Koren played an active part in the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
[4][5] During his ministry, Koren wrote numerous publications addressing various issues of concern to the Lutheran religious community.
His leadership ensured that Luther College moved to Decorah, Iowa in 1862 after an initial year in Wisconsin.
Koren died on December 19, 1910, and was buried in the cemetery of Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, Decorah, Iowa.
Else's father, Ahlert Hysing, had been rector of the Latin School at Larvik which Koren had attended.
Vilhelm Koren knew half a dozen languages, and Elisabeth read Danish, Norwegian, German, and English.
Major renovation was undertaken in 1987–88, and the building is now devoted to classrooms and faculty offices for members of the Education, History, Politics, Sociology, and Anthropology/Archeology Departments.