A meeting was called at Lamar for the purpose of considering the organization of a Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Centuria.

March 4, 1909
A petition was presented to the Bethesda Congregation to do the following:

1. Release these members from the church.

2. Grant the Chapel property to the church without cost to the new congregation.

3. To share its Pastor with the new congregation.

This petition was granted and the chapel property was deeded over for the price of one dollar.

April 1909
The new congregation was founded under the leadership of Dr. Gustav Rast. It was from his church in Sweden that the name "Fristad" was chosen, which means "City of Refuge." We owe a debt of gratitude to his courageous leadership in our early years. The original plans to move the Chapel from Lamar to Centuria were found to be impossible due to the narrow, hilly roads.

The early membership list showed 75 members transferred from Bethesda, Sand Lake. A total of 222 members were obtained, of which 110 adults formed the new congregation.

The Certificate of Incorporation was signed by the following members:

John G. Anderson Ed Johnson Ernest Nelson

C.P. Peterson C.E. Sandberg Alfred Swanson

A meeting was held at the Methodist Church in Centuria from which the first officers of the congregation were elected:

Deacons John G. Anderson Alfred Johnson C.P. Peterson

Trustees F. Ed Johnson Ernest Nelson C.E. Sandberg

The first congregational secretary was John Peterson. Members chose for the Building Committee and to select a site for the new church were the following:

Chas. H. Anderson A.W. Danielson James Holmberg

John Holmberg Andrew Johnson

1909
The Lamar Chapel was sold to Harry Baker and then utilized as a Presbyterian Chapel.

July 2, 1909
Plans were made for the new church.