Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church of the city of Lead (1932 - 1939)

I wrote earlier an article about a demolished Finnish Church in Lead, South Dakota. This congregation, Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church of the city of Lead,  ceased operations in 1971. I dug up the copies of church records (minutes) I have a few days ago and compiled some information more. Congregations money transactions were never great. Almost all things were treated with voluntary work. To congregations priest, a layman preaher, was paid 15 dollars a month. So, he must have his full time work somewhere else, in this case in the Homestake Mining Company. Mining company supported each local congregation with a sum of $ 200 in a year. The condition was that the church had hired a pastor. Homestake Mining Company's donations accounted for up to 40 per cent of the annual costs of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in the 1930's, as you see below. 

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Reverend Matt Rivinoja served Apostolic
Lutherans in Lead till his death in 1932.
Lead Daily Call, June 18, 1932

The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 10, 1932
The annual revenues in 1931 $ 502,59 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 299,80
The annual expenditure in 1931 $ 489,34
account balance $ 78,55
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 31 votes
Isaac Fors 24 votes
Thomas Pelto 21 votes
John Rantanen 19 votes
Jacob Kurtti 15 votes
Auditors:
Benjamin Hastie and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Jacob Manninen and Peter Juntti
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Board meeting February 4, 1932
Isaac Fors was chosen for chairman, Eino Matti for secretary and treasurer.
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The annual meeting to select a priest for the congregation was held May 5, 1932:
Rev. Matt Rivinoja was unanimously appointed to continue.
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Reverend Matt Rivinoja died June 15, 1932. he was paid $ 15 a month, altogether $ 75.
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Meeting to select a priest for the congregation after Matt Rivinoja’s death.
Peter Juntti proposed (and was seconded) Charles Aarni’s election for rest of the year.

Thomas Pelto was a longtime board member
of Apostolic Lutheran church. Deadwood
Pioneer Times, June 23, 1935.

1933
The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 8, 1933
The annual revenues in 1932 $ 477,14 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 275,25
The annual expenditure in 1932 $ 479,73
account balance $ 75,96
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Chairman Isaac Fors proposed that those members who have not been able to pay their fees because of existing hard times, would get forgiveness and would be able to vote. His proposal was accepted.
The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 27 votes
Isaac Fors 24 votes
Thomas Pelto 22 votes
John Rantanen 16 votes
Jacob Kurtti 22 votes
Auditors:
Benjamin Hastie and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Jacob Manninen and Peter Juntti.
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Board meeting February 24, 1933
Isaac Fors was chosen for chairman, Eino Matti for secretary and treasurer.
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Semi-annual meeting July 9, 1933
Chairman Isaac Fors announced to the congregation, that there’s a possibility to get a new pastor. Reverend Matt Aijala from Moose Lake, Minnesota, is willing to come, if the congregation accepts and he will get work in Homestake Mine.
John Henry Frimodig and Charles Aarni seconded Fors’ proposal. Aarni recommended that chairman Fors and secretary Matti would go to discuss with the Homestake Mining Company’s manager Bruce C. Yates. Minutes don’t tell, if they really did so.
Treasurer Eino Matti sent 25 dollars to Matt Aijala on July 20^th, he came with family on 29^th and the first services were held at the church on 30^th July. Matt Aijala began his work in Homestake Mine, August 2, 1933. Matt Aijala was satisfied with his priest’s salary, 15 dollars a month
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Board meeting in October, 1933.
The church was decided to lease to the Methodists, the rent would be $ 15 a month.

1934
The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 7, 1934
The annual revenues in 1933 $ 559,53 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 237,20
The annual expenditure in 1933 $ 308,55
account balance $ 326,94
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 27 votes
Isaac Fors 22 votes
Thomas Pelto 23 votes
Matt Aijala 17 votes
Jacob Kurtti 22 votes
Auditors:
Benjamin Hastie and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Peter Juntti and Mary Waara
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Semi-annual meeting June 17, 1934:
Matt Aijala will continue as congregation’s pastor

John Henry Frimodig was a longtime
member of the Apostolic Lutheran
church. Deadwood Pioneer Times,
March 13, 1940.

