A VISION AND A VENTURE OF FAITH
A Brief History of Covenant Mountain Mission near Jonesville, Virginia as written in January 1985 by Miss Naomi F. Sundberg and Miss Winifred V. Swenson
Naomi Sundberg of Stanton, Iowa had for years felt an interest in becoming a full-time Christian worker, but it wasn’t until she was at North Park College that the place of service seemed to crystallize. While there, she visited the Covenant Missions Office, then on Belmont Avenue, and talked with Rev. Gust E. Johnson about the possibility of missionary work in the Appalachians. He said we had no work in that area, and so she didn’t pursue it further at that time.
Another young lady, Gertrude Warner of Lincoln, Nebraska, also had a vision of missionary work in the Appalachians and felt called of God to go to the southern mountains. While at North Park, she visited the Covenant Office also to inquire about work there. She, too, was told that the Covenant has no work in that area. Her reply was: “They will have when I get there!” Her aggressiveness and determination was stronger than that of Naomi. She continued to pray and plan and the Lord answered by prompting someone in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area to send a check of $1000 designated “for work in the southern mountains.”
Viola Larson was at that time in the States because the doors to China, where she had ministered, were closed to missionary work. She was chosen to accompany Gertrude in this pioneer adventure for the Covenant.
Rev. Elmer Fondell had some time previously visited the area around Sneedville, Tennessee. The Covenant decided to support this Home Missions Ministry in 1941. They purchased a 1929 Chevy Sedan, which the girls soon named “Shasta” because she hasta have tires, she hasta have a driver, she hasta have gasoline, etc. On their way to the mountains they visited the Fondell’s in Paxton, Illinois to confer with them about the Sneedville, Tennessee area. They decided it would be well to visit Esther Wahlsted at the Evangelical Free Mission near Hazard, Kentucky. They arrived October 24, 1941. On the 29th Esther traveled with them to Sneedville, Tennessee. There was a land trial there at that time and much feuding amongst the people. It was not advisable for the young ladies to remain there. After studying the map and choosing three probable places of location, they left Sneedville. Neither Gertrude nor Viola had had much experience in driving prior to this trip, so when they drove over the mountains, one drove and the other worked the emergency brake. They missed the first place they had chosen because of a detour. The second place was Blackwater, Virginia, which had only one general store and the post office. So, they continued to cross the Powell Mountain to Jonesville arriving October 30, 1941. In looking for a place to live, they were directed to a two-room tourist cabin, which became home to them for six weeks. Esther Rose visited the girls there, and she insisted they find better living quarters. They were able to find and rent some rooms in the large farm home where they lived until summer.
The first months were spent getting acquainted with the people and area, which helped them decide on areas of ministry. They visited the Jonesville churches, and it was after their first visit at the Baptist church, that they were invited to Nell and Henry Carroll’s home for dinner. They gladly accepted the invitation, and Nell told them later, had they refused, it would have taken a long time before they were accepted. Many of the people of the area were suspicious of them; some even thinking them to be German spies.
They visited the School Board and got permission to go to the schools for chapel services on school time. This helped them to become better acquainted with the people of the area, and it was really the beginning of the ministry of Covenant Mountain Mission. Through these services, they learned of needed help in some rural churches. They helped with Sunday school in the Roller’s Chapel Methodist Church on Wallens Creek and at Elijah’s Knob not far from Stickleyville where they met in a one-room log schoolhouse. Getting there required much effort, as it was 1 1/2 miles farther to the schoolhouse. They also met weekly with a group of girls from the Jonesville Baptist church for bible study and fellowship in the homes.
After school was out, they rented a small house in Pennington Gap, Virginia. During that first summer, they conducted Vacation Bible Schools in rural communities. Now they were becoming more and more acquainted and accepted by the people.
Now it was time for them to have a vacation and also have Shasta overhauled, and so they headed for Chicago. Naomi was at this time teaching in a rural school near Stanton, Iowa. She had kept in touch with Gertrude and Viola through letters. The call became stronger, and she wrote a letter to President Theodore W. Anderson that she never mailed. A short time later she received a letter from him asking her if she was willing to join Gertrude and Viola at the Covenant Mountain Mission. This was a direct answer to prayer, and made the call a reality. Her dedication took place at the Annual Meeting in Minneapolis in June 1942. She met the other young ladies in Chicago in August, but Shasta wasn’t ready to travel until the first part of September.
