Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, Oslo, MN USA Pastor Harvey

Harvey enjoyed being close to nature and grew to love fishing, hunting, horseback riding and ski jumping. While in high school, Harvey and his friends started a band known as ‘The Royal Scandinavians.’ Harvey sang and played guitar as the band played local dances. He loves to tell about the teenage girl who danced by the stage and winked at him – years later, he married her.

During World War II, Harvey was called into the Army Engineer Corp in 1944 and deployed to Germany in the region of Frankfurt and Darmstadt. Among many memories of those trying days is the time he was with a truckload of men driving around a curve on a mountainside. The driver overshot a safe speed and the truck made the curve with only two wheels in contact with the road. Harvey and the others in the truck had the sense of being ‘held in the air’ for a few brief moments until the truck safely returned to the road. The truck driver later said, “That was a miracle.”

While in Germany, Harvey experienced first-hand the face of poverty and war. He recalls the face of a very hungry little girl who would stand outside the barracks every day to receive the leftover food from the US troops. It was Harvey’s privilege to extend to her as much food as remained from meal in the barracks.

After a stay of several months in Europe following the close of the war, Harvey returned home to parents and his sweetheart. Harvey and Donna were married December 7, 1946, at her home in rural Gary, MN (USA).

Shortly after their marriage, Harvey attended telegraphy school in Minneapolis, MN, in preparation for railroad employment. He worked for the Santa Fe Railroad in Kansas. After 5 years in Kansas, they returned to Minnesota where Harvey worked as a telegraph operator and depot agent on the Burlington Railroad.

While living in Moorhead, MN, God touched Harvey’s life in an evangelistic and healing service held at the local high school. It was there that he dedicated his life to the Lord and also received healing for a lifelong sinus and allergy problem.

Following this transformation of the their lives by the Lord, the couple held Christian Fellowship meetings in their home and town halls as they were moved to various railroad station assignments. Harvey and Donna, along with their children, were a gospel team sharing the Word in music and teachings.

One of the memorable family events has been attendance at Strawberry Lake Christian Retreat near Detroit Lakes, MN. Harvey was ordained in 1974 under the licensure of Gospel Crusade by Dr. Gerald Derstine, Director of the Camp and Founder of Gospel Crusade.

Harvey retired from the Burlington Northern railroad in 1982. In 1983, the Hoibergs founded “Living Water” church, which continues to serve the Lord in Neilsville, MN.

In 1997, Harvey was licensed as a lay pastor on the roster of the American Association of Lutheran Churches (AALC). Harvey has served Kongsvinger Lutheran Church since 1997 and enjoys continuing to serve the Lord in His Work.

Harvey and Donna have four children – all answers to prayer – and nine grandchildren. They make their home in East Grand Forks, MN.