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From The Bethany Home Story of 1986
"Now may God’s blessing rest over this Home now and forever."
… "Because of these two important actions we have the sign: “Bethany Home, Founded in 1907.” …
… "Truly it is a church institution, born and nurtured with Christian love and concern."...
<> Remembering the Augustana Synod Legacy <>
Reworking This
Their 1907 "Bethany Lutheran Home"
~ Link to the Bethany Home Story
From The Bethany Home Story of 1986
"Now may God’s blessing rest over this Home now and forever."
… "Because of these two important actions we have the sign: “Bethany Home, Founded in 1907.” …
… "Truly it is a church institution, born and nurtured with Christian love and concern."...
<> Remembering the Augustana Synod Legacy <>
Reworking This
Their 1907 "Bethany Lutheran Home"
~ Link to the Bethany Home Story
Bethany Home was "born in the bosom of the church" that was known as the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America, during the Kansas Conference convention of that Synod held at Marquette, Kansas, in 1907. Today, Bethany Home is a thriving community of Christian love and concern thanks to the Swedes of Lindsborg and of the surrounding smaller communities of the Smoky Valley of the early 1900s.
It has grown exponentially since then of course. When I worked there briefly as a nurse's aide in 1977, it was the year after the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, had made a personal stop at the Home. He had visited with the residents who had been born in Sweden. This was part of his grand tour of the early Swedish American settlements during our Bicentennial year that the King joined with Swedish Americans and our President in celebrating.
The late Bill Carlson who was a historian, writer as well as a teacher had served as the Bethany Home Administrator then. Forty years later, in 2016, he would write up the thrilling story of the King's visit to Bethany Home for the Lindsborg News-Record. The draft he graciously shared with me for this website can be accessed here: bill_carlson___swedish_king_1978.pdf. It is titled:
Special Visitor to Lindsborg, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, April 17, 1976.
Mr. Carlson was also the Bethany Home Administrator in 1986 as the Home was preparing to celebrate its 75th Anniversary. The Rev. Eugene K. Nelson of the Messiah Lutheran Church, a Bethany Home Board of Directors member since 1970, was assigned the task of telling the story of Bethany Home, as editor of the project. The members of this writing project were: Bill Carlson, Alvida Larson, Jeanie Holwerda, Rev. Norman Andre, Edie Dahlsten, Ione Toll, Alice Larson, Rev. Don Hawk (the chaplain of the Home) and Leon Burch -- many of whom set out to write their assigned parts and others who would gather stories from residents and staff, for what would be titled: The Bethany Home Story, Lindsborg, Kansas, 1911 – 1986.
Now thirty-three years later (as I write this in 2019), this book may be "the only" substantially compiled chronicle on Bethany Home that brings us to its very beginnings, giving us a glimpse of those Swedish pioneers and "the way they were" in planting the seed of what has become today a most excellent care facility for seniors, which in its very beginning was totally supported by the Swedish Evangelical Augustana Lutheran Synod of North America which continued for many decades.
Go HERE to Rev. Eugene K. Nelson and the Bethany Home Writers ~ Chronicling the "only known written" story on the beginnings of Bethany Home of 1907 ~The 1989 "The Bethany Home Story"
For a general outline, the "Table of Contents" has been reproduced from The Bethany Home Story which can be access here:
It has grown exponentially since then of course. When I worked there briefly as a nurse's aide in 1977, it was the year after the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, had made a personal stop at the Home. He had visited with the residents who had been born in Sweden. This was part of his grand tour of the early Swedish American settlements during our Bicentennial year that the King joined with Swedish Americans and our President in celebrating.
The late Bill Carlson who was a historian, writer as well as a teacher had served as the Bethany Home Administrator then. Forty years later, in 2016, he would write up the thrilling story of the King's visit to Bethany Home for the Lindsborg News-Record. The draft he graciously shared with me for this website can be accessed here: bill_carlson___swedish_king_1978.pdf. It is titled:
Special Visitor to Lindsborg, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, April 17, 1976.