Now with added help, it was possible to add more schools to their schedule. Each year more schools were added as the staff increased, until members of the Covenant Mountain Mission staff visited ultimately 54 small rural schools twice a month. Home visitation was also a major part of their schedule, which helped lay the foundation for a varied ministry amongst the many needy families. They soon discovered a great need for Bible teaching, for there had been much revival preaching, but little teaching of the Word of God.
Early in 1943 it became necessary for them to move from Pennington Gap, as the owners wanted to move back. After much searching for a place to live, they found a large, old farm house on Sugar Run available, complete with slave house, barns, spring house, chicken house and many other interesting buildings. They moved there, finding many friendly people who are to this day dear friends of the missionaries. Being nearer Jonesville, they responded to a request to have Cottage Bible study and prayer meetings west of Jonesville. It wasn’t long until Children’s Bible classes were held in the Missionary Home, which led to a request to help in the Sunday school of the Pleasant Hill Methodist Church approximately one mile down the road. They also had Vacation Bible School there.
In October 1943 Naomi went on her first itinerary to the Pacific Northwest. Anna Johnson came to stay with Gertrude and stayed on to assist in the work for a few months before going to North Park College.
On April 14, 1944 Gertrude Warner left for her home in Lincoln, Nebraska in preparation for her upcoming marriage to Arnold H. Johnson of Springfield, MA on June 10th. Arnold was in the seminary at North Park at that time.
In June 1944, five young ladies came to assist Naomi and Anna with Vacation Bible School; they conducted 13 bible schools in rural communities that summer. Most of these girls were North Park students, some preparing for World Missionary work. There had never been Bible schools in any of these communities, and the teachers soon found out the children knew practically nothing about the Bible. It was this same summer that Young People’s meetings were started in the Mission Home on Sugar Run. Because Gertrude and Arnold were going to stay in Chicago a year while Arnold finished seminary, LaVerne Person was asked to remain after Bible schools were over to help Naomi and Anna.
When Gladys Anderson of Nebraska joined the staff in August 1944, she took charge of the Young People’s group and also started the Ladies Bible Class. Being a registered nurse, she often was called to the homes to help doctor the sick and deliver babies. Sometimes this meant walking long distances through fields, woods, over fences, fording streams, etc. There was at this time a great need for nurses and midwives, and others on the staff accompanied her on these errands of mercy.
Again in 1945, four girls from North Park College came to assist the Bible schools, which were held in rural schools, rural churches and the missionary home.
In August 1945, Rev. and Mrs. Arnold Johnson (Gertrude Warner) joined the staff permanently. As yet we did not have our own churches, but he helped out at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, Rollers Chapel Methodist Church, and Elijah’s Knob besides helping with the school work and visitation in all communities.
Another of our summer workers, Gladys Hansen of Seattle, Washington came back for a year to replace LaVerne Person who went back to North Park to finish her schooling.
Through the Vacation Bible Schools and chapel services in the public schools, the Missionaries learned of the need of Sunday Schools in two rural areas. Having permission to use the Mount Washington and Larimer schoolhouses, Sunday School was begun in both places on Home Missions Sunday October 21, 1945. One Sunday School was held in the morning and one in the afternoon so Arnold could have a preaching service in each place. One more member was added to our staff when Birgit Lundgren came in November 1945. Now with more workers, 48 schools were visited and more extensive visitation and youth work was done in the new communities.
Gladys Hansen and Birgit Lundgren left in August of 1946, and Winifred Swenson of Rockford, Illinois joined the staff permanently having spent two previous summers at Covenant Mountain Mission. She too had long felt a definite call of the Lord for Home Missionary work in the southern mountains. This was intensified and made possible after having spent two summers there.
Attendance and enthusiasm was good in both the newly organized Sunday schools, and the need was great; therefore, we began looking for land upon which to build. In October of 1946, seven acres of land was purchased in the Mount Washington community. Plans were made for a temporary living quarters for the Johnson’s, which would also serve as a meeting place until a permanent home and church could be built.
