Whether you enter through this Web site or through the church doors, all are warmly invited to join us in knowing Christ and making Christ known. St. Luke's strives to be a Christian community that involves all people of God in worship, learning, care, service and witness.
Do come in! Browse our Web site and visit our church. You are most welcome.

               - Pastor Stephen Larson

Mission Statement
We, the members of St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, are a congregation of people who believe in Jesus Christ. We are committed to glorifying God through worship and acting as His disciples by learning about our role in His kingdom on earth.
We are committed to changing lives through the Holy Spirit by the witness we make to those we meet in our daily lives and the service we render to the oppressed people of the world. We support and strengthen one another through Christian fellowship and by sharing the Good News that Jesus Christ is our personal Savior.

Vision Statement
St. Luke’s is committed to knowing Christ and making Christ known. We strive to develop a Christian community that invites and values all people, that nurtures growth with God and each other, and that encourages openness, acceptance, trust, and service to God and God’s community.

St. Luke's "Six Goals"

1. Seek to be a congregation with a ministry program for all ages
2. Devise ways and means to reach seekers and reactivate inactive members.
3. Develop a culture and a climate of hospitality and openness in our congregation.
4. Become involved in areas of human need and community service locally and globally.
5. Seek to involve all members in ministry activities and in the leadership functions of the congregation.
6. Create a Master Plan for facilities that accommodates current and expanding ministries.

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Area Map  |  360° View of Sanctuary

Meet the Staff of St. Luke's

Rev. Dr. Stephen Larson - Lead Pastor -  became pastor of St. Luke's in June 2003. He is called to preside, preach and administer sacraments at worship; to speak publicly to the world in solidarity with the poor and oppressed, to call for justice and proclaim God's love for the world; to offer instruction, confirmation, marriage rites, visitation to the sick and distressed and preside over burial of the dead; to provide supervisory leadership to the congregation's school, organizations and staff.
Pastor Larson was ordained in 1975. Prior to commencing his ministry at St. Luke's he served as a two-point parish pastor at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Millet, Alberta and Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Calmar, Alberta; for 11 years as Lutheran Campus Pastor at The University of Alberta in Edmonton; and 15 years as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Geneva in Switzerland. He is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University (B.A.), Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (M.Div.) and St. Stephen's College in Canada (D.Min. and D.D.). Pastor Larson is married to Rev. Dr. Rebecca Larson; they have two adult daughters, Katherine and Sarah.

Rev. Kristina C. Weber - Associate Pastor began her ministry with St. Luke's in January 2006. She is called to pastoral ministry with particular attention to member care, education, and congregational life. Her responsibilities include leading worship, preaching, teaching, visitation, and working with the congregation to plan fellowship opportunities and events. Pastor Weber was ordained in 1997. She has served congregations several Minnesota communities: Toivola and Meadowlands, Chanhassen, Crystal, and St. Louis Park. She is a graduate of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota (B.A.), and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California (M.Div.). Pastor Weber is married to Rev. Erik Weber; they have two sons.

Paula Besler serves as the Director of Children's Ministries where she coordinates and oversees the Sunday School program as well as fellowship opportunities for the children of St. Lukes and their parents. She also coordinates and runs Vacation Bible School and other programs that enable the children to further learn the love and grace of God. Another goal of the Director of Children's Ministries is to provide opportunities for families to grow in their faith together not only at St. Luke's, but at home as well. Paula is an attorney with a passion for Children's Rights and the legal and social justice concerns pertaining specifically to children. Having completed her coursework for her LL.M. (Masters of Law) in Childlaw at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Paula also is currently writing her thesis on "The Role of Spirituality in Child Protection Cases." Paula also has a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois and received her J.D. (Juris Doctor) from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Paula is married and has four young children.

Melinda Ramseth Hoiland is Director of Children's Choirs at St. Luke's, where she directs the Cherub Choir (K-2nd), Junior Choir (3rd-6th), an Orff Ensemble (3rd-6th), other instrumental groups and Camp Allegro, a weeklong music day-camp held at the church each summer. She also coordinates worship and music for summer weekday services. The St. Luke's children's choir program encourages children to grow in their Christian faith as they lead worship, learn liturgies and hymns as well as choral anthems and songs. Children experience music in a variety of ways, through singing, playing Orff and rhythm instruments, moving and creating. Melinda holds a B.A. in Music Education from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN and a M.A. in Music Education with an emphasis in Orff-Schulwerk from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Melinda and her husband Joel have three children - Kiersten, Daniel and Britta.

Nancy Olson is an Associate in Ministry of the ELCA and serves as Member Care Coordinator at St. Luke's. Her responsibilities include working along with the pastors and the Member Care and Support Cabinet to raise awareness of opportunities for member care, support and fellowship. This includes visiting people in their homes, hospitals or nursing homes. She also helps St. Luke's members find the best ways to use their spiritual gifts to serve the church and share God's love. Besides degrees in music and library science, Nancy has a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School. Before coming to St. Luke's Nancy had served as the music director for Our Savior's Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minn., and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls, Minn. She was also on the worship/music staff at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. and the associate coordinator of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod Resource Service Center. Nancy and her husband, Pastor Stan Olson, are the parents of two adult daughters -- Maren and Christa.

Anne Krentz Organ serves as the Director of Music Ministries at St. Luke's. Her responsibilities include worship planning, service playing, and the direction of the choral and instrumental music program which includes adult, youth, and children's choirs, handbell choirs, and a variety of instrumental ensembles. Anne holds degrees from Valparaiso University, the University of Illinois, and Concordia University at River Forest, IL. Her compositions are published by Abingdon Press, Augsburg Fortress, and Concordia Publishing House. Anne and her husband Jim are the parents of three boys; Andrew, Daniel, and Paul.

Dee Weinke serves as the Director of Youth Ministries. She oversees the confirmation classes of our 7th and 8th grade youth and provides further exploration of faith to our high school youth. She also retains contact with the recently graduated and young adults of the church, to provide them support with the challenges of adulthood and to keep them a part of our church and their faith in God.
The confirmation class currently has 46 students actively participating in classes held on Wednesday evenings and on various retreats. There are about 20 high school youth who attend Sunday morning youth forum. Plans are now underway for the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans in 2009.