
10 folders.
AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS
142.G.15.8F-2
15
Audiocasstte: Goodfellowship Gospel Team Quartet,
[ca.1935?].
Motion picture: From Bethlehem to Main
Street,
undated.
1 7-inch reel of 8mm film in a metal canister.
Photographs:
Undated and 1914-1916, 1966-1994.
Undated and 1912-1916.
1 oversize folder.
Bodien, Olaf,
undated.
Goodfellowship class,
undated and 1937-1962.
Goodfellowship Society,
undated and 1935-1938.
Vingen, Carl,
undated and 1910.
Videocassette (VHS): Wilford Anderson films,
[ca.2002].
1 VHS videocassette.
Includes a video version of Anderson's film Glory
Days: Remembering the Old Sanctuary (2002), When Swedish was the Language of Heaven: First
Swedish Baptist Church of Minneapolis (1871-1945) (1996),
and Wilford Anderson Films (1941, 1946).
There is also a 3-page "Footage Description."
BOARD OF DEACONS MINUTES
142.I.17.3B
1
1911-1943.
3 folders.
1950-1954.
1975-1977.
2 folders.
BOARD OF TRUSTEEES MINUTE BOOKS
142.I.17.4F
2
1875-1894.
2 folders.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION RECORDS
142.I.17.4F
2
Bible School Cabinet: Minutes,
1961-1975.
Board of Christian Education:
This board was charged with oversight of the Sunday School and other
Christian education programs for infants through college-age.
Minute books,
1956-1975.
3 volumes.
Minutes (foldered),
1973-1992.
3 folders.
Children's Ministry Committee,
1988-1993.
Christian Doctrine booklet,
1914.
Fidelas class: Minute book,
1930-1935.
Lovestrand, Joan: Board of Christian Education files,
1975-1992.
3 folders.
Maranatha Girls' Sunday School class: Directories,
1937-1949.
Parent-Teacher Fellowship: Secretary-treasurer's book,
1945-1949.
Sunday School:
Annual reports,
1913-1935.
2 folders.
History (1921-1946),
[ca.1946].
Statistical reports,
1940-1960.
Teachers' meetings minutes,
1930-1941.
Miscellaneous publications,
1904-1961.
142.I.17.5B
3
Sunday School Cabinet minute books,
1938-1949.
2 volumes.
Sunday School Home and Extension Department: Minutes,
1932-1936.
Miscellaneous external publications,
1891-1916.
CHURCH BULLETINS
This weekly publication contains the order of service for Sunday worship.
Prior to 1950 it also served as the church newsletter, publishing news of
special events, births, deaths, illnesses, and weddings.
142.I.17.5B
3
1908-1913.
6 folders.
Initially the order of service does not appear in this publication.
1915-1940.
28 folders.
In 1929 the title changes from Bulletin to
Weekly Calendar, and the order of
service begins to appear.
142.I.17.6F
4
1941-1966.
26 folders.
In 1963 the title of this publication changes from Weekly Calendar to Bethlehem Baptist
Bulletin.
142.I.17.7B
5
1967-1980.
24 folders.
142.I.17.8F
6
1981-1991.
18 folders.
MEMBER DIRECTORIES
Directories contain alphabetical listings of all church members, their
addresses, and telephone numbers. Until 1946 the annual amounts of money
each member pledged and contributed are also listed.
142.I.17.8F
6
1902-1938.
6 folders.
142.I.17.9B
7
1932-1946.
1 bound volume.
1945-1958.
4 folders.
1961-1966.
1968-1969.
1971, 1974, 1976.
1982-1984.
1986-1987.
1993-1994.
1996.
1998.
MINUTE BOOKS
Minute books contain minutes of annual and quarterly congregational business
meetings, "special" meetings, prayer meetings, and minutes of congregational
committees and organizations. The earlier minute books are in Swedish.
142.I.17.10F
8
July 15, 1876-November 18, 1881.
December 31, 1881-December 17, 1883.
January 1, 1894-April 2 (?), 1907.
May 7, 1907-September 2, 1919.
September 18, 1919-June 19, 1930.
July 1, 1930-October 4, 1936.
In English from January 1, 1931.
142.I.18.1B
9
October 6, 1936-December 28, 1950.
January 18, 1951-December 20, 1972.
January 24, 1973-December 15, 1983.