1935
The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 6, 1935
The annual revenues in 1934 $ 591, 14 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 255,50
The annual expenditure in 1934 $ 605, 64
account balance $ 312,44
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 27 votes
Isaac Fors 27 votes
Thomas Pelto 16 votes
Matt Aijala 32 votes
Jacob Kurtti 24 votes
Auditors:
John Rantanen and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Peter Juntti, Isaac Fors and Mary Waara
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Semi-annual meeting July 21, 1935:
Matt Aijala will continue as congregation’s pastor.
Board member Thomas Pelto had died.  Charles Aarni was elected as his successor. There are rumors that congregation’s church building must be moved to another location. Isaac Fors and Eino Matti visited Homestake Mining Company’s office. Mr Kellar told there, that building can stay on its current lot until next spring, then it must be moved.

1936
 The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 19, 1936
The annual revenues in 1935 $ 550,25 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 240
The annual expenditure in 1935 $ 297, 62
account balance $ 565,09
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 19 votes
Isaac Fors 23 votes
Charles Aarni 20 votes
Matt Aijala 21 votes
Jacob Kurtti 11 votes
Auditors:
John Rantanen and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Peter Juntti, Isaac Fors and Mary Waara.
Matt Aijala promised to continue as congregation’s pastor.
After Jacob Kurtti died, John Harju was elected as his successor on 22^nd March, 1936.
Eino Matti and Isaac Fors visited Homestake Mining Company on 16^th April 1936. Mr Yates promised that Church building can stand on its lot one year more. Or as long as he will give information about removal, as building is in a quite good condition.

1937
The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 17, 1937
The annual revenues in 1936 $ 453,86 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 210
The annual expenditure in 1936 $ 413, 71
account balance $ 605,22
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 16 votes
Isaac Fors 17 votes
Charles Aarni 17 votes
Matt Aijala 17 votes
John Harju 11 votes
Auditors:
John Rantanen and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
Peter Juntti, Charles Aarni
Matt Aijala promised to continue as congregation’s pastor.

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Board meeting on 20^th June, 1937.
To Rev. Matt Aijala was given a loan, 73 dollars, for the purchase of a cow.

1938
The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 9, 1938
The annual revenues in 1937 $ 465,50 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $
200)
- membership dues $ 225,50
The annual expenditure in 1937 $ 560, 25
account balance $ 510,47
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The Election of members for the Executive Board:
Eino Matti 24 votes
Isaac Fors 23 votes

Charles Aarni 20 votes
Matt Aijala 20 votes
Henry Halonen 15 votes
Auditors:
Henry Halonen and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
John Harju, Charles Aarni
Matt Aijala promised to continue as congregation’s pastor.

1939

The annual meeting of the Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church in City of Lead, on January 15, 1939
The annual revenues in 1938 $ 662,85 (including Homestake Mining Company donation $ 200)
- membership dues $ 262,82
The annual expenditure in 1938 $ 300,24
account balance $ 873,08
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The Election of members for the Executive Board (26 voters) :
Eino Matti 20 votes
Isaac Fors 25 votes
Charles Aarni 16 votes
Matt Aijala 20 votes
John Rantanen 15 votes
Auditors:
Henry Johnson and Charles Aarni
Heating of congregation's Church:
Eino Matti
The collectors of membership fees:
John Harju, Charles Aarni
Matt Aijala promised to continue as congregation’s pastor.

History of a demolished Finn Church in Lead, South Dakota

The Black Hills Weekly, June 9, 1971

This is a story of now demolished Finnish church and defunct congregation in Lead, Black Hills, South Dakota. I have written one article about this congregation and Snoma Cemetery some years ago. I have got new information for this short article from the local newspapers and in Calumet, Mich., published Amerikan Suomalainen Lehti (American Finnish Journal). I have also got some copies of congregation's church books. The main source has been an article in Black Hills Weekly, June 9, 1971. 

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The old Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church, whose history was nearly as old as the town of Lead itself, was planned to be razed (in June 1971) to provide additional parking area for the visitors to the Black Hills, who tour the surface workings of the Homestake mine.

