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Liturgical worship with
fine music
 Each
of our worship services is replete with liturgical elements that harken back to
the first church. In Acts 2, Luke writes, “The baptized devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.”
Today our worship consists of the ancient pattern of gathering, word, meal, and
sending. Our worship includes elements that
began with the first members of the church: bowing before the cross, making the
sign of the cross, the singing of the Psalms, the reading of the Old Testament,
the Epistles, and the Gospels, and processions of the people and with the
Gospel.
Our Opus 2115
Schantz Organ was dedicated April 21, 1996. This organ has 28 ranks of 1608
pipes on two manuals and pedal. Fine music that enhances our praise of God is important to the Gloria Dei
family.
Faithful preaching and teaching
Through
preaching we are continuously strengthened, challenged, and embraced by the word
of God. Faithful preaching that instructs us regarding law and then wraps us in
the grace of our Lord and Savior is foundational for all that we do. We are
shepherded by The Rev. Peter C. Jacobson who accepted the call to ministry at
Gloria Dei August 1, 2003. Pastor Jacobson, a graduate of Luther Northwestern
Theological Seminary, washes this family in Word and Sacrament so that we may be
of service to others.
Teaching takes
place in formal ways on Sundays and other days of the week as well as informal
ways when one of the family comforts one who is afflicted or afflicts one who is
comfortable.
Faithful teaching and preaching prepare us to take on the challenge of the
daily, secular world. We gather to worship and learn and are sent to serve in
all that we do, with all whom we come in contact. Matthew 28: “Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything that I have taught you. And remember, I am with
you always, to the end of this age.” We take seriously the Great Commission--of
being sent into the world to be God’s hands and feet.
Open, caring and serving
The family of Gloria Dei is open to all who are in need of grace. We are guided
in our daily lives by Jesus in Luke 6: “Do not judge, and you will not be
judged.” We listen, we offer forgiveness, we pray. As a family we have found
that all of us in this family are broken and need a constant open community in
which to be forgiven, welcomed, and encouraged.
We care
through Prayer Ministry, Stephen Ministry and many other
official, organized programs as will as informal ways we reach out to one
another.
 Stephen
Ministry is a commitment that Gloria Dei makes to those in the congregation
dealing with the challenges of life’s transitions.
Our
calling as Christians is to serve and we take that seriously at Gloria
 Dei.
We collect food for the various community food banks, we volunteer to distribute
the food in these food banks, we help build houses in Habitat for Humanity, we
make casseroles for Ronald McDonald Houses and Victory in the Valley, we provide
transportation, we become involved in all kinds of community, state, and world
programs to serve others.
A brief history...
Gloria Dei English Evangelical Church was
organized July 3, 1938 and admitted into the Augustana (Swedish) Synod on
November 18, 1938. The first church building was erected in 1949 with several
additions following. In 1961, the Augustana Synod merged with others to form the
Lutheran Church in America and in January 1988, the LCA merged with other
Lutheran Church organizations to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America.
From 1938 to 1949, the congregation met at various facilities--from a Baptist
church to Philharmony Hall--to schools. Finally in 1949, the new church was
ready. Portions of the original church still remain after several additions.
The original congregation credited faithful worship and fellowship as the two
main reasons the congregation grew from the 42 charter members to the 700 plus
members today. Faithful worship and celebration of the sacraments as well as
caring fellowship and outreach continue as Gloria Dei’s strengths.
We no longer are a totally Swedish congregation. Not only do we count as members
other Scandinavians, we also are enriched by our Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese,
German, Swiss, English, and many other nationalities that create the diversity
which is Gloria Dei.
As we are nationality diverse we are also politically, socially, economically,
and educationally diverse. Our common bond that holds us together in dialogue is
our need for liturgical, theologically-sound worship, teaching, and preaching.
The purpose of this web site is twofold:
- To keep the congregation up-to-date on what is
happening in our church community. Click on "This Month at Gloria Dei" on
the Home Page to get the latest. Also watch the "Youth" page and
"Library" on the Christian Education button.
- To inform the general community and those who are
looking for a new church home about our church and its ministries and to
invite them in.
I hope you have found your visit here to be useful and
informative.
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Gloria
Dei Lutheran Church