January 11, 1984-December 31, 1989.
January 23, 1990-December 18, 1994.
January 25, 1995-December 17, 1997.
NEWSLETTERS
142.I.17.9B
7
Bethlehem Baptist Star Extra,
1992-1996.
Bethlehem Star:
Undated and 1951-1962.
7 folders.
1966-1978.
13 folders.
Follow the Word Herald,
1937.
F�rsamlings-Bladet,
1888.
142.I.18.2F
10
Good News,
1942-1943, 1945.
News and Views,
1962-1963.
The Star from Bethlehem,
1971.
Viren newsletters,
1977, 1982-1986, 1988-1990, 1997.
10 folders.
Letter to church members and friends no longer attending church (because
they were living out of state, were away at school, etc.). This is
essentially a weekly digest of church news written by church missionary
Elsie Viren.
RECORDS OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
142.I.18.2F
10
Choir: Minute book,
1914-1920.
Daughters of Bethlehem:
Minute book,
1946-1960.
Treasurer's record book,
1946-1960.
Dorcas Society:
The Dorcas Society was organized in 1884 to help the poor and needy in
the church and in the neighborhood, and to support home missions.
Minute books:
1884-1908.
4 folders.
1912-1921.
Minutes and miscellaneous papers,
1917-1924.
2 folders.
Goodfellowship Society:
This organization for the young men of the church appears to have been
organized around 1910. It functioned as both a Sunday School class and
as a training ground for Christian ministry. Led by Dr. Ewald Chalberg
(known as "Doc" to generations of young men), Goodfellowship members
with musical gifts formed Gospel Teams that traveled to churches and
other venues in the Midwest sharing the message of the Gospel in music
and testimony. This collection also contains biographical information on
Chalberg.
Gospel Team:
Correspondence,
1927-1933, 1952.
2 folders.
Record book,
1932-1936.
Gospel Team II: Record book,
1939-1943.
Miscellaneous records,
1913-1951.
Heman Male Chorus: Record book,
1915-1921.
Junior Young Peoples' Union: Account book,
1949-1955.
King's Daughters Society:
The first society in the church that spoke English, organized in 1881 by
Mrs. Emma Peterson (wife of then-pastor Frank D. Peterson) for young
women to support home and foreign missions.
Membership directory,
1941.
Minute books:
1906-1922.
3 folders.
1931-1946.
2 folders.
142.I.18.3B
11
1947-1960.
2 folders.
Treasurer's book (journal),
1944-1959.
Ladies Missionary Society: Minute book,
1909-1911.
Light Bearers Society:
Minute book,
1912-1919.
Record book,
1910-1915.
Men's Brotherhood: Minute book,
1912-1916.
Missions Circle: Minute books:
1896-1904.
1907-1915.
Music Committee: Minute books,
1946-1962.
3 volumes in 1 folder.
Young People's Society:
Ungdoms F�rening f�r Kristlig Verksamhet.
Some of the material is in Swedish.
1887-1894.
1894-1898.
1911-1926.
1926-1947.
Record of monthly receipts,
1942-1947.
Miscellaneous papers,
1902-1905.
SUBJECT FILES
142.I.18.4F
12
Allm�nna Konferenses 52:a �rsm�te,
1931.
Anniversaries:
50th,
1923.
60th,
1931.
65th,
1936.
70th,
1941.
75th,
1946.
80th,
1951.
85th,
1956.
90th,
1961.
95th,
1966.
100th,
1971.
110th,
1981.
See also an oversize item in Box 15, below.
120th,
1991.
125th,
1996.
2 folders.
Apprenticeship program for pastoral candidates (proposal),
1986.
Baptist General Conference of America: Meeting at St. Paul,
1952.
Bethel Baptist Church (Minneapolis),
undated and 1961.
Bethel Institute/Bethel Junior College,
1943-1945.
Bethlehem Baptist Church Foundation,
[ca.1980].
Bethlehem Ministers to the World,
1963.
Bibel-och Uppbyggelse-Konferensen,
1922.
Bibles Against Communism Patriotic Broadcasts,
undated.
Chalberg, Ewald,
1951-1962.
Constitution and bylaws,
1946-1990.
One of these items has suffered some water damage and some of its pages
are stuck together.
Deed for the church property,
1872.
Evidently this was for the land on which the congregation's first church
building was constructed.
