Mount Tabor Lutheran Church 175 South 700 East Salt Lake City UT 84102
801-328-0521 office@MtTaborSLC.org www.MtTaborSLC.org
Mission Statement:
Mount Tabor Lutheran Church is a congregation of baptized persons, bound together in faith by the desire to worship God through the sacraments, the desire to learn and proclaim the Good News of God’s Word, and the desire to serve in Christ’s name by meeting the physical an social need of the surrounding community.
We believe God is calling this church to be a community of Evangelical Lutheran Mission in the heart of Salt Lake City:
- Rooted in God’s Grace
- Chosen to proclaim the Good News
- Set free to give ourselves in Joyful Service
To fulfill its mission, this congregation will:
- Provide regular public worship opportunities to its members and community, proclaiming God’s Word and administering the sacraments, reaching out to all people to bring them to faith in Christ;
- Commit to an active Christian Education Program, providing opportunities for the study of God’s Word and spiritual growth;
- Have a special covenant relationship with the Lutheran Campus Ministry of Utah, support ministry to university students and other campus community members;
- Nurture a sense of Christian community by encouraging all members to use their gifts and talents to fulfill their calling as God’s servants;
- Strive to meet the human needs of this community in specific ways: by providing community service, and by individual and collective involvement in local organizations which aid those in need—the poor, the homeless, the sick and the aged;
- Support live and work in the larger Lutheran Church;
- Commit to ecumenism, relating to our ministry to other Utah Christian churches.
Synod Type: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Current Membership Numbers: 179 Confirmed, 267 Baptized
Date of official Charter: October 14, 1907
Names of Charter Members:
Andrew Clausen & wife
Georg Elsmark & Eleonora
Miss M. Bach
Miss Johanne Andersen
Mr. N. Nielsen
Mrs. Evelyn Kay (or Kaj?)
A.P. Nielsen & wife
J.P. Kjaergaard & Thora
Mrs. Emmy Jensen
Miss Petra Jensen
Mr. P. Viby Pedersen & Margrethe J. Jensen
Mr. Leopold Lovwskjold Sodsberg & Marie
L.P. Kjaergaard & Anna
Pastor Harold Jensen & Hilda J. Holst, Johannes Holst Jensen, Vilhelm Holst Jensen, Esborn Holst Jensen, Halvor Holst Jensen
Miss Marie Petersen
Mr. Kjaer Jacobsen Mariane Sorensen, Aage Kjaer Jacobsen, Elisabeth Kjaer Jacobsen, Axel Kjaer Jacobsen, Viggo Kjaer Jacobsen
Pastors Served:
Harald Jensen Kent (from Denmark) 1906-1912
John Th. Lund July 1, 1912– June 15, 1916
Jens C. Carlsen June 1916-September 25, 1921
LH. Kjaer September 15, 1921-May 4, 1930
J.P. Christiansen May 4, 1930-August 25, 1935
M. Th. Jensen September 1935-May 1937
Interim Pastor
Peter Hauge May 30, 1937-February 18, 1940
Stinus Loft March 2, 1941-August 21, 1945
James C. Peterson November 9, 1945-January 16, 1956
No Pastor until June 1956
Nels C. Carlsen June 1, 1956-August 25, 1956
Interim Pastor
Arthur W. Sorensen October 12, 1956-January 17, 1965
Edwin W. Swenson January 24, 1965-March 7, 1965
Interim Pastor
S. Erving Severtson January 24, 1965-March 7, 1965
Interim Pastor
Donald I Olson March 14, 1965-May 1966
G. Neil Christopherson June 19, 1966-April 11, 1971
Roy K. Malde September 5, 1971-January 1974
Elwyn D. Josephson July 1, 1974-February 1980
Konrad Koosman April 1980-June 8, 1980
Interim Pastor
Anthony Auer July 1, 1980-September 30, 1987
Carol A. West July 1, 1980-September 30, 1987, Associate Pastor
Carol A. West January 10, 1988-February 28, 1991, Senior Pastor
Charles L. Harmon, Interim February 21, 1991-September 9, 1991
Grant L. Aaseng September 9, 1991- February 14, 2002
Annemarie Burke February 2006-2010
History:
Our history began in Racine, Wisconsin, during the 1902 convention of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church. Plans were made to establish a Lutheran congregation in Salt Lake City. The Church Council was authorized to call a Pastor to begin what was later called “The Utah Mission.” 
