It is the church for the Grue parish which is part of the Solør, Vinger og Odal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.

It is likely that this is the time when two transept wings were added that gave the church a cruciform floor plan.

It (together with Brandval Church) was bought by Captain Adolph Carl Helm and Colbjørn Olsen Stemsrud.

The church had exterior open-air corridors along the west and south sides of the building.

The nine windows were all located high up on the wall and had small, leaded panes with iron bars.

The fire was possibly the result of sparks from an old incense burner that was used to collect embers for the altar candles.

The church has a very simple outer form, composed of a tower and a nave with basic geometric shapes.

The plans for the church were largely the work of the architect Hans Linstow who was assisted by Ole Peter Riis Høegh, and it was the first Gothic Revival structure in Norway.

By April 1828, the church building was completed and work began on the interior decorations and furniture.

[3] During the 1870s, many families from the Grue Church parish in Norway, left and emigrated to the United States.

Many of these people formed at least two new congregations - both of which were named to honor their home church back in Norway.