Discipleship Program proposal,
undated.
Education for Exultation: Building campaign vision notebook,
2000.
Evangelism: Miscellany,
undated and [ca.1920]-1959.
First Swedish Baptist Church (St. Paul): Calendar,
1936-1937, 1941-1942.
First Swedish Baptist Church/Payne Avenue Baptist Church (St.
Paul),
1917, 1936-1962.
Goodfellowship class/Men's ministry,
1941-1943.
Greetings to Servicemen from First Swedish
Baptist Church,
1940s.
Gronquist, Hazel: Collected historical memorabilia,
1942-1978.
International students,
1993-1995.
Johnson, John F.: Historical narratives--First Swedish Baptist
Church,
undated.
LeTourneau, R.G.: NOW newsletter,
1945.
Malmsten, Wyman,
1974.
Master planning documents,
1994-1995.
Ministry directories,
1989-1993.
Minnesota Swedish Baptist Conference: 86th Annual meeting,
1944.
"Ninety by Nintey" missions initiative,
1987-1989.
Our Giving Account newsletter,
undated and 1993.
Pastors:
Bodien, Olof,
1912-1913, 1989.
Bodien, Olof: Dalasonens Heml�ngtan
(song),
undated.
Carlson, Eric,
undated.
Fleming, Bruce S.,
1970.
Fleming, Bruce S.: Five Year Projections for Bethlehem
Baptist Church,
1974.
Lindholm, Eric,
undated and 1958.
Peterson, Frank,
1929.
Sjolund, Anton E.,
undated and 1928-1942.
Wilcox, John,
1965.
Pastors and Christian workers sent from Bethlehem (1935-1990),
1984-1996.
Span the Nineties,
1988-1990.
Survey--All church,
1994.
Swedish Baptist General Conference of America: 65th Annual
meeting,
1944.
Treasurer's reports:
1943-1948.
2 folders.
1967-1971.
"2000 by 2000" missions initiative,
1995.
Urban ministries,
1963-1996.
Welcome brochures,
undated and [ca.1985].
What We Believe about the Five Points of
Calvinism,
1985.
Widen, William F. (Bill),
undated and 1942.
Women's ministries and mission work,
undated and 1944-1991.
Youth Week,
1965-1966.
Miscellany,
undated and 1924-1978.
VIREN, ELSIE: CARD FILES
Elsie Viren joined the staff of First Swedish Baptist Church in 1929 as a
full-time "Church Missionary." Under this title she administered the church
office; carried on correspondence with church members, friends, and
missionaries; taught Sunday School classes; and visited the families of the
congregation as circumstances warranted.
142.I.18.5B
13
Small Box 1:
Christian workers sent out,
undated and [1980s].
Decisions,
1952.
Marriages performed by Pastor Sjolund,
1931-1950.
Old calls on non-members,
1936-1955.
Old Thanksgiving and Christmas basket cards,
1929-1954.
Staff,
[1940s]-[1990s].
Small Box 2:
Members who have been dropped or erased,
1937-1977.
Small Box 3:
Visitation cards,
1929-1978.
This collection of index cards (one or more per church family)
documents Viren's in-home visits. New church members, new babies,
hospitalizations, deaths, and long absences in church attendance
often prompted these visits.
142.I.18.6F
14
Small Box 4:
Visitation cards: A-L,
1936-1987.
Small Box 5:
Visitation cards: L-Z,
1936-1987.
Small Box 6:
Visitation cards,
1937-1987.
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
142.G.15.8F-2
15
Foldered Oversize Materials:
Anniversaries: 110th: Mayoral proclamation,
1981.
Span Parts II and III,
1989-1991.
142.G.16.1B-1
16
Oversize Volumes:
Membership registers:
1871-1897.
"Church Record Book." This volume also contains statistical
records.
1871-1916.
"Matrikel f�r I.sta Baptist F�rsamlingen i
Minneapolis, Minnesota." There is some overlap of
information with the volume above.
1917-1945.
"Church Record."
Other oversize volumes:
Dorcas Society: Income and Disbursement Register,
1889-1908.
Goodfellowship Young Men's Bible Class: Secretary's
Report (minute book),
1910-1911.
Ungdomsf�rening f�r Kristlig
Verksamhet,
1887-1900.
(Young People's Society for Christian Work membership
register.)