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The Suomi Synod was formed by Finnish Lutherans in Calumet, Michigan in March of 1890. In 1896, the Synod founded the Suomi College in Theological Seminary in Hancock, Michigan. The Synod closely aligned with the doctrine of the State Church of Finland. Beginning in 1920, the Suomi Synod began a partnership with the ULCA to form an Immigrant Mission Board which helped support the work of the Finnish Missionary Society. The Suomi Synod was part of the 1963 merger to form the LCA.

Spokane College was incorporated in Spokane, Washington in August 1905, by representatives from various localities in Washington and the surrounding states. Until that time, there were no Prostestant affiliated colleges in the immediate area. In 1929, Spokane College closed and the records sent to Pacific Lutheran College.

In the fall of 1987 a small group of people joined together to form the steering committee for a mission congregation then known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Everett. Under the leadership of Mark Samuelson, the mission developer pastor called by the ELCA, they met regularly in the bingo hall on Paine Field while reaching out to the community and inviting others to join them in worship. Organization Day was held on January 8, 1989, and on that day the group that had affectionately been known as “Potluck Lutheran” officially became Spirit of Christ. Over the course of the next few years they meant in various places, and finally in the spring of 1994 construction began on a permanent church building. On May 21st, 1995 the building was dedicated. The congregation voted to dissolve on January 20th, 2002, and the final service was held at the end of May, 2002

Sons of Norway is the largest Norwegian-American organization in the world, comprised of members in the United States, Canada and Norway. The organization provides opportunities for members to familiarize themselves with the culture and traditions of Norway through local lodge and district lodge activities and events. Sons of Norway was organized as a fraternal benefit society by 18 Norwegian immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 16 January 1895. The purposes and goals were to protect members and their families from financial hardships during times of sickness or death. This was gradually expanded to include the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture.

Originally, to qualify for membership, one had to be male, either Norwegian or of Norwegian descent, give proof of being morally upright, in good health, capable of supporting a family, at least 20 years old, and no more than 50 years of age.

Today, their extensive insurance program offered to qualifying members provides a firm foundation and economic base from which their numerous programs are carried out, furthering the cultural values of the Norwegian heritage.

The organization Sons of Norway consists of a main office and district offices that gathers all the reports and payments from the different lodges. The lodges are run by a president, finance secretary, secretary, cashier, and the members. All of the lodges have to send in financial reports and member lists every six month. The district secretary then meets with the main office secretary for a yearly meeting where they go through the reports.

There are 47 Sons of Norway lodges found in District 2, located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The oldest lodge, Leif Erikson Lodge No. 2-001 was organized in Seattle, Washington on 13 May 1903.

The Skagit Valley Mannskor (Men's Chorus) was founded in 2000. In 2005, the Mannskor hosted the Norwegian Singers Association of America's Sangerfest. The event included performances from all 12 existing Norwegian Male Choruses on the West Coast.

In July 1956, mission developer Richard G. Christensen began to proselytize in Shoreline, and in September the first service was held with 120 attending. Sunday school enrolled 59. Organization took place on February 17, 1957 with 107 charter members. The group purchased property and held a dedicatation day on December 29, 1957.

By 1960 Saint Stephen was thriving with two services, two choirs, 185 children in Sunday school, an active youth group, a new parsonage, and becoming officially self-supporting. In 1964 a new six-classroom education unit provided urgently needed facilities. Dedication of the new facility was held December 11, 1977.

In 2003 the congregation voted to enter into transformation, but in 2006 the transformation process fell apart, and the ministry was closed.

St Paul’s Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized June 1891 when Pastor Jens Jensen Mylund came to take charges of the field. From 1891-1897 the congregation held their services at 2308 South G Street, Tacoma. The congregation moved to 1529 South Tacoma Ave in 1898. In 1902 they built a church on L St., and in January 1905 the congregation was incorporated. In 1905 the parsonage was finished. The congregation sold their building December of 1961, and merged with Grace Lutheran in January of 1962.

