St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Walum celebrated its Centennial in 1985, having been organized in Dakota Territory four years before statehood.
On June 1, 1885, a group of men gathered together at the Aslak Gunderson home located south of what would later become the town of Walum. They came from their homesteads to the north, south, east and west for the purpose of organizing a Norwegian Lutheran congregation.
Pastor O. C. Gronvold, a pioneer missionary pastor, conducted the meeting and guided them in their efforts. That day, however, the decision was made to divide into two congregations, namely Eidfjord and Bald Hill. Bald Hill's name was changed to St. Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1902.
Aslak Gunderson donated land to Bald Hill for a cemetery and a future church site. The first officers elected were: Andrew Nelson and Even Olson, trustees; Isaac Isaacson Dobbedal, secretary-treasurer; Martin Mossing, song leader. Pastor Gronvold provided a limited number of services the first two years and the Gunderson School was used as a meeting place. Then in 1888, Rev. P. A. Thoreson was installed as pastor and he continued to serve for 32 years.
Controversy arose as to where a church should be located. When it became financially feasible to make building plans in 1898, those opposed to the original site withdrew their membership to begin a new congregation in Hannaford. In 1899, a church building was erected but it was razed by a tornado in 1916, which also destroyed Eidfjord's first church. The present St. Olaf Church was built in 1917.
Eidfjord and St. Olaf together with Mabel of Sutton and Hannaford formed the Hannaford Parish until 1924. Mabel was replaced by Union through a realignment. Eidfjord, St. Olaf and Union became Trinity Parish in 1959. In 1890, the congregation joined the United Norwegian Lutheran Church. Through subsequent mergers of Lutheran bodies it has been affiliated with the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America (later Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), the American Lutheran Church and since January 1, 1988, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Following O. C. Gronvold (1885-87) and P. A. Thoreson (1888-1920), pastors who accepted the call to shepherd the flock were:
George Natvick (1921-24)
John Haaland (1924-27)
E.C. Tollefson (1927-28)
E.O. Stepson (1928-29)
E.O. Lee (1930-47)
Lewis Bakke (1947-48)
Roy Gilbertson (1949-53)
Edwin Bersagel (1954-57)
Alexander Thompson (1957-59)
Soren Urberg (1959-63)
Milton Olson (1963-68)
L.A. Staveness (1968-71)
Arvild Jacobson (1971-75)
John Baxter (1976-78)
David Fretham (1979-84)
Galen and Helen Beth Kuhens (1985-88).
The present pastors, Robert and Mary Albing, were installed to serve Trinity Parish on January 15, 1989.
A . Ladies Aid was organized by Mrs. P. A. Thoreson in 1892. This organization, though called by different titles, has diligently worked in support of the local congregation and missionary outreach projects throughout the years.
An entry addition and a new kitchen in the basement were dedicated in 1983. These major improvements were made possible because of money received from the Alfred and Sylvia Nelson estate.
Stained glass windows in the entry, nave and chancel are in memory of:
Herbert Sonju
Conrad Fogderud
Alfred and Sylvia Nelson
Arthur, Irene and Evelyn Glesner
Aslak and Therand Gunderson from Glen Broten and three other grandchildren
Andrew and Omaranda Sonju from Hilda Sonju plus two others from Hilda Sonju and two from Memorial Window Funds.
St. Olaf's Centennial celebration was planned in conjunction with Eidfjord as had been the 50th, 75th and 90th anniversaries. Open House at St. Olaf on Friday evening, June 14, 1985, was patterned after an old-time Luther League meeting with a program, refreshments and visiting. Eidfjord had a full day of festivities on June 15, and St. Olaf on Sunday, June 16. Rev. Roy Gilbertson delivered the morning sermon. Other former pastors participated in the worship service, afternoon and evening programs. Present, together with their wives were E. O. Stenson, Soren Urberg, Milton Olson, Arvild Jacobson, John Baxter and David Fretham. The Valley City Troubadours gave a concert at St. Olaf in the evening.
The cemetery overseers were authorized by the congregation in 1970, to begin a Perpetual Fund with the purpose of using interest from this fund to maintain the cemetery. On April 14, 1987, the cemetery was incorporated as the St. Olaf Cemetery Association of Walum. Directors are Vernon Wogsland, Ernest Johnson and Jon Goplen.
Betsy Elizabeth from Meiganga, Cameroon, West Africa, came to Trinity Parish in June 1987, to spend a year learning English under the tutelage of Pastor Helen Beth Kuhens. Betsy is president of Women for Christ in her region of the Lutheran Church in Cameroon.
Officers of St. Olaf in 1989 are:
Trustees, Carl J. L. Haugen, Jon Goplen, Gilman Goplen
Deacons, Hilda Sonju, James Everson, Ronald Berge
Secretary Keith Linder
Treasurer Connie Fogderud
Denise Amann is the organist.
Women of the ELC officers are:
President Sylvia Fogderud
Vice President Vickie Mueller
Secretary Denise Amann
Treasurer Dorothy Wahl
Education Secretary Karen Wahl, and
Stewardship Secretaries Ruth Berge and Delores Linder.
St. Olaf and Eidfjord hold Sunday School jointly. Co-superintendents are Vickie Mueller and Kathie Hanson. Each summer Trinity Parish holds a week of Vacation Bible School. The youth of confirmation and high school age are active in Trinity Parish Youth Fellowship.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 66