In 1904, Pastor H. Hansen accepted the call to travel to Utah. Pastor Hansen came to start regular gatherings in private homes. After one year of strenuous mission work, Pastor Hansen resigned without seeing many results from his work. A trip to Denmark by Pastor Hansen resulted, however, in the promise of support for “The Utah Mission.” This support continued until 1941 when Denmark was occupied by Nazi soldiers.
Pastor Harold Jensen Kent took up the work in September 1906. The first services were then held in the Swedish Lutheran Church. Later services were held in the Norwegian Lutheran Mission until the organization of the congregation October 14, 1907. It was necessary to have individual congregations in the area because of the language barrier. Most services were held in Danish from 1904-1941.
After many months of waiting, word came that $3,000.00 was being sent by the supporting church in Denmark to help in the purchase of property and building of a church. May 3, 1907, property was purchased from Ashby Snow, at the corner of First Avenue and “E” Streets.
October 14, 1907, Tabor* Lutheran Church was organized as a congregation within the United Evangelical Lutheran Church. Excavation for the church basement was begun March 1908. The cornerstone laying ceremony was held in May 1908. The interior was finished and construction of the tower was started February 1911. By the time of completion of the whole project, August 20, 1911, the church was standing almost debt free; thanks to the people of the synod and the generous support which came from the church in Denmark.
In the early days, Pastors of Tabor not only served this congregation, but strove to carry out mission work in Pocatello, Idaho; Ogden, Utah; and Spanish Fork, Utah. Pastor John Th. Lund was installed both at Tabor and at Ogden, July 7, 1912. He served the congregation until June 25, 1916, at which time Pastor Jens C. Carlsen began his ministry.
Pastor Carlsen terminated his ministry September 15, 1921, and was replaced by Pastor L.H. Kjaer. Pastor Kjaer was followed by J.P. Christiansen who served from 1930-1935. Pastor M. Th. Jensen served the congregation as interim pastor for the next twenty months. May 1937, Pastor Peter Hauge became the permanent pastor and served until his death February 18, 1940. Reverend Stinus Loft became pastor March 2, 1941.
Financial assistance from Denmark was terminated because of the Nazi occupation of that country. Pastor Loft served until August 21, 1945. Pastor James C. Peterson began his work at Tabor on November 5, 1945. The church records at that time listed thirty-nine contributing members and a total membership of seventy.
Pastor Peterson passed away January 16, 1956. The church was left without a pastor until June when Mr. Niels C. Carlsen came to serve through the summer months. Mr. Carlsen was ordained at the June convention. Also at the June convention, the Synod voted to place Tabor on a Home Mission Status, thus giving the congregation a new outlook and promise for the future.
Pastor Arthur W. Sorensen accepted a joint call for the congregation and the Board of Home Mission. He began his work at Mount Tabor on October 12, 1956.
April 1957, the membership was recorded as 232 baptized members and 142 confirmed members June 1, 1957, the congregation voted to assume the full salary of the pastor, thus relieving the Synod from this support, which had been carried from the beginning of the church. The deeding of the church property was promised to the local congregation by the end of the year.
In 1959, the decision was made by the congregation to relocate. A building program was adopted. Tabor also ended its affiliation with the United Evangelical Lutheran Church Nebraska District. Tabor became a part of the newly merged American Lutheran Church.
In 1960, the purchase of one acre of property at 700 East and 200 South marked the first stage of new development. Ground-breaking for the new church was conducted January 6, 1963. The corner stone was laid June 2, 1963. The church was designed by Charles D. Peterson, AIA, a member of the congregation. It was built at a cost of $10,000.00 by the John DeYoung Company, General Contractors. The church was completed July 1963.
The last service of worship was held in the old church Pentecost Sunday, June 2, 1963. The congregation moved into the new church Fellowship Room. By August the church was complete except for the pews. The congregation used the sanctuary for the first time.
The new Mount Tabor Lutheran Church was dedicated March 8, 1964. Dr. Wm. Larson, the former president of the UELC, was our guest speaker. January 1965, Pastor Sorensen left to accept a call to establish a mission congregation in Novato, California. Pastor Donald I. Olson was installed as pastor March 14, 1965. He served until June 1966, at which time he returned to the U.S. Naval Chaplain Corps. A call was extended to Pastor G. Neil Christopherson. He accepted and was installed as pastor June 19, 1966.
