Church history in Mitchell goes back to 1857. When a Congregational Church was organized, and the late 1800's , Methodist, Baptist and Catholic Churches were started. All of these had ceased to function prior to 1922 . When a Community Church was started with a resident pastor. In 1926, a time of great financial depression, this church was forced to close its doors.
In 1937 Pastor T.P. Solem of the Osage Lutheran Church ( now Our Savior's ) came to Mitchell to preach on Sunday afternoons. In 1943 the congregation voted to affiliate with the Osage Church and became the Mitchell Lutheran Society. Pastor Solem served until 1953. At that time Pastor Luther Berven came and served until 1958, when ties were broken with the Osage Church.The name of the church was changed to Faith Lutheran in 1954.
In 1958 Pastor Wm. Kamke, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran in Toeterville came to serve us from the fall of 1972. Pastor Wm. Perkins accepted the call in 1973 and served until 1978. Pastor Robert Kruempek served from 1978 until 1981. In the fall of 1981 Pastor F. Charles Bunk and served until 1987. Pastor Elmer Elleffson came in 1987 and served until 1991. Ties were broken with St. Peter in Toeterville and the church was served by two part time interims, Pastor Richard Zellmer and Pastor Max Schulz. After some months Faith yoked with St. John's Luthran Church (Rock Township). Pastor Rose Marie Lewis , was installed on Sept. 27th, 1992. In Aug. of 2002 Pastor Rose Marie Nack retired. In 2002 Faith and St. John’s Lutheran Church entered a pastoral vacancy. The two congregations planned and developed a ministry partnership with Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton and its pastor, the Rev. Wayne Ellingson, and Irmgard Ellingson, a Wartburg Seminary graduate.
On August 1, 2004 the three congregations voted to enter shared ministry in Mission Unity Lutheran Parish and extend a call to Pastor Wayne Ellingson as pastor and Irmgard Ellingson as associate in ministry. They were installed on Sept. 12th, 2004. Emmanuel of Grafton wanted out of the shared ministry in 2009. So St. John's and Faith went back to their shared ministry and was served by a fill in pastor and also lay people. In 2010 interim Pastor Robin Ramos served until Jan of 2012. Interim Pastors Jack Gannett and Joel Dahlen are serving as we work on a four point parish, St. Luke Nora Springs, St. John's (Rock Township), Faith, Rock Creek Meroa.
Faith has been affiliated with the ALC and now the ELCA. Thepresentbuilding was constructed as a Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873. Diagonally across the street is the former Congregational church built in 1869 and later moved to the present location. In 1922 the two consolidated as the Mitchell Community Church in the Methodist building. The two churches were used by the congregation. The north church was used for worship and the south church was the parish center. In 1964 the south church was used for worship and the north church was sold. A lot of renovation has been down on the present building.
