In 1901 the Rev. Oddur Gíslasson was sent from Iceland to serve New Iceland near Hecla Island, where Riverton and Arborg were just starting. The first service in the Arborg area was in the Árdal House owned by Pétur Stefán Guðmundson Guðrún Jóhanna Benjamínsdóttir. The post office was at Árdal. Thus the name selected for the new congregation was Árdal Evangelical Lutheran Congregation (Árdal Lúterski Söfnuður). The Rev. Jóhann Bjarnason served the church from 1909 to 1929. The Rev. Sigurður Ólafson served the parish from 1929 to 1940. From 1941 to 1950 the parish was served by the Rev. Bjarni Bjarnason.

The Árdal Lutheran Church was constructed by 1911. It was located on River Road (North side of the River) and West of Main Street. The head carpenter was Traussti Vigfússon of Geysir. Volunteers from the congregation came forward with materials and labour. Logs were cut locally and planed into lumber for the project. Individual gifts of furnishings (like the new altar by Pétur and Guðrún) were given by several members and the Ladies Aid. In 1940 a decision was made for the congregation to join other churches of the Icelandic Synod in an affiliation with the United Lutheran Church of America (ULCA). The Geysir Lutheran Church was destroyed by lightening and fire in 1983. Both congregations joined and a new church was built at the same site by 1986. The new Church was called the Árdal - Geysir Evangelical Lutheran Church.