First Lutheran Church

This folder contains a 100th anniversary booklet, a congregational historical record, various letters, newspaper clippings, a 60th anniversary booklet, a booklet from the 75th anniversary, a church timeline, a history of the church, a booklet encouraging giving towards the new church building, a booklet from the dedication 1961, a booklet from the 50th anniversary, a church directory, and a congregational statistical record.

The Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Lutheran Molde Congregation of King County, Washington Territory, was formed by eight families who met on March 14, 1886 with Rev. Nils Nilsen at the home of Jacob Hammer near Bothell. After meeting in homes for two years the congregation, in September of1888, started meeting in a schoolhouse and voted to purchase a lot. Construction began in January of 1889, and first services were held there on October 6 of that year. The first parsonage was built in 1907. In 1928 the congregation changed its name to First Lutheran Church of Bothell. The first parish hall was completed in 1931, and the Golden Jubilee celebration was held in 1936. In 1949 the first parish hall was sold and moved to Kenmore for use as a church. In 1952 the new parsonage on Sunrise Drive was dedicated, and in 1956, property east of the parish hall was purchased for use as a Sunday School hall and for parking. After the first church building was razed to make way for a new one, groundbreaking ceremonies were held (1960). In the same year the Women’s Missionary Society became the First Lutheran Church Women. In December of that year the first services were held in the new church, and Sunday School classes were moved into the new educational wing and Fellowship Hall. The dedication of the new church was held in conjunction with the 75th anniversary celebration in April of 1961.