Saco Lutheran Church (Saco, Mont.)

This congregation was organized after having met together for over a decade with services held in various places. In 1936 the congregation purchased a building, which had been used as a restaurant in Cole. The building was moved to Saco and remodeled to serve as the church’s worship center. The present parsonage was bought in Hinsdale in 1947, moved to Saco and remodeled to serve as the parish for pastors throughout the years. In 1954, plans were drawn up for a church and a building fund drive was launched. Construction began in 1961 and the congregation began to worship in the completed basement. Dedication of the completed plant was held June 16, 1968.

In June of 1975 Immanuel Lutheran, one of Saco’s sister congregations in the parish, voted to disband with the provision that their church be moved to the Sleeping Buffalo Recreation Area to be used as a chapel. A site was selected and on June 24, 1977 the building, which had been moved onto a new foundation, was dedicated. The Saco Church Council continues to supervise the ongoing recreation ministry at the chapel.