Thursday, April 19, 2012

BOOK REVIEW:

The History of the Georgetown Evangelical Free Church, by Glynda Joy Nord, Trafford Publishing, 2012, 169 pages,  illustrated, www.trafford.com or www.amazon.com (softcover $14.50,  Kindle ebook $3.99)





A Swedish Evangelical Free Church in Williamson County, Texas

Very little information has been published on this Swedish immigrant founded church in Williamson County, Texas.  Originally named the Brushy Evangelical Free Church, the church served the Swedes who were living in the Bell Community a few miles Southeast of Georgetown, Texas.

Joy Nord has researched, collected and written an excellent reflection of the early difficulties and successes of a typical rural Swedish community church in Central Texas. 

The primary portion of Joy’s book documents the church’s simple beginning in 1884.  It all began with a small group of emigrants who exercised their right to practice their religious freedom in America by getting together in their homes.  This book documents the names of the individuals involved in organizing the formal church structure.  It records in detail the different pastors, their time frames of service and their accomplishments at the church. It covers the complete time line of the church historical events up to the present time.  You will find in this section many previously unpublished photos of the confirmation classes and church organizations.   

Another section contains a detail bio of the families of the early Swedish pioneers who lived in the Brushy area.  Families who supported and attended services at their local Free Church.  Some of this detail was sourced from the 1994 English version publication of the original Swedish book: Swedes In Texas in Words and Pictures (originally published by J.M. Ojerholm in 1918). 

In the final section you will find a very significant collection of Swedish family recipes.

I have found Joy’s book on the Brushy/Georgetown Free Church an excellent resource and reference book.  It is very strong on detail.  It has recorded some much needed history of the heritage of the Swedes who lived and farmed in the Brushy and/or Bell Community area of Williamson County, Texas.

David Borg