The Lowry Congregation was founded by six immigrant families in 1901. Fittingly, they named the new entity the Pilgrim Congregational Church as they felt like pilgrims in a strange land. Their focus was to be faithful to God’s Word in worship and practice. This focus has held throughout the past 123 years and continues to guide us today.
The little congregation met in homes for the first few years, erecting a church building in Lowry in 1910. Through the years, the congregation has seen many changes and dealt with them as faithfully as they could. Some of the changes included a revival in the late 1930’s that produced the next generation of leaders, a yoke with the Akaska Congregational Church that lasted for a number of years, and a new church building in 1948. Changes in worship practices also occurred much of them centered around music. Services switched from German to English in 1947. The Lowry Church along with many German Congregational churches joined together with English Congregational Churches to form the United Church of Christ in the early 1960’s. Problems with pulpit supply led to sharing a pastor with the Selby United Methodist Church in in 1970. The Lowry Church left that yoke and their association with the United Church of Christ in 1997 in order to better pursue sound Biblical doctrine and theology. We have been non-denominational for the past 25 years. By the grace of God, we have been able to find and pay our own pastor as well as contribute to missions over seas and in country.
It’s no secret that the population in the Lowry area has diminished greatly over the past century. Most of the movement has been towards Selby. The Lutheran church that once was in Lowry closed with many members joining a church in Selby. The post office moved to Selby and although we still have a Lowry address, we share a zip code with Selby. The Lowry school district was absorbed into the Selby Area district and all school age children in the Lowry area currently attend school in Selby. Church membership has gradually diminished along with the rest of the population. Our current membership and attendance is similar in size to the group that began the church in 1901. BUT, instead of bemoaning depopulation and giving up, we aren’t interested in dissolving the congregation. We believe our congregation is able to fulfill our mission of bringing the Word to our greater community better with a move to Selby.
After months of seeking God’s direction, He has graciously provided a location with the closing of the Selby United Church of Christ. Our first service in Selby was March 26, 2023. We trust God to build His church in this location just as the founders did back in 1901.