About

The Littlefork Evangelical Free Church traces its roots back to two country churches - the Meadowbrook Congregational Church and the Lindford Swedish Evangelical Church.  The Meadowbrook Church, founded in 1913, with similar views on local church governmental independence and missionary zeal found a warn reception with the Littlefork Evangelical Free Church.  In fact, the National Congregational Church sent many missionaries into Scandinavian settlements, and started many churches that later developed into E.F. Churches.

It was Mrs. Axel Stinkvist who organized and taught the first Sunday Schools in Meadowbrook Township around 1908.  In 1917, the church was built, and then dedicated by Rev. Carl Burquist.

In 1928, the Swedish E.F. Church began in Lindford, and by 1937, was sharing pastors with Meadowbrook Congregational Church.  A common fellowship was established between the two churches.

The Lindquist Brothers (Edseland Royal) and Fred Rodman started services in a rented Littlefork store during 1947.  Officially, this was the birth of the Littlefork Evangelical Free Church, while unofficially, it may claim the 1913 Congregational Church as its starting date based on similar creeds, church government style, and attending families.

October 16, 1954, saw the completion and dedication of the LEFC church building.  It had taken many hours of volunteer labor, which included logging the timber, sawing it on Jean Vessey's sawmill, and then both men and women constructing the new building.  Overseeing the project was Pastor Eugene Fanberg.

The year 1960, saw the Sunday School attendance hit an all time high yearly average of 77.4 students.  The surrounding community was populated with many small farms and the economy was expanding.  In this era, a new hospital emerged, the school was receiving new additions, and the city built a liquor store.  Rev. Curtis Anderson encouraged each family to gather up a carful of neighboring kids to bring in to Sunday School.

In 1976, the LEFC congregation was building again.  This time a foyer was added t to existing structure.  Then, almost 20 years later, when all possibilities of further additions and new buildings seemed a part of the glorious past, God changed the direction of the church again.

The Littlefork school decided to expand and modify its building.  The construction plans included the land where the church stood.  After prayerfully seeking God's will, it became clear He had paved the way for a new, and more modern building.

The school took possession of the old church building almost immediately, and for the next seven months, services were held in the church parsonage.

On February 16, 1996, the first Sunday worship service was conducted in the new building.  It had taken the cooperating efforts of many friends in the community to complete the spacious, single level church building.  Many former pastors, people from the neighboring E.F. churches, and community friends sharing in praising God for His abundance toward us were present at the church dedication on March 24, 1996.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LEFC Ministry Goals:

• To preach the gospel
• To bind up the brokenhearted
• To proclaim freedom for those taken captive by sin
• To tell of the Lord's grace
• To proclaim God's wrath is coming
• To provide for those who grieve

History of the Deeper Life Bible Camp

The camp was incorporated under the name Deeper Life Bible Conference Assn. with the mission statements of:

• Seeking the salvation of the lost
• To lead believers into a deeper spiritual life by prayer, Bible study, and preaching
• To unite cooperating churches and youth groups in Christian fellowship
• To promote evangelism and missions
• To develop a strong Christian camping program

In 1940, a group of Evangelical Free Church pastors me to discuss and pray for the concern God had laid upon them to expand the ministy to their youth.  The existing camp in Southern Minnesota made it unaccessable to most families living in the northern country.

Those pastors, John Goodrich, Alden Hanson, William Fjellstedt, and Clarence Johnson, together with the aid of Axel Thorwall and H.E. Sodergren, saw their prayers answered with the first camp season in 1941.  From 1941 to 1964, the Deeper Life Conference Assn. rented the grounds of the Lutheran Bible Camp located about one mile west of Blackduck.  In 1964, the Lutheran Administration decided to sell the grounds, and the Evangelical Free Churches who were members of the DLBC Assn. agreed to purchase it for $10,000.  Prior to this hugh step of faith, the DLBC had operated with a minimum of expense by using donated farm produce, all volunteers, and without the need of an elaborate constitution.

At about the same, time the camp board discovered two adjoining parcels of land that could be acquired for $1300.  The one is presently used as the ballfield and the other contains the girl's cabins.

Many other changed have taken place since 1964.  Some of the older buildings have been removed, including the famous "Coop."  New buildings include the Recreation/Office building and several cabins.  Some of the others have been moved to new locations that fulfilled the different needs.

Just as the facility has seen many changes, so to has the camping program adjusted to changing needs.  During the early years, camp meant that the entire family moved onth the grounds.  Gradually, the ministry experienced a shift from family camping to a specialized ministry that focused on the needs of each age group.  This change brought the need for a more extensive staff training program and the selection of speakers quailfied for each different age group.

All those changes have resulted in the camp program expanding from one week per summer to a program that almost fills the entire summer!  The expansion God is blessing the camp with brought the need for more people to be actively involved.  In 1991, responding to that need, the Deeper Life Bible Camp board amended the camp constitution.  The new amendment opened the door to churches, other the Evangelical Free, that wholly agreed with the camp statement of faith to become part of the governing Assn.