After worshipping God in homes and school houses since the 1870's, "The Cokato, French Lake, Albion American Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church" was organized on January 3, 1892 at the Temperance Corner School. The old St Ignatius Church was purchased in 1907 and moved to our present church site.
In 1912 the congregation became affiliated with the Lutheran Church--Suomi Synod, and in 1917, it became a member of a parish composed of five Suomi Synod congregations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
It was in the early 1920's that the decision was made to build the present church. The work was done by the men of the congregation under the able direction of Victor Huikko and dedicated on May 23, 1926.
In the late 1930's the parish was reduced from five to three congregations, and in 1951, to two, when Kingston and French Lake became a seperate parish. Pastor Clair G Jennings was the first pastor of the new Kingston-French Lake parish, serving from 1951-1953. During this time an electronic organ was purchased, and in 1951, the congregation started having annual Bible conferences in the fall of the year.
In 1961 the congregation chose to no longer be a part of the Suomi Synod, and instead became an Independent Lutheran Church. The Kingston-French Lake parish was dissolved in 1963.
Evangelist Arthur J Johnson, having served first as a visiting pastor, accepted the call to become a full-time pastor in October 1963. Pastor Arthur Johnson faithfully served the LORD and this congregation until God brought him home.
In 1965 the congregation adopted a new Constitution and By-Laws. In 1966 a new entrance was built to the church, adding space for a mothers' room, lavatories, and a narthex.
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church has been and continues to serve the French Lake Community. The church ministers through worship services, Christian counsel, music, Christian education and fellowship, volunteer work, visits to the home-bound and sick, and support of mission work in Brazil.
Praise God for the 115 years He has given us together as the congregational family of Our Saviours Lutheran Church, French Lake, Minnesota.
Our present church leader is Pastor Edward Groop. Pastor Groop also comes out of the former Suomi Synod. He was ordained in the Lutheran Church of America and retired August 2000 after 36 years in the ministry in the LCA and ELCA. He began his pastorate here at Our Saviour's in August 2001.
This congregation believes and confesses that the Holy Scripture, the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments, are the Word of God, revealed for the salvation of man, and, therefore, the only source and rule of faith, doctrine, and life.
This congregation accepts the Apostolic, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds, and Luther's Small Catechism as a correct exposition of the teachings of the Word of God, and all the preaching and teaching in this congregation shall conform to these confessions.
This congregation governs its own affairs subject to the authority of the Word of God and of the Spirit, and recognizes no other ecclesiastical authority or government above itself.