In 1967, the first time in its history, Mount Tabor was able to carry on the programs of the congregation with no outside financial support.
Pastor Christopherson left the parish April 11, 1971. Pastor Roy K. Malde was installed September 12, 1971. Pastor Malde resigned January 1974. Pastor Elwyn Josephson was installed July 7, 1974.
Following Pastor Josephson’s resignation February 15, 1980, an interim period of five months followed during which the congregation was served by Pastor Konrad Koosman. Pastor Anthony Auer became the twentieth pastor to serve the congregation July 1, 1980. The congregation called its first associate pastor, Pastor Carol A. West, June 30, 1985. Pastor West was the first woman pastor to serve the Lutheran Church in the state of Utah. Pastor Auer resigned September 30, 1987. The church called Pastor West to be the new senior pastor of the congregation.
The congregation has been affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since January 1, 1988. The congregation has a special covenant relationship with the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Utah. Mount Tabor is known for its strong music program, and worship is the center of its life. The congregation also supports a number of ministries in the downtown area, including the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen, the Utah Food Bank, and Crossroads Urban Center. We give thanks for the faith and sacrifices of our members throughout these years. To God be the glory!
LIBER DATICUS
(From the original Danish membership book; English was began in 1937) Translated by Kirsten Olsen, Salt Lake City, Utah March 28, 1994. *Crypt is the basement.)
This record holds all ministerial businesses done by the Priest at the Evangelic-Lutheran Mission in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Mission began when Pastor Harald Jensen arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 31, 1906. Pastor Harald Jensen was sent by the committee for the Utah Mission in Denmark combined with the United Danish Evangelic Lutheran Church in America.
The first service was held in the Swedish Lutheran Church September 16, 1906 with a sermon according to the gospel of John 5:1-15. Nine persons present.
Mr. And Mrs. Leopold Lövenskjold Söderberghad opened their home for the Pastor and his family, nine people. Harald Jensen’s mother and two sisters came with them from Denmark. Mr. And Mrs. Söderberg had also told us about other Danish members of the church. Those people were visited the following weeks and the attendance to our meetings grew to thirty-five people this fall. Some of those were N. Nielsen and Mr. And Mrs. A. Clausen.
This fall the Norwegian Synod told us we could buy their church and rectory and while we were waiting for an answer from Denmark we used the Norwegian Lutheran Church for our meetings. This way we could have a sermon every week. For one year we used this building.
In the winter of 1907 we got message from Denmark that for awhile we would not have money to buy the Norwegian building. Because it was so expensive to rent church and lodging for me and my family, I started to look for something else.
With help from Mr. L.P. Kjaergaard the real estate firm, E.B. Wicks found the lot on the corner of First Avenue and “E” Streets. It was excellent for a church building and rather low-priced. I gave a down payment and wrote to Denmark about the lot and told them that if they could not accept it I would take the loss of the down payment.
I prayed about it and after several weeks I got a telegram that $3,000.00 for the lot was sent. At that time I was in Pocatello, Idaho, for my first sermon there, and I got a telegram from my wife with the happy message.
May 3, 1907, we paid the money, we thanked God, and it turned out that the man who sold the lot to us was Ashby Snow, a son of the first Mormon missionary sent to Denmark, Erastus Snow, and then I knew that this was the right decision.
Later on I heard that he sold it because he did not like his brothers-in-law who had bought the lots on both sides of his lot, where he meant to build his house. It is in a nice residential area. Close to the big American churches and only a few blocks from downtown.
As told before I had begun to travel to Pocatello, Idaho. It is a place with about 8,000 people. There are twenty-five Danish families. I had meetings one time a month either a Sunday or a Wednesday.
Miss Benedicte Wrensted had under a visit to Salt Lake City told me to try this, and she told us that we could use her photographer-studio for the meetings.
Our first sermon was on the second Sunday after Easter 1907 and five children of P. Chr. Hansen were christened.
It is a strange thing but it shows us how it is here in the Rocky Mountains, that the few Danish people here have more children than people in Salt Lake City, and that is because the Mormons despise christenings babies. Here in Pocatello and Idaho Falls we see the Mormons as heretics.
