�e Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Minneapolis (now known as Beautiful

Savior Lutheran Church) was �rst organized in the year 1924. Church records for the �rst 25 years

are virtually non-existent, so the early history of this church is largely dependent on information received from older members and other sources.

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On December 29, 1924, a small group of people met at Wells Memorial, a community center located on Glenwood Avenue and 11th Street in Minneapolis.

To understand Beautiful Savior’s origins, it is necessary that a brief history of the National Evangelical Luther-an Synod (N.E.L.S.)—the parent synod of this con-

gregation from 1924 – 1963—be covered. �e N.E.L.S. was a doctrinally conservative Lutheran Church of Finnish origin founded in the year 1898 at Rock Spring, Wyoming. Although her history tells of much trial and testing by the Lord of the Church, her purpose and preaching remained the same—to proclaim Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as the universal Savior of mankind and by faith the personal Savior of all who trust in Him. �is church body always adhered to the Scriptures as the inspired word of God, the source of all teaching and guid-ance. �e N.E.L.S. completely accepted the Lutheran confes-sions as a clear interpretation of the doctrine of the Lutheran Church. Further, the N.E.L.S. was always allied with the con-servative elements of American Lutheranism and was of a uni-�ed spirit with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the spirit that led to a later merger. �e N.E.L.S. was a small synod with a total of 12,000 members. Approximately 40 pastors served the synod in 68 organized congregations and 11 preaching sta-tions.

On December 29, 1924, a small group of people met at Wells Memorial, a community center located on Glenwood Avenue and 11th Street in Minneapolis. Rev. Peter Miettinen, along with this group of concerned Christians, gave birth to the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church. Mr. Vaino Niemi from a small parish in Brantwood, Wisconsin, was one of the moving forces. Familiar with the teachings of the N.E.L.S. and hav-ing encountered a lack of church involvement when moving to Minneapolis, he began to seek out other Finnish Lutherans. As a subscription agent for the synod’s church publica-tion Auttaia (Helper), he was able to contact people moving into Minneapolis from such cities as New York Mills, Sebeka, Menagha, as well as other towns and farming communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Young people who moved to the Minneapolis area were contacted by Mr. Niemi about �nding a new church home when their conscientious parents gave him their children’s new addresses.

Foundation

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In 1936 the opportunity to purchase a small church chapel presented itself. A Norwegian Synod Church had the property for sale at 740 Newton Avenue.

In 1923 an idea of starting a church home was fostered, and in 1925 the congregation was organized and later incor-porated in 1936, according to synodical records. �e �rst

meeting resulted in the election of the following officers: Mr. John Oikkari, President; Mr. Jack Mattson, Vice President; Mr. Carl Talvio, Treasurer; Mrs. Carl Talvio, Secretary; Mr. Vaino Niemi, Assistant Secretary; Mr. Vernon Mattson and Mr. Isaac Lindala, elected Trustees. In addition, the follow-ing were charter members: Mrs. Erika Wuori, George Wuori, Helen Mattson, Esther Mattson, Mrs. Christoferson, Mrs. Esther Lindala, Fabian Lindala, Arthur Lindala, and Sophia Metsala.

Rev. Peter Miettinen served the congregation for the �rst two years at services held in rental facilities at Wells Memorial and in homes. Rev. John Urpilainen succeeded Rev. Miettinen in January 1926, also serving two years. A call was then extended to Rev. Samuel Krankkala, a full-time minister in Brantwood, Wisconsin. He elected to serve Minneapolis also and held services on �ursday evenings. It is signi�cant that �ursday evening was selected because that evening was free for those who served as domestic help in homes and were thus able to attend services.

An incident during Rev. Krankkala’s pastorate stands out. He was a forceful speaker and had a voice that carried well. On one occasion while he was preaching at Wells Memo-rial, a scrubwoman employed there heard his sermon through the wall and was so moved that she soon joined the church and was a devout Christian the rest of her life.

