About us

Bethany Lutheran Church had its start in early January of 1905 when M.A. Nordstrom gathered seventeen adults and eighteen children from within the Vinland Colony to begin his preaching. A month later, on February 6th, a group of men from the colony convened in the schoolhouse to elect a new chairman and pastor. M.A. Nordstrom was chosen for those roles and was accompanied by C.E. Hoyer, who took on the task of being secretary.

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The Vinland schoolhouse was used often for church services, with hymns and gospel flowing like water. Pastor Nordstrom dutifully held these services while receiving a modest sum of $100 a year while also traveling across California performing missionary tasks.

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In June of 1908, Pastor Nordstrom donated land to the church trusties within the colony, allowing for a dedicated worship center to be built. The community provided their time and labor to help build the church, while several firms in Fresno helped by providing financial support.

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The church was finally completed January 1, 1909.

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Later that year, on September 24, the community held a dedication of the new church which was now free from any debt! The new structure was 32x46 feet and became the center of the Vinland community. More than a simple building, it became a hub for celebrations, solace and community life. The church that stands there today, on the very same property as the original church, still serves the community in many ways, becoming a living legacy of the drive and hard work of the first congregation and its first pastor.