In the fall of 1907, while we made plans for a suitable rectory for the Priest and his family at the new lot, we established the first Danish Evangelic Lutheran congregation. This was done October 20, 1907 and November 10, 1907 we held the first sermon in the Swedish building where we were until December 12, 1909 when our own building and rectory were finished.
February 7, 1908 we moved into the rectory. That evening we had so many visitors as the rooms could hold. After a short speech the house was dedicated.
The same year we began a collection of money for a crypt* around the corner from us, and after Denmark had said good for the blue prints they started it. In May of 1909, the cornerstone was laid. The new Danish consul from Chicago, Georg Bech, came.
First some of us were gathered in the rectory where I talked over “The Sermon on the Mount” and then I laid the cornerstone. Consul Bech, Vice-consul Orlob and committee members: A. Clausen and N. Nielsen and Viby Pedersen bricked up the stone. Same day I received from our neighbors, Mr. And Mrs. Alfales Young, a son of Brigham Young, a present of $25.00.
This summer I got permission to build the church, the drawings were made by a young Dane, Th. Lauridsen, who together with master builder, Jens Hvid built the church, September-December 1909, yet not the tower. December 12, 1909 the Lord gave us the joy of dedicating the crypt. This was done by C.C. Kloth from Nebraska. He had helped out all the time.
Together with Pastor Kloth was Pastor Lars Jensen from Nebraska. It was cold but people came in great count and not only the benches were filled but also the rented chairs. In the evening Pastor Lars Jensen spoke to us together with the Norwegian Priest, Kr. Kvonum and the German Priest Brockmann.
The following three days we had meetings. Many of the Danes around here showed interest in the church.
While we were busy under the new good circumstances the time we had signed up for was running out.
In the summer of 1910 Pastor Thorsen had visited us from Denmark and in February 1911 we got permission to fulfill the building inside and the tower.
The money from the crypt was mostly given by people here in America and Denmark had covered some of our losses. Now we agreed to collect money here so we could finish the whole thing. The architect, Filius Hansen form Salt Lake City made the blue prints and the two brothers, A.B. and Jens Villadsen would finish the tower and the inside of the church. Jens Villadsen managed the job and started it in May, 1911. We got it done with the money we had, and on a hot summer day August, 20, 1911 it was dedicated. With its gothic arches it is an ornament to the city and an honor to Danish technics.
I myself dedicated it helped by the Priests S.C. Erichsen, Lars Jensen and W. Bondo who was going to be my successor. Pastor Kvanum was there too. We had meetings at 11:00, 3:00 and 8:00 with many people. We had dinner in the crypt. The following two days we had mission meetings.
Now my calling should be over and I had expected to go home to Denmark that fall. Pastor Bondo was forced to say no to the call and I had to stay until my successor was found.
In March of 1912 he was found. He was Pastor John Lund from Brush, Colorado but he could not come to Salt Lake City until this summer. While I was waiting I began meetings in Ogden, Utah, twice a month. Another great thing happened at this time. We began working with the young people. They are the new members of the congregation, during the winter 1911-12 we had twenty-five to thirty young people at every meeting, sometimes forty-five. Among those are several Mormons.
Sunday, July 7 Pastor John Lund was ordained. He arrived here the day before with this wife and two of his children. Same afternoon he was ordained in Ogden and in the evening I spoke for the last time here. After the meeting we had a little get-together with congregation and friends in the crypt and here my wife and I were presented with a beautiful gift from members and friends here in Salt Lake City.
Another thing that happened while we were here is that Pastor C. Skovgaard-Petersen came to see us in the June of 1911 and so did the Danish Ambassador from Washington, Count C. Moltke in April of 1911.
All those years friends have invited me to come and have meetings in Nebraska, Wisconsin and North Dakota and I have twice been in California and Oregon.
I am sorry to tell that I had to stop meetings in Pocatello, Idaho because of the work load here in Salt Lake City. I have done some traveling here in Utah, mostly because of calls from families who needed some church ceremonies done.
Now when I give my calling over to Pastor John Lund, I want to thank the Lord, Christ, who’s mission call I heard. Only a little is done yet, but I pray that the Lord will bless the new times so the work in new hands will go forth and be an honor to God and to man a salvation. I am so grateful for the loving kindness and me and my family have been shown in so many ways that the world of God means peace, it is our salvation and it will make God the King of Zion.