In 1936 the opportunity to purchase a small church chapel presented itself. A Norwegian Synod Church had the property for sale at 740 Newton Avenue. �e asking price was $1,100. �is was during the Depression so there were strong misgivings about the feasibility of any purchase. �e Lord

willed otherwise and owning a church building was soon a reality. An offer of $700 was made and accepted—no money down, no interest charges, and no minimum monthly pay-ments were part of this transaction. However, a down payment of $25 was made by a member of the congregation to seal the purchase. �e Lord provided well, and in two years the church was paid for with donations coming from other congregations and from individuals far a�eld. �e chapel was a small frame building seating approximately 100 people and had facilities in the walk-in basement for Sunday School and social functions.

It isn’t clear how long Rev. Krankkala served, but it is known that due to his failing health he was assisted in his du-ties by Rev. Heimonen. �roughout this period of the church’s history several other pastors helped out and preached when journeying through Minneapolis or when opportunities pre-sented themselves. Among those who assisted were: Rev. John Haakana, Rev. Hugo P. Esala, and Rev. W. W. Wilen.

Rev. W. W. Wilen succeeded Rev. Krankkala and served faithfully as a commuting pastor from Wilmette, Il-linois, until 1947. In June of that year, Rev. Erick Erickson, after graduating from the Spring�eld Seminary, was called to the parish and became the �rst resident pastor of the congrega-tion. �e parish included Brantwood, Ogema, and Milwaukee, all in Wisconsin, as well as French Lake, Finlayson, and Moose Lake in Minnesota. �e geographical size of the parish elimi-nated the possibility of services every Sunday; however, a service sometime during each week was always possible.

Seminarian Elmer Ylinen taught summer school during the summer of 1949, and Seminarian William Ross vicared during 1950. �us, the church was well on its way to receiving full-time pastoral care.

Earliest Years

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Left to right: Rev. Erick Erickson, St. Michael ’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Following a suggestion by Rev. Erickson which was rati�ed by the parish, the congregation adopted a new name during this period and became known as St.

Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, in honor of Finland’s Lutheran Reformer, Michael Agricola. �e �rst parsonage was purchased in 1951 and dedicated in December that year.

�e house was conveniently located close to the church at 890 Newton Avenue North and allowed immediate occupancy. A $6,750 loan was received from the synod’s Extension Fund for this purchase.

Name Changes & Relocation

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Top to bottom: Inside St.Michael ’s, State Fair Booth

Membership was increasing and the church’s minis-try was progressing. In 1952, at the suggestion of N.E.L.S. President G. A. Aho, it was decided to

divide the large parish. Pr. Erickson moved to Moose Lake, Minnesota, to continue pastoral care for the northern Min-

nesota congregations. St. Michael’s proceeded to call Rev. Jonathan Aho, President Aho’s son, to be its pastor. Guest pastors helped during the vacancy, and within a few months, Rev. Jonathan Aho became the pastor of St. Michael’s.

Name Changes & Relocation

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Left to right: The 1956 moving of a newly purchased church building from St.Louis Park to its new home on Russell Avenue North & Olson Highway. Beautiful Savior exterior on Russell Avenue North

The church continued to progress and it soon became apparent that larger facilities were necessary. In the summer of 1956, the decision was made to purchase a

church building made available by Wooddale Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. �e building was to be moved to property located at Russell Avenue North and Olson Highway. �is was a busy summer for the members of the congregation. Prior to the move, preparations had to be made to the building itself—the brick chimney and the steeple were removed, and the building was cut into two sections. On a Sunday morning,

contract movers, along with willing men of the church, made the move along Highway 100 and Olson Memorial Highway. For several weeks the church, still on moving dollies, sat on Russell Avenue North blocking the street until the foundation was ready. With the church �nally in place, many weeks of work followed, including �nishing the basement and setting up the kitchen. �e steeple was again raised into position, and other exterior work was completed.

Name Changes & Relocation

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Beautiful Savior at Russell Avenue North

T hroughout this period, a truly dedicated involvement by the members was apparent. Work groups were established so that a continuous �ow of work was ac-

complished. �e Priscilla Guild was always there doing all they could, and the youth group was equally involved in the work. �e lights burned past midnight many evenings as the work was being done, and it was often mentioned that it was the extremely strong coffee brewed by Mr. Leonard Lofback which helped keep everyone awake.

