Who we are
We are a welcoming and justice-seeking church that joyfully lives out Christ’s love in the world.
Our Beliefs
Our Pastors
Our Worship
Welcome from Pastor Sarah
Hello! I want to personally welcome you to Grace Lutheran Church! I’m so glad you found your way here. Whoever you are, whatever you’re carrying or questioning, know that you are welcome here and that you are beloved by God. That’s the clearest message of the gospel, and it’s the reason we are here – to remind each other how loved we are.
When you walk through the doors of Grace Lutheran Church, you will discover regular people who are sharing life together and who are also daring to do counter-cultural things like sing and pray together, create community together, and stand up for the marginalized together.
Are you looking for a place to belong? Are you looking for a place that is asking deep questions and resisting easy answers? Are you looking for a place that will help you make a difference in the world? I hope you’ll join us, in person or online, on a Sunday morning and experience the Spirit of life and joy that animates this congregation!
Pastor Sarah Rohde
OUR PASTORS
MEET PASTOR SARAH
I began my ministry at Grace in October 2022. What drew me to Grace was the passion I found here for meaningful worship, caring community, and expansive welcome. I grew up in Sioux Falls, SD and New Ulm, MN; I did my undergraduate studies at Concordia College and my seminary formation at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Prior to arriving at Grace, I served as pastor in St. Charles, IL for ten years. I share life with my husband, Andrew, and our two sons, Benjamin and Owen. Alongside pastoring and parenting, I find great joy in hammock naps (especially on Sunday afternoons!), sourdough bread, hand-written cards, and meals shared with others.
MEET PASTOR REED
I have been the Associate Pastor at Grace since October 2023. Prior to serving in this community, I attended seminary at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a few years after completing my undergraduate theater degree at NYU Abu Dhabi. It is such a gift to grow in faith alongside this congregation and the wider community, as we journey together in moments of joy, grief, and change. My spouse and I (plus our cats and dog) live in an LGBTQIA+ centered housing cooperative in St. Paul. I love to garden, create textile art, and read.
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Grace Lutheran Church of Apple Valley is a community of imperfect and faithful people who lean into God’s grace each and every day. We are a Reconciling in Christ congregation, which means we passionately welcome and celebrate people of all gender identities and sexual orientations as beloved children of God. We also celebrate the gift of children and the energy and curiosity they bring to our community. At Grace, we care a lot about meaningful worship, intergenerational community, and service to the wider world God so loves. We ask big questions of faith and life, and believe we grow not by finding the answers, but by living the questions together in community. Grace is home to lifelong Lutherans and to lifelong skeptics, to church-lovers and to those who have a complicated relationship with institutional religion. This diversity strengthens us, and helps us figure out what it means to follow Jesus in this broken and beautiful world.
There’s ALWAYS room for more in this calling that we share together! Wherever you are, and whoever you are, know that you are welcome at Grace exactly as you are. And we really mean that.
If you’d like more information about Grace, click here to share your information with us!
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We believe, first and foremost, in a good and gracious God who has created us in love and for love.
We believe that the Bible tells the story of God’s extravagant love and mercy revealed in Jesus.
We honor Scripture enough to question and wrestle with it, trusting that God has always worked in and through people who have questions.
We confess the historic creeds of the Church and receive God’s grace through the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.
We believe that our salvation comes through God’s grace alone and not because of anything we do. Not having to worry about our salvation means that we are set free in Christ to love and serve our neighbors—a call that we take seriously and embody joyfully.
We are a Reconciling in Christ congregation, which means that we see, name, celebrate, and advocate for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
We believe that the Spirit continues to motivate and empower us to work for healing and justice in the world. We do this by practicing expansive welcome, advocating for the marginalized, caring for creation, and working toward anti-racism in our congregation and wider community.
Grace is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
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We know that stepping through the doors of a church for the first time can be confusing and overwhelming! Here’s what you can expect to experience when you show up at Grace on a Sunday morning.
When you arrive through the main doors, a member of the congregation will greet you. We invite everyone to write their name and pronouns on a nametag and then proceed to the sanctuary. At the entrance to the sanctuary, an usher will give you a bulletin that will help you follow along and participate in the service. There are also special bulletins for children, along with books, crayons, and other fidget toys just inside the sanctuary entrance. Our worship services include praying together, singing together, listening to scripture and a sermon, and sharing in the communion feast, which is open to everyone. We invite you to come just as you are, wherever you are on life’s journey!
Our Beliefs
Ways to experience Grace
Visit for Worship
Worship takes place on Sunday mornings at 9:30a in the sanctuary. Every service includes song, prayer, a sermon, and Holy Communion.
Watch Live
Every service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. You can watch at the time of the service, or any time in the week that works for you.
Contact
You are welcome here, just as you are! If you’d like more information about Grace or want to share your contact information with us, please fill out this form!
