Milton B. Engebretson Papers

Milton B. Engebretson served as President of The Evangelical Covenant Church from his election in 1967 until his retirement in 1986. He was succeeded by Paul E. Larsen.

Milton Engebretson was born December 29, 1920 to Hans and Sophie Engebretson in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His father was a Lutheran-Brethren pastor. Milton moved to Seattle after high school and was introduced to the Covenant Church by Rhoda Hollenbeck, whom he would later marry. While he was working at Boeing, Milton would join the Army Air Corps. He would serve in Europe and North Africa for three years of World War II. After his return, Milton and Rhoda were married on December 12, 1945. Milton then attended Seattle-Pacific College and the University of Washington where he graduated with a degree in English in 1950. He felt called to the ministry so he attended North Park Theological Seminary, which he graduated from in 1954. Milton was ordained by the Covenant and served three different churches in Osage City, Kansas, Mankato, Minnesota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. He served in Minneapolis until 1962 when he was elected Secretary of the Covenant. After four years of service as secretary, Milton succeeded Clarence A. Nelson as the sixth President of the Covenant. Milton took office on July 1, 1967. During his time as President, Milton also served as convening chairperson and head of the Meeting of U.S. Church Leaders, as a member of Congressional Leadership Breakfast, and he was the first non-European president of the International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches from 1978-1986. He retired as the President of the Covenant on August 31, 1986, after nineteen years of service. He was a highly respected leader inside and outside the Covenant. He received honorary doctorates from Seattle Pacific College in 1967 and from North Park Theological Seminary in 1975. In 1974, the King of Sweden decorated him as Commander of the Royal Order of the North Star. Milton is remembered for his enthusiasm in his work, his service for the Kingdom of God and his love of people. Milton died at the age of seventy-five on December 10, 1996. He was survived by Rhoda, his wife of fifty-one years and his two sons, Jon and Donn.