With One Accord in One Place

June 15, 1950—75 years ago—was the historic conference that brought together the Swedish Free Church and Norwegian-Danish Free Church to become the Evangelical Free Church of America. Though for a time it felt improbable that these two groups could be united, the attendees that day felt joy in their unity. I’ve written about how these things came together, but what was it like for those attending the actual conference?

Here are several details to give you a better picture of what happened that day:

• Each delegate had a name tag to commemorate the event with the theme and verse. Here’s one from Rev. Howard Constable who served in Alvwood, Minnesota. 

• The venue was the Mission Farms Conference Center about 10 miles west of Minneapolis. There were dorms and buildings with rooms for the delegates made largely of stone. The tabernacle was made of wood, fitting all 2,000 people inside.

• KTIS—the Christian radio station of Northwestern Schools in Minneapolis (now the University of Northwestern-St. Paul)—just started broadcasting in 1949, and it aired all the preaching services at the conference live each day. Notice their sign on the pulpit as Rev. E.A. Halleen is preaching. 

• Group photos were taken since Free Church conferences started in the 1880s. The 1950 merger conference was the last time a full group photo was taken. A number of children sitting on the grass are still living today with memories of the event. At EFCA One 2025, we will bring back the tradition of taking a large group photo. 
• After the conference, official documents were turned into the Minnesota Secretary of State, and less than a month after the conference, the merger was finalized.  

• The theme of the conference was taken from Acts 2:1 as the believers were “All together with one accord in one place,” referring to the day of Pentecost and the unity they all felt, looking forward to the role of the Holy Spirit in this newly united fellowship of churches. 
• Ole K. Flom, delegate from the church in Wesley, Iowa, handwrote several pages of notes. Some excerpts: “…Swedes from the east and the Nor.Danes from the west went to a hillside that seems to be prepared for taking large pictures. There we merged—and sang “Blessed Be the Tie.” And we had prayer and a few testimonies...we marched all together to the big tabernacle with all the preachers on the platform and we sang 'Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow…'" 

The union of the two bodies was a joyful occasion for those attending, and God has continued to bless the EFCA for more than 75 years. We pray that He will continue to pour out His blessings in the years and decades to come.