We felt the need of having workers living in the communities where the Sunday Schools were located. The coming of Ruth Gustafson in January of 1947 made it possible for Naomi and Winifred to move to a small four-room house about one mile from the Larimer schoolhouse on Wallens Creek. They were in charge of the work there except for the preaching services on Sunday, which Arnold Johnson conducted. Gladys and Ruth Gustafson helped in the teaching in both Sunday Schools.
It wasn’t long until youth meetings were started, and also Saturday Bible classes, Ladies Bible classes, and Sunday night prayer services in the Missionary Home and other available homes. Because there was no electricity in the schoolhouse, it was difficult to have night meetings there.
On May 12, 1947 Gerturde and Arnold moved into the new multipurpose building on the mission property in the Mount Washington Community. When Ruth Gustafson left in July 1947, Mildred Olson of Trimont, Minnesota joined the staff. All meetings in the Mount Washington community were moved to the community center home.
In August 1948, Ruth Kasper of Topeka, Kansas joined the staff, living with Gladys Anderson and Mildred Olson on Sugar Run. Beverly Pearson from Iowa arrived June 1949 joining the other girls on Sugar Run for a few months. In September, Gladys Anderson left Covenant Mountain Mission, and work in the Sugar Run community was discontinued. The people there were now able to carry on the work themselves.
That fall Beverly and Ruth moved into a small cottage just down the hill from the mission property. When Beverly left a year later, Mildred Westberg and Ethel Iverson moved in with Ruth Kasper. Ethel Iverson, a licensed midwife and R.N. worked part-time for the mission and part-time for Dr. Ely in Jonesville. Now it was possible to have clinics and hygiene classes in our communities.
At Christmas of 1949 we received a deed for land from Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rasnic of the Wallens Creek community, and plans were immediately begun for the building of a church there.
Through funds raised by the National Covenant Women, a church and parsonage were built on the mission property. The Arnold Johnson’s moved into the parsonage in the fall of 1949. The Chapel and parsonage were dedicated on March 19, 1950. All this was made possible through the concern and publicity, which the National Covenant Women put forth as their great project at that time. The church was organized in 1961.
The Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp was started the summer of 1950 with one week for girls and one week for boys. Army surplus tents and cots were purchased. The original building was used as the dining hall, kitchen, clinic and office. The children who attended were from our mining camp schools, other rural schools and Sunday Schools. Most of the campers were saved and many are now in Christian work and church leadership in their own communities as well as the Covenant at large.
That summer some ladies from Mulberry Gap, Tennessee, just across the Virginia line, came to ask us to start a work in their community. In October 1950, Gertrude and Arnold started preaching services in the Mulberry Gap schoolhouse Saturday nights. In March 1951 a tent was erected and used for Sunday School and preaching services. The Mulberry Gap Covenant Church was erected and organized in 1951-1952 and financed by the people themselves. Later they built a parsonage and clothing center which they also financed themselves.
The Wallens Creek Covenant Church was also built in 1951. The first service was held in the basement on Thanksgiving Day, and the sanctuary was used for the Christmas services although the flooring was not complete. The church was dedicated on May 18, 1952 and the church was organized in 1955.
Ruth Kasper and Mildred Westberg left late in 1951 because of illness. Ethel Iverson stayed until January 1953. Phyllis and Richard Lindstorm arrived in June 1953 to pastor the Wallens Creek Covenant Church on his internship. A small house was rented for them 4 miles from the church, and the furniture moved there from the cabin the girls had occupied.
In 1954 the Arnold Johnson’s resigned from the staff and moved to Jonesville. However, they still pastored the Mulberry Gap Covenant Church. Martha and Norman Dwight served the Mount Washing Church a few months before going to Formosa. Then in September 1954 Helge and Joyce Hamilton and their four children arrived to take up the work at Mount Washington. This month also the Lindstrom’s returned to North Park College to finish seminary, and Geraine and Sila Johnson and two children took their place at Wallens Creek. When Richard Lindstrom finished seminary in June 1955, he returned to the pastorate of Wallens Creek Church. The Silas Johnson’s moved to Jonesville where they operated a restaurant for a while and later became principal of the Jonesville Elementary School. When the Lindstrom’s left in January 1959 because of the need for special schooling for their daughter, LaDonna, Silas Johnson helped out with services at Wallens Creek Covenant Church.
