history

Developed by Inspired Design

In 1928, seven Blue Grass families attended the December 9, 1928 dedication of the Assembly of God church in Hebron. Impressed with the fervent prayer and powerful preaching, they continued to attend until Hebron's pastor, August Hoff, started holding services in Blue Grass in about 1930. Hoff held what were probably the first Pentecostal meetings in Blue Grass, a rural community located fifteen miles northeast of Glen Ullin. Services were in the German tongue, as residents were mainly Germans from Russia. Hoff and his new flock initially met in the home of Rudolph Peltz and later in John Wetzel's more spacious granary.

In 1935, two acres of land was purchased from Eugene Weigle in the Blue Grass area and the church known as Full Gospel Tabernacle AG was built. During the winter of 1934-35, members constructed the church building with a seating of 75 people replete with balcony. Nickolaus Lesch served as the church's first pastor from 1935 to 1940. Under his leadership, he led the church (and other German-speaking Pentecostal churches in North Dakota) into the German Branch of the Assemblies of God (headquartered in ).

The Blue Grass congregation continued to grow, adding many families including: Sam Mindt; Otto Hartwig; Ed Luithle; Ed and Reuben Wetzel; and Milton and Reinhold Redmann. Attendance peaked at about 70 in 1940. In that year, disagreement over selection of a new pastor split the church. Several families withdrew in September 1940 and built a new church three miles south of the original Blue Grass church. This new group eventually moved their church into Glen Ullin around 1943 or 1944, forming what became Bethel Assembly of God. The two congregations shared a pastor for a while. In 1953, the Blue Grass church closed and merged with the one located in Glen Ullin. The present church was built and dedicated on November 25, 1954 while Arthur Klaus was pastor. In about 1975, Bethel Assembly transferred its membership from the German Branch to the North Dakota District Council.

Pastors

1930-??? August Hoff (Blue Grass)

???-1935 Reuben A. Griepp (Blue Grass)

1935-1940 Nickolaus Lesch (Blue Grass)

1940-1941 Alvin Spreche (Blue Grass)

1943-1944 John Lerch [together]

1944-1946 Hulda Kuppe

1946-1956 Arthur Klaus

1956-1958 Werner Honsalek

1958-1960 Harro J. Braker

1960-1965 Clarence Brotzman

1965-1972 Walter V. Stahlecker