If you are traveling north of Detroit Lakes on Highway 21, as you wind among the lakes and fields, eventually you will come across Bakke Lutheran Church perched upon a small hill – which is appropriate since the word “Bakke” means “Hill” in Norwegian. I visited Bakke last summer to take some pictures of the cemetery and the outside of the church. This past Wednesday, I preached at their Lenten service so I finally saw the interior. Their altar is gorgeous and it has the verses from Matthew 14:30-31 inscribed in Norwegian. Some of the members told a story about how the altar was made not far from here (but no one present could remember where exactly) and the altar was brought to Bakke by horse and sleigh.
While the sanctuary is lovely and quite traditional, there are also many beautiful new additions to Bakke – and some really, really nice folks. Check it out! Worship at Bakke is at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. 27492 County Highway 32, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 · (218) 847-7073. Their Pastor is The Reverend Ann Newgard-Larson.