Births in the Lead Apostolic Lutheran Congregation,
Amerikan Suomalainen Lehti 05/30/1888

Located just above the Homestake tour guide house on Mill Street, the white wooden church was situated on Homestake ground and through the years has been the recipient of assistance from the mining company for its maintenance. Although extremely active during the years when a good percentage of the city’s population was Finnish, the church’s congregation was gradually dwindled through the years until it could no longer afford to support a resident minister but depended upon visiting clergymen or laymen preachers. No services had been held in the church for the past year (1970). Although the church was not first incorporated until February 14, 1898, the congregation converted a log school house in the Washington addition of Lead for its services. Located on McCloud Street, the building was purchased June 18, 1888 from an L.R. Graves. But even earlier in 1887, was recorded the first birth in the congregation. In Amerikan Suomalainen Lehti (American Finnish Journal) the first congregational information related to the Apostolic Lutheran church in Lead was in May, 1888. It was given by Reverend Nels Pietila.

Layman preacher Matt Rivinoja's and his wife's
headstone at Hope Cemtery, in Newell, SD.

Signing the first incorporation papers were Henry Kirkila/Kiekila/Kickala. I. D. Pilda, Jacob Ojala, Gust Abramson and Jacob Korpela. The first records of minutes were dated February 4, 1895

The first pastor hired by the congregation was a Rev. Henry Jankala and some of the member’s names in 1898 included Matt Larson, Benjamin Hastie, Abe Lehto, Isaac Jeremiason, John Hikkela (Heikkila?), Sackari Seppala, Abner Kivijarvi, Aate Pelto, William Johnson, Fred Kangas, Lars Jacobson, Matt Rautio, Auti (Antti?) Tahti, Henry Buskala, Gust Abramson and Fred Niemonen. The secretary was Matt Larson and presiding trustee, Benjamin Hastie.[1]

The Mill Street church building was purchased from Mr. and Mrs Maurice Walsh of Spearfish for $3000 in January, 1909, and was formerly a store. Trustees at that time were Benjamin Hastie, Frank Anderson and John H. Frimodig. Pastor Nels Pietila was the pastor from around 1902 until his death in 1927.[2] He married, baptized and confirmed many members of families in the area. Birth records show names of towns, which like many of their residents are no longer alive, such as Perry, Brownsville, Horse Creek and Snoma. The services were all conducted in Finnish. Members of early-day congregation recalled that Pastor Pietila wore a beard and was a saintly-appearing man. He held the respect of the youngest Sunday School pupil to the oldest members.

Layman preacher Matt Aijala

Matt Rivinoja, a shoemaker by trade, served as a layman preacher until his death in 1932 and from then on the congregation secured visiting ministers and missionaries whenever they were available.  Rivinoja lived in Newell. Two other members served congregation as lay preachers, at times, in addition to Pietila and Rivinoja. They were Benjamin Hastie and Charles Aarni. The Rev. Raymond Tulkki of Michigan served as pastor years 1941 – 1942. He was followed by Matt Aijala, layman preacher, who came from Moose Lake, Minnesota. He served until his death in 1961.

Pastors from neighboring states held services, for several years, often in private homes as the congregation became smaller and smaller with the passing of older families. Some of these included Benjamin Hastie, John H. Frimodig, Charles Aarni, Andrew Autio, Isaac Fors, Konola, Rantanen, Kermu, Ahonen and Lagg familes. The congregation filed for incorporation March 26, 1948, after its first 50-year charter expired. A group of five Lead residents obtained incorporation papers. They were William Rautio, John Harju, Lempi Kormu, Fannie Lomheim and Mary Jacobson.

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[1] In Amerikan Suomalainen Lehti appears also following names: William Wuopio, Isak Fardig, Henry Hiltunen, Matti Ojala, Johan Koskela, Abram Kiwijarwi, Esaias Pekkala, Johan Fredrik Niemi, Isak Kermu, Henrik Haka, Kalle Perttula, Kustu Ojala, Abram Luukkonen

[2] Nels Pietila was lay preacher/pastor in the congregation already from the year 1886.