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MInnestein, Præriepresten,
The carpenter - The sailor - The priest
Ole Ivarsen Sætre was born on the Sætre farm on Radøy on August 18th 1853, and was baptized in Manger church the same year.
The parents, Ivar Nilsen and Marta Larsdotter Sætre, owned a small farm in Sætre. The farm was not large enough to feed an entire family, so they were dependent on other work, including fishing. As usual at this time, the children also had to help with the work.
His father died when Ole was 14 years old, and after he was confirmed he went to work abroad at sea.
He quit his job as sailor and went ashore in New York in 1875. He dreamed of ministering among Norwegian emigrants who at the time came in large numbers and moved westward on the American prairie. He was admitted at the Norwegian seminary in Marshall, Wisconsin, and graduated in 1881. The same year he was ordained a priest, and worked at first in the small Norwegian Augustana Synod. From 1890, he served in the United Church, which was founded the same year.
Sætre was a passionate preacher and a hard-working priest. He traveled through the desolate prairie landscape to reach out to people, even in the most challenging weather conditions. With a mixture of faith, courage and perseverance, he conveyed the gospel to the Norwegian immigrants, who often lived in isolated communities far from church support.
Right from his ordination in 1881, Sætre was actively involved and established many Norwegian congregations. In the period 1881-1887, he is mentioned as the founder of 16 such congregations in the Midwest. From 1903, it was Canada that was his field of work, where he served various congregations in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. All the time he performed his service in true pioneer spirit. He was a priest and a carpenter as well as a instigator.
He was known for being a good singer, an understanding caregiver and a convincing speaker. In a non-traditional way, Ole Ivarson Sætre used his guitar as he led the congregation in hymns. Sætre served as a priest until he died in 1931, aged 78. He was buried in Kincaid, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he last ministered.
The prairie priest Sætre was a strong advocate for Norwegian culture and language in America. He worked to establish Norwegian churches and schools, and was concerned about preserving Norwegian traditions and customs in the new country. In addition to his work as a priest, Sætre was also a respected community leader and a voice for justice and equality. He took an active part in issues concerning immigrants, including questions about their rights and integration into the American society.
Ole Ivarson Sætre left behind a legacy as a prominent preacher, a cultural bridge builder and a community leader. He represented the Norwegian spirit and power on the prairie, and his efforts have helped to shape the history of the Norwegian-Americans.
At the Emigrant Centre a memorial monument has been built in honor of the church builder. A couple of his children were present when the memorial was unveiled, and as a gift to the Emigration Centre they handed over some of the permanent equipment he carried with him on the prairie: a communion set, a mustache cup with a shaving brush and a devotional book. These can be seen on display in the church basement.