NEW ROCKFORDEVANGELICAL FREE CHURCHHISTORY

	Under American Sunday School Missionary David Pritchard, services began at a country school north of McHenry in 1945.  Home Bible studies followed at the home of John Bennett in 1946.  Rev. Stanley Caine came as pastor in 1947 and worship services were moved to the McHenry Hall.  Glenn Snure came as full time pastor in 1949.  That November the basement was dug for a new church.  Pastor Snure left for the mission field in 1951,  and layman Bruce Stokka became interim pastor until the coming of Turner Tallaksen as pastor in  the fall of 1951.	The Glenfield gym was purchased on March 14, 1953 and moved 29, 1954.  As Pastor Tallaksen completed his ministry in Feb. 1955, Burton Sunday became the lay pastor.	Rev. W. Clarence Johnson accepted the call to pastor in 1955 and served until August of 1960.  Don Paulson became pastor in November of 1960, but resigned a short time later due to illness.	Rev. LuVerne Mulvihill from Devils Lake supplied the pulpit then and became regular pastor from 1962 until 1969.  In Feb. of 1970, David Owens became pastor for a brief time.  He was followed by David Hathaway in Oct. 1970.  It was during his ministry that services began in New Rockford in May of 1971.  On February 11, 1972,  the church was moved from McHenry to New Rockford and dedicated Sept. 16, 1973.  About this time also the parsonage was built.  Pastor Hathaway served until August, 1976.  Gaylen Kessler served a short time as pastor.	Pastor Glenn Peterson served as pastor from June, 1977 until July of 1981.  Doug and Ruth Bernston went out from the church as Child Evangelism Missionaries during this time.  Pastor Robert Ellis came from Minnesota to serve as Pastor from 1982 until November 1990.	John Mulvihil came to fill the pulpit in 1991 and stayed until 1994.   Pastor Gordon Bakan served from 1996 until Sept. 1998.   In Oct. 1997, we moved into the ASCS building as our new church.  Pastor Bill Levin was an interim pastor in 1998.  In August 1999 Pastor David Grabau came to be the pastor until 2008.	In 2009 we had a preacher on the wall from Devils Lake Bethel Free Church.  Feb. 12, 2010 Pastor Joe Greiner came to be the pastor.   We are grateful to the Lord for His mercies and provision as we keep “holding forth the Word of Life.”