ALL ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT GLORIA DEI

Worship services are in person at 8:15 and 10:45 a.m. with Holy Communion, and nursery available.

We livestream our 10:45 a.m. service on YouTube. 

Instructions for Holy Communion at home

More About Worship

The Gloria Dei music ministry honors the rich musical heritage of the Lutheran church, with an emphasis on full congregational singing led by strong choirs, instrumentalists and the robust support of the pipe organ and grand piano. Click here for more details.

What we believe about baptism

Baptism initiates us into a lifelong relationship with a God who loves us unconditionally. We are washed in the promise that nothing can ever separate us from God, and sealed with the power of the Spirit.

Lutheran Christians practice infant baptism. We remember that God does not require a mature or intelligent faith before claiming us. God opens wide the door and pours out faith upon us regardless of how qualified or prepared we are. Just as newborn children are always loved and included in the family, God welcomes us from the start.

Baptism promises us forgiveness and life. In the Bible, God uses water to create, to heal, to rescue those who are in trouble, to cleanse, to satisfy those who are thirsty for compassion and community. No matter how broken or disappointing our life may be, baptism assures us that God will never abandon us. Even when we die, God does not let go. We are God’s children forever.

Scheduling a baptism at Gloria Dei

We ask all parents (members and non-members) to first attend a Baptism Orientation Workshop before their child is baptized. We hold workshops about every two months, now on Zoom, and parents are welcome to attend before or after the birth of their child. If you have any questions, please contact Children’s Ministry Director Kyrstin Schwartz.

Register for an online workshop. Contact the church office to schedule the baptism.

What we Believe About Communion

“This is Christ’s table. It is a table of love and welcome. It is a table of fellowship with the poor; it is a table of communion with the earth. So, come those of you have great faith and those of you who wish you had more. Come those of you who have tried to follow Jesus and those of you who have failed. Come those of you who depend on this meal for your life and those of you for whom it is a strange thing. These are the gifts of God for the people of God.“ This invitation to the table, often spoken as we prepare to receive communion, reveals much about who we are, what we believe, and how we celebrate Holy Communion.

At Gloria Dei, we celebrate Holy Communion weekly and invite everyone, without exception, to receive the bread and wine. It is one of the few places in our world where nobody is turned away, and where everyone who comes with hands outstretched receives the same amount. Our celebration of Holy Communion is shaped by our conviction that God’s abundant love is an unconditional gift and extends to all. 

In keeping with our Lutheran tradition, we believe Christ is truly present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine. God sees our hunger for more than bread and fills us with abundant life. When we receive Holy Communion—when we eat the bread and drink the wine—we are nourished with Christ’s presence, which strengthens us in love and service to our neighbor.

Prepare for Your Child’s First Communion

Gloria Dei welcomes children to the table of Holy Communion. We believe there is no predetermined age when children understand what it means to participate in Holy Communion. When young children ask to participate, the Holy Spirit is at work drawing them into the body of Christ. We encourage families to make the decision about taking first communion.

To help you and your child be ready for this important step in their faith journey, we offer an engaging, interactive, and age-appropriate instruction for children and their families twice a year. Register online for an upcoming communion class.

Marriage is a gift of God, intended for the joy and strength of those who enter it for the wellbeing of the whole human family. Gloria Dei is pleased to offer the blessing of Jesus Christ to couples of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We welcome both members and non-members to be married in our beautiful sanctuary or chapel. Because each wedding ceremony is unique, we invite you to email our Director of Administration and Finance Beverly Sargent or call her at 651-699-1378, for further information about scheduling and costs. We can also provide you with our wedding booklet that will help with your planning and describe the church’s policies.

When you have a date scheduled and we have received your deposit, one of our pastors will be assigned to work with you in your wedding planning. All our pastors will require three to five sessions of pre-marital counseling and liturgy planning. As part of this required preparation, we ask couples to take an assessment with Prepare-Enrich and attend a financial planning Money For Two Workshop with Pastor Don Fulton, a financial coach and Gloria Dei member.

We also provide a wedding coordinator and music director to assist you in your planning. We pray that this time of preparation can help strengthen marriage and prepare of a life of joy and happiness. 

“Now you let your servant go in peace….”

People of God know we are created in the image of God and born in physical bodies that will one day die. While we mourn the loss of those whom we love, we also trust that death is a normal part of creation, and that no matter when it comes, our death ushers us into eternal union with God.

Whenever possible, it is beneficial for each person to plan his or her own funeral service. The church has materials available to help you indicate your plans or consider ways you’d like to be remembered. This can be done at any age, whether or not you are sick or expecting to die soon. The church office can keep your plans on file, and you can edit or update them at any time. You can email our pastors or the church office.

If a loved one is dying, we encourage you to let the church know so we can provide pastoral care for both the one who is dying and for their loved ones. Call the church office, 651-699-1378, at the time of death, too, especially if you hope to plan a funeral or memorial service at Gloria Dei. A pastor will contact you to begin to make arrangements.

Whether or not you require our help in planning a funeral service, we encourage you to let us know so that we can support and pray for you when you are grieving.

“Here on earth we have no abiding city but we seek one that is to come.”