CHURCH HISTORY

Our community of New Sweden is located in northern Maine. As the name of our town suggests New Sweden originally had connections from Sweden, Europe.

The first group of hardy Swedes that came to establish our community in 1870 knelt in a prayer of thanksgiving immediately upon their arrival. The fifty-one brave souls under the leadership of W.W. Thomas, a man from the state of Maine who had gone to Sweden to recruit them, realized it was by the grace of God they had arrived in this section of Maine that was to become New Sweden.

In August 1871, sixty-one men, fifty-one women, and one hundred and nine children united under the leadership of Pastor Andrew Wiren to establish the First Swedish Lutheran Church in New Sweden, Maine.

The first church home was in the building, which presently houses the Swedish Historical Museum. August 16, 1874 marks the date of the adoption of the Church Constitution. Sixty-seven members signed the document.

A definitive program of study for the Sunday School was inaugurated on December 4, 1875, when it wad decided that Luther's Small Catechism and Bible History would be read along with the Holy Scriptures. The instruction was given in the Swedish language. In January 1876 a Swedish school was established by the church to enable the children to read and write the language of their forefathers.

The present location of our church was selected in July 1877. The bell we hear each Sunday has the following inscription written by Pastor Wiren: "Presented to the First Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Maine by William W. Thomas, Jr., the Founder of the New Sweden Colony, founded July 23, 1870. Church dedicated July 23, 1880."

During July 1896 the church name was changed to Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church.