�is was a happy and forward-looking step in the history of the parish. �e new location, bigger facilities, and the inspiring warm look of the church office itself bode well for the congregation and the community it sought to serve.

�e dedication of the church brought not only a new spirit of serving Christ and man, but also a new name for the congrega-tion. With the new location and new facility, it was suggested by some that the name be changed to one “more Lutheran.” After several suggestions and a vote, Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church was the name chosen, and the church was officially dedicated with that name.

Name Changes & Relocation

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It was understandable that losing identity as a Finnish church body was of concern to many...

Rev. Jonathan Aho’s work was blessed abundantly by the Lord of the Church, and this is perhaps why the synod chose him to begin work in Florida as a missionary-at-

large. �e congregation quite reluctantly gave him a peaceful release, and he, with the blessing of the church, soon departed for the mission �eld in Florida.

1956 saw a change in pastors again as Rev. Edmond Aho from New York Mills, Minnesota, accepted the call to serve as pastor. Because he was already known to many mem-bers of the congregation, the adjustment on the part of both pastor and people was relatively easy, and all looked forward to continued progress. Beautiful Savior was the host church for the 59th Annual Convention of the N.E.L.S. �e event was held June 28 – 30, 1957, and presented the last opportunity for most members to participate in a N.E.L.S. convention. �ese busy, inspiring, fruitful days proved to be a milestone in the history of the church.

In 1958 negotiations made it possible to sell the old parsonage and to purchase a new home for the pastor. �e new home was a year-old rambler of plywood and stone construc-tion located at 2620 – 8th Avenue North, four blocks from the church. �e purchase price was $17,500, and with the sale of the former parsonage, the congregation completed payments

to the Extension Fund. A new mortgage on the home from an area bank brought the total valuation of the church property to $65,000.

While the church progressed, new challenges appeared on the horizon. �e merger of the N.E.L.S. with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LC-MS) was in the talking and conference stage, and ultimately resulted in a merger tak-ing effect January 1, 1964. �e decision of Beautiful Savior’s membership to accept this change was not unanimous, but strong support generally existed, and the vote for merger was in concurrence with the majority of churches in the synod. �ere were no challenging differences in doctrine, and 38 years of altar and pulpit fellowship provided the basis for approval. �ere was a strong voice from a minority of members for stay-ing independent. It was understandable that losing identity as a Finnish church body was of concern to many, especially in reference to Finnish speaking pastors still needed to serve in certain areas, as well as to the work of the synod in the Confes-sional Lutheran Church of Finland. All these matters were to be resolved, including the question of women’s suffrage which had been a part of the N.E.L.S.

Changes Abound

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Left to right: Beautiful Savior in New Hope dedication day February 1964, Interior of Beautiful Savior New Hope, Exterior of Beautiful Savior New Hope 1960’s

In addition to the synod merger issue, 1963 provided chal-lenges because of the need to relocate. �e congregation was forced to make a decision to move due to the condem-

nation of the church property for highway use. In a difficult decision, and one not pleasing to some, the church decided to relocate to a site in New Hope. �e building was designed by the �rm of Patch and Erickson and constructed on a �ve-acre plot owned by the LC-MS. �e congregation observed groundbreaking on the new site July 21, 1963, and dedicated the facility February 9, 1964. �e cost of construction was $117,000, with the total cost of the building program, includ-ing land and furnishings, reaching $145,000. Again, great sav-ings were realized by the parish with the generous contributions

of time and energy given by members to furnish and �nish the new house of worship.

�e Lord of the Church continued to bless the work of Rev. Edmund Aho as the parish adjusted to the new location. In the fall of 1965, he received a call from Trinity Lutheran Church in Simi Valley, California, and after prayerful consid-eration, accepted the call. �e parish then called Rev. Norman E. Menke as pastor, and he was installed on January 16, 1966. His resignation from the pastoral ministry of the parish was accepted in 1972. He and approximately twenty families went on to form the Kairos Christian Community, described as a “church without walls.”