• From the history in the parish registry

This congregation was organized on October 26, 1890 under the direction of missionary pastor A. Woestenberger with five members present. On January 16, 1891 a loan was received from the Iowa Synod with which a lot on Kentucky Street was purchased, and construction of the church began. Dedication followed the following summer. Several Lutheran congregations were organized in the area beginning in 1895, depleting the membership at St. John’s. In 1924 Rev. H. Mau became resident pastor. The parsonage which had been built in 1904 was remodeled and the struggling mission took on new spiritual life.

In the fall of 1938 the deed was acquired to a lot adjoining the old property. In the summer of 1947 the parsonage was completely remodeled, modernized and enlarged. In 1951 the present site was purchased. The cornerstone was laid June 11, 1955 and the new sanctuary was dedicated on March 11, 1956. A new parsonage was also purchased and dedicated during Rev. Butenshon’s ministry. A new educational wing was added to the church and dedicated in 1967. On February 10, 1963 the Ebenezer Congregation of Bellingham merged with St.John’s. This congregation was a member of the Lutheran Free Church.

Following a period of declining membership the congregation closed in 2020.

Saint James Lutheran Church’s history traces back to 1921, when Pastor Frederick Weisenborn founded a Lutheran Church and Sunday school in the White Center area of Seattle. At first, there was no actual church building, and services were held in local halls and the houses of members, such as Esther Hilborn’s, where the Church’s first Eucharist was held. The church struggled to eke out an existence during its nascent years, but was prospering by 1928, when the congregation was renewed under Pastor P.E. Blaiser. Full-time pastor Kolbein Simundsson arrived in 1928 and served until retiring in 1958.

In 1947, a new church building was finished and received a dedication service. At its peak, Saint James Lutheran Church grew to support 600 attendees in its church and 400 children in its Sunday school. The numbers dwindled with time, however, and eventually the Church serviced a moderately sized group, whose average age increased over the years. The Church increased outreach programs to the community, such as teaching English to immigrants and creating programs to find jobs for them. Projects such as Alcoholics Anonymous, the Girl Scouts and Nutrition Programs were also supported in this time. The church building was consistently renovated over time.

Saint James closed after Easter in 2005, because church attendance had dropped dramatically. The Easter service contained 50 attendees; on average it served 25, most of which were retirees.

The Riverton Heights Lutheran Church was organized as a Mission of the American Lutheran Church on October 2, 1945. The Agreement of Association with the state of Washington was signed on October 17, 1945 by Pastor Phillip Rohrbacher, Jeanne Axtell, Kenneth Hove, Arthur Theimer, Gus Magnuson, M. E. Baker, and Malinda Spanier. The lot where the church was built was purchased for $1,350. The deed was dated October 30, 1945.

Church services, weddings, baptisms, funerals, and Sunday School were conducted in the basement of the Parsonage until the Chapel was dedicated on April 13, 1947. The Parsonage continued to serve portions of the Sunday School for several years. Ground breaking ceremonies for construction of the Parish Education Building were held on October 26, 1958. On April 24, 1960, the building was dedicated and has since fulfilled its multiple functions admirably. Recognizing our continuing need for additional facilities, a program for construction of a new Sanctuary and additional classrooms was begun in October 1966. Ground breaking took place on September 9, 1973. The new Sanctuary was dedicated on June 8, 1975.

During the church’s time many pastors served. Philip Rohrbacher, the founding pastor, served from 1945 to 1948. He was followed by Ernest Philippi from 1948 to 1952, Erich Knorr from 1952 to 1953 and February through June 1954, Vernon Kraxberger from 1953 to 1954, Leonard Kutz from 1954 to 1968, Richard Bersie from 1968 to 1995, Norma Borgford from 1995 to 1996, and Joyce Miller from 1996 to 1998, in which the church closed due to lack of funds.

• From the commemorative booklet from the church’s closing worship