Old Apostolic Lutheran Church

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The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America (O.A.L.C) is a Firstborn Laestadian church in North America. Firstborn Laestadians are a subgroup within Laestadianism. The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church was born in the 1890s. In the Nordic Firstborn Laestadian revival the movement works inside the Lutheran Folk Church, which is the official state church of Sweden. In 2013 Sweden recognized the Laestadian movement and has allowed them to hold their own services in the State Churches. In America it is an independent church and has no interrelationship with the Lutheran Folk Church of Sweden.

Doctrine

O.A.L.C. believes in Holy trinity: the Father and the Son and the Holy Sprit. Referred to as "The Triune God." It confess The Holy Bible (King James Version), Old and New testament, as the only unchangeable Word of God for salvation and the standard by which all doctrines of salvation should be examined. O.A.L.C. accepts the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and the Augsburg Confession and original doctrine (Often referred to as "The Papal Bull.") of Dr. Martin Luther, Dean Lars Levi Laestadius and the elders of this Church in Swedish Lapland in this era (known as the Church of Firstborn).^[1]

Membership

The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church has approximately 10,000 members and it is the biggest Laestadian/Apostolic Lutheran (as they are called in America) church in America. In the beginning, it was a small group near the turn of 19th and 20th century, when the Laestadian movement in America was splintered, giving rise to the "New Apostolic Lutheran Church" and the "Old Apostolic Lutheran Church." Originally, the O.A.L.C. had only a few church buildings and services were usually held in homes. Old Apostolic Lutherans are diligent to confess their faith, which has led to a growing of the church. During the twentieth and twenty first centuries The Old Apostolic Lutherans have become a rapidly growing church. The main reasons for its' growth are due to the belief in, and creation of, large families. The church also grows from marriages to people of other faiths who become Old Apostolic Lutherans when they marry. The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America is the American parent, nation-wide ecclesiastical association, which has member congregations in the following states: Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Carolina, Delaware, Wyoming, Montana and Wisconsin. The most significant membership is in the Battle Ground area of Washington State with 3,000 members. Other large congregations are located in Hancock, Michigan (600), Minneapolis, Minnesota (600), and Detroit, Michigan (600). The O.A.L.C. also has members in Canada and in Alaska. In Washington State, churches now exist in Brush Prairie, Lewisville, Heisson, and Woodland. A future church is being planned for Yacolt. This large number of Old Apostolic Lutherans is concentrated in the Northwestern section of Clark County, Washington. O.A.L.C has a growing number of church facilities in The United States and in Canada. Old Apostolic Lutherans - as all Firstborn Laestadians - greet each other with the phrase; "God's peace!" This is a shorter form of the Greeting "May God's Peace be With You." This is believed to be the highest form of regard that one O.A.L.C. member can offer to another. ^[2][3][4]

The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America is an independent church, but from the beginning it has had close ties to Scandinavian countries and Finland. It is a sister organization for Firstborn Laestadians of Finland and Scandinavian countries. The Global Firstborn Laestadian movement in America, Finland, Denmark and Norway is under the care and supervision of the Elders of Swedish Lapland. The Firstborn Laestadian movement in Swedish Lapland is understood and accepted as the mother congregation. To which all the American Congregations look to for guidance. Being under the supervision of the elders of Swedish Lapland keeps the church in both outward unity and spiritual unity. ^[5][6]

Ministers and activities

The Old Apostolic Lutheran Church has thirty-eight preachers. Old Apostolic Lutherans are lay oriented, meaning the preachers are not paid by the church and the preachers don't have a theological education or ordination. However, they do have a procedure to train their preachers. Older preachers select the younger ones, who are sound in doctrine and life. First the newly picked preachers assist by reading opening prayers from The Altar book and the written sermons (known as Postillas) of Lars Levi Laestadius during services. After this stage they become preachers and preach during the services. This is how the younger preachers replace the older preachers when they are not able to speak because of death or age. Preachers are expected to work full-time to support their families while also maintaining their preachers' responsibilities to the congregation. Once a person is chosen as a preacher, they generally serve for the rest of their lives. ^{[7][8][9][10]}

O.A.L.C. was the first Laestadian church which had English-speaking preachers, this began in 1899. The prevalent language is English, although sermons have been translated from Finnish into English to some degree. They still read Laestadius' sermons in their services. O.A.L.C. activities are traditional Laestadian. O.A.L.C. traditionally holds special Christmas and Midsummer services, like in Scandinavia. The Christmas services alternate between Minneapolis, Detroit and Brush Prairie. In Alaska they also hold mission services.^[11]

Publications

The church does not publish its own periodical, but Rauhan Side [Bond of Peace] is read to some degree, although it is in Finnish and published only in Finland. Several books of Laestadius sermons have been translated and published, as well as his book Ens Ropandes röst I öknen [The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness].^[12]

See also

• the Firstborn Laestadianism
• Elders of Swedish Lapland
• Lars Levi Laestadius

External links

• WELS essay about OALC
• Northwest Anglican about OALC

Sources

• Amerikan Vanha Apostolis Luterilainen Seurakunta: Perustus ja Sivu Lait, 1947, Hancock, Michigan: Suom. Lut. Kustannusliikkeen Kirjapaino.
• Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of America, History of Living Christianity in America, 1999, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Carl A. Kulla, The Journey Of An Immigrant Awakening Movement In America: A Brief History Of Laestadianism and The Apostolic Lutheran Church, 2004, Brush Paire, Washington.
• Aila Foltz - Miriam Yliniemi, A Godly Heritage: Historical View of the Laestadian Revival and Development of the Apostolic Lutheran Church in America, 2005, Frazee, Minnesota. ISBN 0-9769423-0-5

References