On the Move

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Pastor Vernon Gundermann 1973-1990 circa 1975

In the absence of a full-time pastor, arrangements had to be made for shepherding the congregation. On October 1, 1972, Rev. Ernst Stahlke began his ministry as a vacancy

pastor. He served most competently during this period, minis-tering to the needs of the congregation and providing guidance to church leaders while they initiated the process to call a new pastor. �e prayers of the congregation were answered when Rev. Vernon Gundermann, who was serving in campus minis-try in Madison, Wisconsin, accepted the call to serve Beautiful Savior. His installation took place April 8, 1973, and soon a new spirit and vigor became apparent in the congregation. At this time the congregation numbered 450 baptized and 273 con�rmed members.

Beautiful Savior marked its 50th anniversary in 1974, and progress was evident in many areas. Several new commit-tees were formed, including a Synod Concerns Committee, which was charged with keeping the congregation informed of synod activities. A long-range Planning Committee was

formed to analyze parish needs and to forecast future facility requirements. A committee for youth ministry was formed to focus on activities meeting the needs of youth. In August 1974, Margaret Rickers, a D.C.E. intern from Concordia College, St. Paul, arrived to begin her duties as a Director of Christian Education. She proceeded to �ll an important need by working with the youth, providing leadership for the education program, and by actively participating in the music ministry of the parish. As membership and participation increased, it became apparent that three Sunday worship services were required dur-ing the program year. It was also at this time that a summer schedule was adopted providing two Sunday worship services and one Monday evening service. �is schedule was designed to better accommodate members who were away weekends, either camping or enjoying cabins.

A Time of Growth

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Finnish Christmas Festival, a tradition began in 1977

The Board of Missions conducted a Sharing, Teaching, and Preaching event in October 1974. Many members attended the activity and later participated in calling on

prospective members at the event’s culmination. Beautiful Sav-ior numbered 607 baptized members and 395 con�rmed mem-bers. �e following “sons” of the congregation were recognized as having become pastors and as having entered active minis-try: Carl Efraimson (Sheboygan, Wisconsin), Harold Kallio (Indianapolis, Indiana), Clarence Rantala (Clyman, Wyoming), Willard Olson and Howard Kramin (Laramie, Wyoming).

September 1975 saw Margaret Rickers installed as full-time Director of Christian Education with responsibilities in the areas of pre-con�rmation education and music minis-try for the church. She served as both Parish Choir Director and as one of the church’s organists. As church membership increased, worship services bene�ted from a growing Parish Choir, the use of instrumentalists, and the formation of �e Savior’s Singers, a choir composed of students in elementary and junior high schools.

An Evangelism Board was formed in 1977 in an ef-fort to strengthen the church’s evangelism efforts. Activities to identify prospective members included an open house, the television broadcast of a worship service, and the canvassing of neighborhoods in Plymouth. Concurrently, a great deal of planning and study were taking place as the church decided to build an addition to the facility. Space was to be devoted to fellowship areas and classrooms, providing the opportunity for a more complete education program. Groundbreaking was held on Palm Sunday, April 3, 1977, and dedication services were held September 11, 1977.

Celebrating the church’s heritage, a Finnish Christmas Festival was held in December 1977. Attendance was very en-couraging, attracting worshipers from throughout greater Min-nesota and surrounding states, and the annual event continued for many years.

A Time of Growth

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New Hope Beautiful Savior with Fireside addition circa 1979

New Programs & MinistriesThe Bethel Bible Series was established in the parish

in 1978. �is two-year Bible study course provided a well-organized systematic approach to studying the en-

tire Bible. Also during this time �e Lutheran Book of Wor-ship was adopted for use in worship services, and the parish provided assistance to a Hispanic ministry in St. Paul. 1979 brought signi�cant progress. �e �rst Bethel Bible Series trainees were commissioned. Margaret Rickers accepted responsibility for youth ministry, while Sue Gebel became a part-time staff member coordinating pre-con�rma-tion education. During this year, Dr. Robert Kolb, a member of the religion faculty at Concordia College, St. Paul, joined the congregation. He rendered invaluable service to our parish as a periodic preacher and by assuming duties as an assistant to Rev.Gundermann.

A new concept in adult education, known as the New Hope Christian Learning Center, was independently incorpo-rated in 1980. �e Center provided a systematic approach to adult learning with participants able to choose from a variety of course offerings leading to a program specialty. Margaret Rick-ers assumed duties as the Center’s �rst Dean, and participants came from many neighboring congregations, as well as from within Beautiful Savior.

