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Angora
Unitarian Church of Alango, Minnesota
The organizational meeting of the Alango Unitarian Church was held on October 1, 1916. Rev. Risto Lappala and Rev. Elmer Forbes of the American Unitarian Society conducted the meeting. Twenty-five area people attended. They were asked if they were ready to form a liberal Christian church. The vote was unanimous. Services were conducted in Finnish. The minutes of membership and board meeting were hand written in Finnish script. Bylaws were drawn on Oct. 8, 1916.
Plans to build a church were made in April 1918. Before the structure was built, services were held at rural School #44 and at various homes. Land for the church was donated by the Rainy Lake Lumber Company. The property is located at the intersection of St. Louis County roads #22 and 668.
Construction of the church building began after spring planting in 1918. Materials were purchased locally. Donations were made and a loan of $600 was received from the American Unitarian Association. Carpenters were paid 50 cents per day.
Members who would be accepted into the church had to be at least 16 years of age, and had to pay dues of 15 cents per month. Wood was used to heat the building until 1950.
Rev. Risto Lappala was the first installed minister. He died in 1922. His wife, Rev. Milma Lappala, carried on until she passed away in 1950. Her second husband, Rev. Matti Erkkila, assisted her during her last years. He continued to serve the congregation for a year and a half after her death, when he moved back to his former home in Montana.
Rev. Milma Lappala was a very popular minister who was asked to conduct numerous funerals and weddings for people who were not members of the church. She faithfully held confirmation and religious education classes all through her years with us. In 1922, her starting salary was $5 per month.
In 1934, a one-room school was purchased and moved to the church site. It was added on to the existing building for use as a dining room, kitchen and social area. In 1958, the Lappala children deeded the lovely family home, “Metsola” on the Rice River, to the church. This property was sold and the funds used for remodeling the church building, purchasing folding chairs, installing a new furnace and various other improvements.
The Women’s Alliance, founded in 1917, is still active. Dr. Preston Bradley officiated at both our 50th and 60th anniversaries.
In addition to the Reverends Lappala and Erkkila, and Preston Bradley, the congregation has been served by Reverends Berkley Moore, Kenneth Jackson Smith, Thomas Smith, and Ben Bortin. We have had many lay led services through the years. Our current minister is Rev. Carol Hepokoski. 1986 is our 70th year.