We have had hard and difficult times out here but we had so much help from our friends, the Norwegian Lutheran Priest Kr. Kvonum. With much sorrow we say goodbye to this calling. But God who forgives, corrects all our human mistakes, he will bless us in all we do. It is to His honor.
Salt Lake City, Utah July 12, 1912
Harald Jensen, Danish-Evangelic Priest
Sunday, July 7, 1912 I began this calling as a priest in the Utah Mission and I worked here until Sunday, June, 1916 after I ordained my successor Pastor J.C. Carlsen. When I came here the work had stopped in Pocatello, Idaho. After many tries we could finally begin it again. One of our younger priests will now move up to Pocatello and live there. I have preached in Pocatello every fifth Sunday and in Ogden every two Sundays. In Salt Lake City it was every Sunday morning and every two Sunday evenings except for the Sunday I was in Pocatello.
It is my hope and prayer to God that the work with the blessing of God will grow and man will be faithful out here.
Salt Lake City, Utah June 1916
John Th. Lund, Danish Lutheran Priest
I began my calling here in our Utah-Idaho Mission June 25, 1916 and worked here till September 25, 1921 when I ordained my successor Pastor L.H. Kjaer. For those five years and three months I have tended the work here in Salt Lake City and other places. I have held meetings in Salt Lake City every Sunday, morning and evening. Every two Sundays I held an English meeting, everything else was in Danish except the youth meeting which was in Danish and English. Sunday school was in English, too.
Many people came to meetings in Salt Lake City forty to sixty-five. At Christmas, Easter and Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) the church was filled to capacity. But no matter how many we had they were always attentive.
Sunday school had twenty-five to forty-five children and they were attentive, too. I have christened sixty-six children and twenty in Pocatello and Logan. I have confirmed nineteen. I had communions six times a year. Last time there were thirty-five members.
Every two weeks we had fifteen to twenty-five young people to meetings. The women had meetings every two weeks in their homes or in the crypt.
The first two years I had good help in Pastor P.C. Jensen who lived in Pocatello, Idaho. He had all his meetings up there. Besides that he went to Logan and Brigham City. He left us in the fall of 1918 and I was not able to go up there until Spring of 1919 because of the flu. But from 1919-1921 I have been there now and then and usually we had twenty-five to forty-five people there.
I visited Ogden twice a month in the first five years I was in Salt Lake City. There were a few families and some of them out, some died. Then nobody showed interest and I did not go up there the last three months.
In Spanish Fork we bought a little Icelandic Lutheran Church for $450.00. There were twenty to fifty people but here I had to preach in English. They had an Old Icelandic Priest, Runolf Runolfson who spoke in Icelandic. Sometimes they had a lot of people down there.
I started a little mission paper called “Tabor” the first summer I was in Utah. The idea was to bring good and uplifting reading and news to Danes in Utah and Idaho. I found that it was a blessing for the mission and its members.
In Salt Lake City I held Saturday and Summer School very year. We also had some house meetings in town. I think that those meetings were good for the church.
Here follows a whole list of names of priests who spoke as guests speakers: (omitted here)
In Salt Lake City we have a great work field. It is not easy but the people who will work in faith will be greatly blessed. May the grace and the blessings of the Lord rest upon the workers of our mission in Utah and Idaho in the future.
J.C. Carlsen
Ruskin, Nebraska November 17, 1921
On Sunday, September 25, 1921 I took over the work in Salt Lake City and was ordained by Pastor J.C. Carlsen. Shortly after I visited Pocatello, Idaho where I had a sermon once a month. I tried to call on the Danes in Ogden but the work there was given up to the Synod of Augustana. This church had already a church and a rectory. They had worked there for years, and since there were not that many Scandinavians we had the understanding that they should keep the field there. I held sermons in Logan for two years but had to give that up because people moved out. Pastor Runolf Runolfson had Spanish Fork until he left January 20, 1929. The work has gone up and down, specially the first years when people moved out a lot. It is my hope that my successor will see that a lot less.
On Sunday, May 4, 1930 I ordained Pastor G.P. Christiansen in the calling in Tabor, the congregation in Salt Lake City, Utah. It has been interesting years spent here in my calling in Utah. The delusion of our members elaborates our love and sympathy for them.
Salt Lake City, Utah, May 1930
L.H. Kjaer
Original Tabor Lutheran Church on 2nd Avenue & E Street, Salt Lake City
Utah Lutheran History 