Mr. Carlson was also the Bethany Home Administrator in 1986 as the Home was preparing to celebrate its 75th Anniversary. The Rev. Eugene K. Nelson of the Messiah Lutheran Church, a Bethany Home Board of Directors member since 1970, was assigned the task of telling the story of Bethany Home, as editor of the project. The members of this writing project were: Bill Carlson, Alvida Larson, Jeanie Holwerda, Rev. Norman Andre, Edie Dahlsten, Ione Toll, Alice Larson, Rev. Don Hawk (the chaplain of the Home) and Leon Burch -- many of whom set out to write their assigned parts and others who would gather stories from residents and staff, for what would be titled: The Bethany Home Story, Lindsborg, Kansas, 1911 – 1986.
Now thirty-three years later (as I write this in 2019), this book may be "the only" substantially compiled chronicle on Bethany Home that brings us to its very beginnings, giving us a glimpse of those Swedish pioneers and "the way they were" in planting the seed of what has become today a most excellent care facility for seniors, which in its very beginning was totally supported by the Swedish Evangelical Augustana Lutheran Synod of North America which continued for many decades.
Go HERE to Rev. Eugene K. Nelson and the Bethany Home Writers ~ Chronicling the "only known written" story on the beginnings of Bethany Home of 1907 ~The 1989 "The Bethany Home Story"
For a general outline, the "Table of Contents" has been reproduced from The Bethany Home Story which can be access here:
| the_bethany_home_story_--_table_of_contents.docx |
" The Bethany Home Story "
Rev. Dr. Alfred Bergin
Chairman of Bethany Home Board
1910 - 1944
Chairman of Bethany Home Board
1910 - 1944
Found on Page 17
Bethany Home Board of Directors, October 1986
During the 75th Anniversary Founding Year of the Home
when The Bethany Home Story was written
Found on Page 32
Front row left to right: Vance Carlson, Arlo Gruenthal, BIll Carlson, Carl Rundquist, Rev. Albert Lindberg. Back row left to right: Marlow Winsky, Ralph Carmichael, Les Payne, June Anderson, Rev. Paul Hawkinson, BIll Gusenius, Gaylia Lindholm, Rev. Eugene Nelson, Jane Kelley. (Absent: Asa Hudson & Rev. Constantine Xamis.)
* * *
The Bethany Home Story
was created by the
"Bethany Home Writers"
under the leadership of
Rev. Eugene K. Nelson and Administrator Bill Carlson
celebrating the 75th Anniversary
---
Published 1986, 65 pages
The Bethany Home Story
was created by the
"Bethany Home Writers"
under the leadership of
Rev. Eugene K. Nelson and Administrator Bill Carlson
celebrating the 75th Anniversary
---
Published 1986, 65 pages
Courtesy of Bethany Home
* * *
O BETHANY HOME
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
A Home of grace and beauty.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
We now with joy salute thee!
A Home that’s known to be the best,
A place of life, a place of rest,
Where glad hearts sing and praises ring
To Christ who ever is our King.
A Home on earth along the way
Sweet refuge gives from day to day.
Your helping hands, your caring hearts
Where love you kindle and impart.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
With heritage of splendor,
In love and trust we celebrate
In triumph song remember.
For 75 years, through joy and tears
You’ve kept your banner flying
Supplying Hope, and Faith, and Love--
These blessings flow undying !
In nineteen-eleven, you began
A walk of faith in ministry.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
We now with joy salute thee!
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
A Home of grace and beauty.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
We now with joy salute thee!
A Home that’s known to be the best,
A place of life, a place of rest,
Where glad hearts sing and praises ring
To Christ who ever is our King.
A Home on earth along the way
Sweet refuge gives from day to day.
Your helping hands, your caring hearts
Where love you kindle and impart.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
With heritage of splendor,
In love and trust we celebrate
In triumph song remember.
For 75 years, through joy and tears
You’ve kept your banner flying
Supplying Hope, and Faith, and Love--
These blessings flow undying !
In nineteen-eleven, you began
A walk of faith in ministry.
O Bethany Home, O Bethany Home,
We now with joy salute thee!
To tune: 'O Tannenbaum'
Words written by -
Elsie Adell
Bethany Home Staff Member
September 1986
- found inside back cover -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Words written by -
Elsie Adell
Bethany Home Staff Member
September 1986
- found inside back cover -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * *
- Bethany Home -
A Place of Christian Love and Concern
Since 1907
- Bethany Home -
A Place of Christian Love and Concern
Since 1907
Found on Page 1
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
