Fjelstad Hymns

Rolf Knudson Fjelstad was born on Fjalestadgrana in Nissedal on September 1, 1849.  He emigrated with his parents, Knud Rollefson and Susanne,  at the age of 11 in 1861. He married Sylvia Wangsness in 1870. They soon moved to Yellow Medicine County where they farmed. Rolf received a "distinct calling from the Lord" to go into the ministry and was ordained in 1885. He pastored congregations at Our Savior's Lutheran in Montevideo and Norway Lake, Minnesota. He returned to Norway to visit and preach in Nissedal, Telemark, in 1900. He borrowed the sheriff's bike and traveled around the area singing, playing his fiddle, and preaching. Rolf was an inventor who designed a fiddle that played automatically when hooked to a windmill (no one in the family knows how this could possibly have worked).  Rev. Fjelstad returned to America and served  Sundown Lutheran Church from 1901-1912. He died of a heart attack on January 30, 1912 at the age of 62 and is buried in the church cemetery.

	Reverend Fjelstad composed seven hymns.  To listen to each one and download the sheet music, select a hymn below: Hymnbook
	1) Opening Song
	2) To the Living Church
	3) To the Norwegian Synod
	4) To the Free Church
	5) To Hauge's Synod
	6) To Elling's Congregation
	7) Song of Joy