Events in the Newspaper

Events at All Saints

Korean Conflict

  1957  

250 people leave Gethsemane Lutheran Church to start All Saints Lutheran Church

Elvis

Pastor Bob Warren called as the first pastor

Nuclear War Fear

First service held April 14, 1957 in the old Glen Lake School

Sputnik

Church membership: 213 baptized children, 114 Confirmed adults

Baby Boom
Southdale Mall Built

  1958  

Church in the Woods site selected at Excelsior Boulevard and Woodland - including livable house

NASA founded

Additional service - now at two each Sunday

Castro becomes Dictator of Cuba

  1959  

First sanctuary built with help from labor from All Saints - occupied on April 19

Lasers invented

1960

Began giving to Worldwide missions

Peace Corps founded

1961

Long Range Planning Committee recommends expansion of church

Cuban Missile Crisis

 1962 

All Saints joins the newly formed Lutheran Church of America (LCA)

Building Committee presents plans for new Church

JFK Killed

1963

Added one more service - now at three each Sunday

Beatles become popular

1964

Began building new Church

Congregation wishes to become more global oriented

Civil Rights Movement

  1965  

Fire in the Church damages first unit built

First year with a Lay President of congregation

Vietnam Conflict

Second house purchased

Women's Movement

Present sanctuary built - trustees did janitorial duties

Church women made choir robes and window coverings

Hippie Culture

  1966  

Problems with the roof leaking

Nursery School started, enrollment at 56

First Football Super Bowl

  1967  

LCA begins to form ecumenical relationships with other denominations

Minnetonka Becomes a Chartered City

Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy Killed


Woodstock

Church membership: 613 baptized children, 808 confirmed adults

1968

Number of members leave to form a new church

First Associate Pastor John Johnson called

 1969  

Emphasis on needs of Exceptional (special needs) Children results in special Nursery School group

Women Ordained in LCA

 1970  

Women ordained in LCA  
Pastor Mike Hendrickson called as Associate Pastor

VCR's introduced

Conflict and reconciliation within congregation between liberal and conservative members

1972

Committee on Problems/Needs presents plan of action and a budget crisis is resolved.

Vietnam War Ends

  1973  

Pastor Dennis Albrecht called as Senior Pastor after Pastor Bob Warren leaves

Watergate Scandal

Gen Moore elected as first woman President of Congregation

1974

Fire in Church in February

Attendance increases by 30%

Microsoft Founded

1975

Stephen Carlson called as Associate Pastor

Exploration by congregation of more contemporary worship service format

Elvis found dead

  1977  

Growth in Sunday School - congregation votes to build an education unit

Miniseries Roots and movie Star Wars are hits

Pastor Carlson leaves for a new calling

Approval to remodel and expand Church

Mid week Lenten services added, lay readers added to worship services

Church membership: 602 baptized children, 1269 confirmed adults

Nursery school enrollment at 94

1978

Begin using new Lutheran Book of Worship

Church begins remodel and expansion

Sony introduces the Walkman

1979

Open House and Dedication of new church school addition to church

Multicultural Growth

  1980  

Sponsored Vietnamese refugees

Ted Turner creates CNN

Family emphasis

Pastor Clarence Peterson serves as visitation pastor

Increased use of Personal Computers

Church constitution by-laws rewritten and updated

  1981  

Pastor Albrecht leaves for new calling, Tom Fruedenstein serves as Interim Pastor

Family Style Changes

  1982  

Pastor Gary Anderson called as Senior Pastor

Sponsored Cambodian refugees

First handbell choir

Corporate Downsizing

  1983  

Pastor Sharon Betcher called as first woman Associate Pastor

1984

Ministry Teams developed, more lay leadership added

AIDS
Challenger Disaster

  1985  

All Saints Child Care Center started in building that was previously the pastor's residence - 21 children

1986

New roof for Church

All Saints Foundation begins

DNA first used to convict criminals

  1987  

Child Care Center burns down in early morning hours - the Center moves into the church

New York Stock Exchange huge drop "Black Monday"

Church membership: 623 baptized children, 1556 confirmed adults

Nursery school enrollment at 230

More Violence in Society

 1988  

Congregation authorizes the building of the present facilities

Pastor Bill Lehman called as Associate Pastor

All Saints becomes a congregation of the ELCA

Cans for Hunger aluminum can collection begins

Berlin Wall Comes Down

 1989  

Building finished

Restructure of Church staff to better meet congregation needs: 3 clergy (one specializing in children & family), full time Administrator, full time Youth Director, full time Music Director

Pastor Raita Neely called as Associate Pastor

Hubble Telescope launched into space

  1990  

Family ministry program begins

Nelson Mandela freed

Use of new worship book "Together" at contemporary service.

Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm)

1991

Family counseling available by appointment with a counselor from the Institute for Christian Living

Rewrite of congregation mission statement

Midweek services offered in summer

Official end of Cold War

1992

All Saints Today newspaper published for Fall Stewardship program

Riots in Los Angeles after Rodney King verdict

Committee organized to study need for new organ

Use of Internet grows exponentially

  1993  

Pastors Gary Anderson and Bill Lehman leave for new calling

First group of peer ministers formed

Gangs

  1994  

Pastor David Lindblom called as Senior Pastor

Purchase of new organ approved

Oklahoma City Bombing

  1995  

Pastor Timothy Johnson called as Associate Pastor

Began using contemporary hymnal "With One Voice"

Child Care Center enrollment at 58

Mad Cow disease first hits Britain

1996

Small group ministry focus

Great Floods

  1997  

Pipe organ installed and dedicated

Mission Trip to Northern Mexico

Scientists clone sheep

Church membership: 696 baptized children, 1742 confirmed adults

Nursery school enrollment at 218

 1998  

Pastor David Lindblom retires

Pastors Neely and Johnson become Co-Pastors

President Clinton Impeached

 1999  

Addition of Christian Education Director

Y2K arrives with less trouble than expected

2000

 New Mission Statement adopted : Loved by Christ, sharing Christ's love with others

Establishment of permanent Outreach Ministry staff position

Terrorist Attack 9/11/01

2001

First of Mural series painted in Mary Room, dedicated as Noah Room

Economy struggling; stock market falling

Church formalizes Families in Need ministry principally to Somali immigrants

First fall mission trip to Cabrini Greens, Chicago area

Euro Currency debuts in 12 European countries

2002

Mid week Family Worship Services offered four times per year

Jobless rate soars

Fair Trade and Peace Coffee sales begin

Job Transition ministry group formed

Church begins mission to Casa Hogar Elim orphanage in Mexico

United States begins war with Iraq

2003

New outdoor Chapel on Hill built

Housing market boom

Cans for Hunger receipts exceed $50,000