This local church was organized on May 16, 1925. The first meeting place was at the church built on a corner lot at 824 America Avenue. Forty members belonged to the original congregation. For several years before organization, there were perhaps a dozen believers in this area.
Rev. M. Ruskjer officiated at services for Raymond L. Butts, eight months old son of Mr. and Mrs. Gettie S. Butts on April 5, 1920. The child passed away after an illness with pneumonia brought about by measles. The child was laid to rest following funeral services held at the home of Mrs. John Corcoran at Thirteenth and Dalton.
Rev. M. Ruskjer officiated at the funeral of James Sharples at 909 Mississippi Avenue who died May 1, 1920.
The earliest mention in the Bemidji Pioneer of any building activity by the Seventh-Day Adventists was a clipping on July 1, 1920.
Rev. M. Ruskjer of the Minnesota Conference Association of Seventh Day Adventists, has purchased through T. Baudette, of the Northern Real Estate Exchange, two fine centrally located lots on the corner of Ninth Street and America Avenue. Rev. Ruskjer expects to erect a church on the site in the near future.
A series of lectures were conducted by Evangelists G. L. Budd and M. Ruskjer in the Gospel Tent pitched on the corner of Ninth and America avenue on July 8, 1920. The inspiration of the Bible was the topic of discussion the first night.
In front page coverage of his lecture later in the month, the Bemidji Pioneer quoted Evangelist Preacher Ruskjer on July 23, 1920, when he said that Baptism was the outward sign of an inward change, and that only one mode of baptism could be accepted as right, that of immersion.
Rev M. Ruskjer and family, who had been living at 819 America Avenue, left by auto in June 1921 for Fergus Falls where they planned to make their home. The house they vacated was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. George Sthol, who had lived at the Kaplan flats the previous winter.
The organization was referenced again in December 8, 1921. “A series of meetings have been started in the Kitichi school house by Seventh Day Adventist ministers. Everyone is welcome. They have been holding some excellent and very helpful meetings at White Pine and have done much good. They come here, highly recommended. Mr. and Mrs. Bogart of White Pine brought them out to Kitichi.”
The first church service notice appeared in the paper on March 4, 1922, The Adventists were listed as part of the regular church services offered in Bemidji.
Gospel services will continue at Christianson’s hall at Nymore each Sunday night throughout March by the local pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist church of Bemidji with assistance from time to time by visiting ministers from St. Paul and elsewhere. Subject for March, 5, at 7:45 p.m. will be, “The New Birth, and The Work of the Holy Ghost.” Special music and song. Come early. B. O. Engen
The church was built in 1925. A parsonage was purchased at 710 15th Street by the Minnesota Association of Seventh-Day Adventists of St. Paul in 1951. Prior to that time the pastors lived in rented quarters.
The first parochial school was held in 1917 with 16 pupils. It was held in the teacher’s home somewhere near Dalton Avenue and 21st Streets. This was part of the general growth of the parochial school system in the denomination as well as the country.
The presence of a day school for at least eight years before the organization, would indicate that a Sabbath School was in operation at least at that time. Seventh-Day Adventist Sabbath Schools are attended by all the members of the church and include the children right down to the cradle level. These schools are designed to provide an opportunity for daily Bible study for all age groups.
An update on leadership of the church for 1971 is as follows:
New officers have been elected to guide the programs and organizations of the Bemidji Seventh-day Adventist church for 1971. They begin their term of service on Jan. 1. Charged with assisting the pastor and leading when he is gone is John Smedberg, Guthrie, appointed first elder. He will have a board of four elders working with him. They are Dr. D. Wohlfeil. Ronald Lang, Everett Marsh, and Donald Larsen. Marvin Frishman has been named head deacon, and Elvera Hall as head deaconess. Five deacons and three deaconesses will assist them in general services to the church. Keeping tabs on records and reports will be Arlene Frishman, church clerk. The church membership also approved leadership for their Sabbath School and young people’s organization. General superintendent for 1971 is Dorothy Coyle. Leading in religious and social activities for the church’s teens and youth is Dennis Ras. Everett Marsh will direct lay activities which encompass home missions, health and welfare services, and evangelistic projects by laymen. Seventh-day Adventists operate on a representative form of church government. Authority in the church rests with the church membership, who delegate responsibility to elected leadership.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST Ninth and America Ave. D.E. Klam, Pastor Saturday— 10 a.m. Sabbath school 11:15 a.m. Morning worship Wednesday— 8 p.m. Prayer meeting Sunday— 9:30 a.m. “The Voice Prophecy” over KBUN radio.
The church building was sold in the 1980s to the Church of the Nazarene. It is owned currently by the Peoples Church of Bemidji.
Information for this article came from Genevieve Berry’s “A Brief History of the Church of Bemidji” (Feb. 28, 1955) and from articles in the Bemidji Daily Pioneer.