Delmar and Darlene Anderson and their two children came in the summer of 1962 to serve the Wallens Creek Covenant Church. That summer, the congregation purchased two acres of land in Stickleyville for a future parsonage site. Besides donations, they raised cane and molasses on the property to help pay for the land. That was also the summer Miss Naomi and Miss Winnie built their home, and they moved in October 1962. The Wallens Creek parsonage, financed by National Covenant Women, was built on the Stickleyville property and the Anderson’s moved into it August 1963.
The Delmar Anderson’s moved to Seattle, Washington in November 1964. During many of these interim periods, Miss Naomi and Miss Winnie took over the pastoral duties in the Wallens Creek community. Florence and Vernon Luiten and children came in June 1965 to take up the work in Mount Washington. In November Rev. Luiten had a stroke and heart attack. In June of 1966 they moved to Stickleyville to pastor the Wallens Creek Church, as he wasn’t able to do all the maintenance work at the Bible Camp grounds. Dorothea and Willard Berggren and children joined the staff as pastor of Mount Washington that same summer. Mrs. Luiten started a Bible class for the Stickleyville area ladies, and later they had family night services in the parsonage basement each week, which were very well attended.
After Gertrude’s death, Arnold continued holding services at Mulberry Gap. When he left for Chicago and the Berggren’s left Mount Washington, Walter and Naomi Anderson pastored both churches living in the Mulberry Gap parsonage. Esther and Leyden Thorpe and daughter Joyce moved into the parsonage on the campgrounds as caretakers, and Esther took Naomi’s place as treasurer since Naomi was now officially retired. When the Luiten’s left, the Thorpe’s moved to Wallens Creek to serve the church there. May and Vic Mastberg, a retired couple, replaced the Thorpe’s as caretakers and host and hostess at the campgrounds for a short time.
In 1976 Donna and Jerry Kroeker and their six children came to be caretakers, camp managers and treasurer of the Mission. They are still here at the time of this writing, and still very active in the many duties of the Bible camp.
The Thorpe’s left the Wallens Creek Church in 1976 and from that time until 1984 interns served the church. The are listed as follows: Hope and Paul Hedberg, Jerry and Marge MacDicken, Jim and Lori Fisher, John Collins, Georgia and Don Harrison, and Jeff and Teena Stewart.
When Naomi and Walter Anderson left Mulberry Gap in 1978 to go to Bethel, Alaska, June and William Dugger came to take their place at the two churches. In the last years he has served only the Mulberry church and taught in the Mulberry Gap elementary school. Some of the interns served both Mount Washington and Wallens Creek churches. The three churches are no longer receiving support or aid from the Covenant as of 1985. The Wallens Creek Covenant Church called Georgia and Don Harrison as full-time permanent pastors. The Mount Washington Covenant Church has a student pastor come from Johnson Bible College in Knoxville for Sunday morning services.
Through the years we have had the privilege of having short-termers and summer work camps who have aided the teaching, counseling and manual labor. Some have come more than one summer. Miss Frances Anderson, now serving as Professor at North Park Seminary, spent many summers helping with Bible schools and camps and also directing work camps. She has been a great inspiration and help to our young people. Some have gone into full-time Christian service and other areas of service because of her influence. Because there have been so any individuals and groups who have helped serve Covenant Mountain Mission Bible Camp throughout the years, we cannot begin to mention names lest we omit someone.
At the time of this writing, January 1985, the churches have become a part of the Great Lakes Conference, and there are plans being made for the Bible Camp to become a part of the Great Lakes Conference camping program. At this time, Rev. and Mrs. Dugger are still at Mulberry Gap, but are nearing retirement age. Naomi F. Sundberg and Winifred V. Swenson are officially retired but continue to volunteer in the work of the churches, Bible Camp, used clothing distribution and chapel services. There are no rural schools in Lee County, but they are still privileged to visit the large consolidated schools. Seven schools and four nursing homes are visited each month for chapel services. Winifred is still secretary of the mission at this time. Besides our regular staff, there is a local camp board composed of representatives from each of the churches.
Those of us who have been on the Covenant Mountain Mission staff almost from the beginning have seen great changes in the area brought about by electricity in rural communities, better roads, telephones, new schools, television and other modern conveniences. We feel that there has been much growth and progress in the work of the Covenant Mountain Mission and its outreach and the Word of the Lord has borne much fruit. To God be the Glory!