Churches

Washburn has a vibrant and varied spiritual community. It consists of five churches that each have many organizations and activities associated with them.

Birka Lutheran Church
First Lutheran Church
St. Edwin's Catholic Church
United Methodist Church
Washburn Baptist Church

Birka Lutheran Church

Birka Lutheran Church is a small, but active rural church located about nine miles west of the town of Falkirk. Each Sunday, morning services are held at 9 a.m. During the school year, Sunday school is held for the children immediately following the Sunday morning worship services.

Communion services are held the first Sunday of the month and other special services include Lenten services each Wednesday evening during the Lenten season. Easter Sunrise service is offered each year and a special Christmas Eve worship is held. The children put on a Christmas program annually.

Birka Lutheran has a women's' study club that meets the first Wednesday of each month and the third Tuesday.

The church welcomes children of all ages and denominations to participate in Vacation Bible School, which will be held the second week of June this year.

Birka has approximately 75 members.

Please call the church at 701-462-8433.

First Lutheran Church

First Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is a large - but family oriented/small town - friendly congregation of over 700 baptized and 617 confirmed members located across from the McLean County courthouse at 709 5th Ave..

Worship is at 9:30 AM each Sunday year round with a Coffee/fellowship hour following worship at 10:30 AM. Sunday school is held at 10:45 to 11:45 AM from Sept. through May. VBS meets in June for kids pre-school--grade 6. Dedicated lay members and Rev. Erik Johnson serve the church.

First Lutheran congregation offers many other activities for members and visitors including:

Sunday worship and festival services including thematic mid-week Lenten worship
Holy Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month
A Women of the Church unit ministry
Women's Bible study/work groups
Senior Adult Choir & Sunday school music
Adult Bible studies
Vacation Bible School
Quilting
Senior High and Junior High youth group (LYO)
Five standing council committees for stewardship/mission, worship & music, education, evangelism & witness, and property care
Confirmation program: 8th and 9th grade
Women of the Church annual Fall Bazaar & baked goods sale
Annual Lutefisk dinner/last Sunday of October

Call (701) 462-3775 for further information or e-mail us at flcelca@westriv.com.

St. Edwin's Catholic Church

St. Edwin's Catholic Church, located on Northgate Road in Washburn has a strong base in the community of Washburn. Father Ed Korte leads mass services at 9 am on Sundays. The church facilities were built in 1988 and provide a beautiful setting for worship.

Religious Education Schedule:

Preschool-6th Graders - Wed - 7:00 pm
7th-10th Graders - Wed - 7:30 pm

Organizations:

Knights of Columbus
Confraternity of Christian Mothers
For information call 462-3249

Annual Events

Turkey Bingo and the Soup and Sandwich Supper are held each year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Serving time is from 5:00 - 6:30PM and bingo for turkeys and door prizes are from 7:00 - 9:00PM.

For more information about St. Edwin's Catholic Church, you can call 701-462-8450 or 701-442-5229.

United Methodist Church

More than 160 members attend Washburn's United Methodist Church under the direction of Rev. Gary Geiman. Sunday morning worship is held at 10:15 a.m. Children's Sunday school is held before morning worship September through May at 9:15 a.m. During June, July and August the adults hold a coffee fellowship every Sunday at 9:30 before the morning service.

United Methodist Youth Fellowship - On Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. the church youth hold their weekly meeting service. The youth are active in missions and in the community.

United Methodist Women - Women of the church have an active fellowship and activities together. In 1999, they held the 68th Annual Mother/Daughter banquet the Wednesday evening before Mother's Day at the Washburn Memorial Hall. Regular meetings are the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 8:00 PM.

Vacation Bible School is held each June for children. For more information about United Methodist Church, its fellowship activities and services, please call 462-3220 or access our website at www.WashburnUMC.com

Washburn Baptist Church

Rev. Rick Torkelson leads a 135 member-strong congregation at the Washburn Baptist Church. Each Sunday there are Sunday school services at 9:30 a.m. and then morning worship is at 10:30 a.m. Sunday evenings are active with a 6 p.m. adult Bible study and Senior High youth Bible study at 7 p.m. The Junior High youth meet every other Sunday at 5 p.m. Each Wednesday during school months, children from ages 3 up to 8th grade meet for AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed). Services are from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The Women's Ministry Fellowship is a special group for women in the church that meets the first Sunday of every month at 7 p.m. Men and women can be part of the senior choir which does special numbers each year and performs a beautiful Easter Cantata each year.

Vacation Bible School is held each year during the second week of June. Children ages 3 through 6th grade can be part of VBS at 6:30 each evening of that week.

For more information about the Washburn Baptist Church call the church at 701-462-3634 or Rev. Torkelson's office at 701-462-3521.

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