In June 1981, the church said goodbye to Margaret Rickers as she accepted a call to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. David Bipes was called as full-time Director of Christian Education �lling this vacancy. His responsibilities included pre-con�rmation education, youth ministry, Parish Choir Director, and Dean of the New Hope Christian Learning Center.

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Beautiful Savior New Hope with new Sanctuary circa 1983

New Programs & MinistriesA Building Committee was formed at about this time to

develop plans for a new sanctuary providing seating for 484, over�ow seating in a new narthex, and new pews.

�e cost of the project totaled $600,000. Groundbreaking took place May 2, 1982, and the dedication of the completed build-ing was held November 21, 1982.

Tim Rohl�ng was installed as Director of Youth Ministries in August 1982, following the resignation of David Bipes. David’s resignation also marked a period of change in the music ministry. In 1983 a Director of Music position was established and provisions were made for a Music Of-�ce. Financial support to music ministries was increased, and a handbell fund drive was conducted and completed, resulting in the purchase of a new set of bells. Six choirs (Parish Choir, Handbell Choir, Youth Choir, Chapel Choir, Savior’s Singers,

and the Sunday School Singers) and a variety of instrumental-ists provided musical support and enrichment to weekly wor-ship services.

1984 saw the addition of the Stephen Ministry to Beautiful Savior’s ministry offerings. �e initial class of 18 lay people was instructed by Rich Siemers to provide one-to-one care for those in need. Following their training, the group was commissioned in April 1986 and then began taking care assign-ments.

D.C.E. Paul Berg was installed July 21, 1985, and be-came Dean of the New Hope Christian Learning Center. He coordinated adult education and later added duties as facility manager to his responsibilities.

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In a historic �rst, Lutherans on four conti-nents celebrated Easter together on April 11, 1993, via satellite.

In 1987 the parish undertook a major effort in outreach to the greater Christian community. FOCUS TEN was established to provide an opportunity to expand its ministry

beyond the local congregation. �ree ministries—one local, one national, and one international—were chosen to receive �nancial support that �rst year: 1. �e Hmong Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota 2. A Hispanic ministry with First Lutheran Church in Pasadena, California 3. �e Lutheran Church in Helsinki, Finland, under the leadership of Rev. Donald Tomkins

�e professional staff grew in July 1988 with the instal-lation of Rich Siemers as Director of Shepherding Ministries. Responsibilities for this position concentrated on coordinating and equipping members in caring for one another through the Stephen Ministry. Later that year, in September, Beautiful Savior celebrated its 25th anniversary at the New Hope site. �e congregation numbered 1,491 baptized members and 1,135 con�rmed members.

An Endowment Fund was initiated in 1989 with a generous $100,000 gift from an anonymous member. �e Endowment Fund was established to encourage members of Beautiful Savior to make lasting gifts and bequests that would continue serving in their memory. �ese perpetual gifts would ensure needed funds were available for the Lord’s work in min-

istries selected by the congregation. In 1990, interest monies from the Endowment Fund were used to assist Gregory Klotz, a missionary to Venezuela, in buying computer equipment. Later in 1992, monies helped support Rev. Alan Rehwaldt in his participation in “Project Volga,” a mission to the people of Russia.

In a historic �rst, Lutherans on four continents cel-ebrated Easter together on April 11, 1993, via satellite. Called “Easter Alive ‘round the World,” the telecast united Lutherans from Beautiful Savior in New Hope, Minnesota, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in St. Petersburg, Russia, Central Lutheran Church in Seoul, South Korea, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Accra, Ghana, West Africa, in a celebration of Easter in which all four groups shared and participated. Produced by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Board for Communica-tion Services, “Easter Alive ‘round the World” aired over many ABC affiliate stations on Sunday, April 11. �e people of Beautiful Savior were grateful for the honor of being involved in this historic production.

New Programs & Ministries

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Rev. Thomas Stoebig installed as Senior Pastor November 1991

Professional staff changes marked the next several years beginning in July 1989 with the resignation of Paul Berg. By September, Christine Krueger was installed as

the new D.C.E. for Education Ministries with responsibilities for all education programs, as well as serving as Dean of the New Hope Christian Learning Center. Christine introduced the two-year CROSSWAYS! Bible study program to Beautiful Savior, whose �rst class of 40 students completed the course in the spring of 1992.

Also in 1989, Director of Youth Ministries, Tim Rohl�ng, accepted a call to serve at Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, Illinois. His leaving necessitated another call process, and Kurt Niebuhr was installed as Director of Youth Ministries in June 1990. After more than 17 years as pastor of Beautiful Savior, Rev. Gundermann accepted a call to serve at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Missouri, in July 1990. Under his committed and progressive leadership, the parish had grown to a baptized membership of 1,595 and had made a signi�cant mark on the community. �e 14-month vacancy that followed

Rev. Gundermann’s departure was aptly �lled by Rev. Alan Rehwaldt.

In December 1990, Rich Siemers concluded his minis-try with Beautiful Savior as Director of Shepherding Ministries. In the meantime, the call process to �nd a pastor was underway and continued until Rev. �omas Stoebig accepted the call in September 1991 and was installed as pastor of Beautiful Savior on December 8, 1991.

Having reached capacity in the New Hope facility, the decision to purchase property in Plymouth, Minnesota, was agreed upon by the members in March 1993. �is purchase set in motion the formation of a building team who, along with input from many members, worked with architects to design a new building that would meet the needs of the growing subur-ban congregation. A capital stewardship campaign was begun, and a realtor was engaged to secure the sale of the New Hope property.

Growth Continues

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Groundbreaking in Plymouth August 24, 1997

The position of Director of Shepherding Ministries was �lled when Sheryl Olson accepted the call and was installed in September 1993. Christine (Krueger) Eid

resigned her position as Director of Education in December 1995, leaving to work with Lutheran Youth Encounter. In her absence, Mallory Jacobson was contracted to work in Educa-tion while Beautiful Savior evaluated how best to structure its ministry to youth and families.

New Hope Chapel of the Christian Missionary Alli-ance bid on the New Hope facility, and the Voters’ Assembly approved the sale in January 1997. �e sale was �nalized in May 1997, and arrangements were made for the two church bodies to share the building while construction at Beautiful Savior’s Plymouth site took place. Worship times changed in September to Saturdays at 5:00 pm and Sundays at 8:00 and 9:15 am to accommodate both groups’ needs.

William Johnson was called to serve the parish in the role of Director of Christian Nurturing with responsibilities to develop and carry out means of nurturing the membership from birth through adulthood. Bill accepted this call and began his ministry in June 1997. One month later, Kurt Niebuhr resigned his role in youth ministry and accepted a position in campus ministry in Houston, Texas.

After much planning, time, and effort, the Plymouth site was ready for occupancy. Moving day was bright and sunny as members moved boxes and furnishings by rental trucks and personal vehicles to the new building. �e �rst worship service was held that same day, August 15, 1998, and Beauti-ful Savior embarked on a path of continued ministry to God’s people in a new location. A service of dedication was held October 11, 1998, to formally announce the church’s mission to be Christ’s Caring and Connecting Community.

Growth Continues

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Groundbreaking of new Sancturay at Plymouth September 2005

As Beautiful Savior’s journey went from Minneapolis to New Hope and then to Plymouth, God’s purpose remained steadfast, and the mission expanded. �e

move to Plymouth brought many opportunities to connect people to God through worship and prayer, to help them grow in faith through classes and groups, and to lead people to serve and reach others so they might also know Christ.

Members and staff at Beautiful Savior quickly �lled the spaces of the new facility, and in 2005 it was time to expand the facility with the addition of a new Sanctuary. A capital campaign succeeded in raising $2.6 million pledged over three years. Groundbreaking took place in September 2005, and the 15-month construction project got underway in November.

On February 18, 2007, the Sanctuary was dedicated to the glory of God. It has been a blessing to the people of Beautiful Sav-ior, as well as to the community, and has been used by our Lord to attract many to come and worship.

Another of God’s purposes for the new site realized by the move and expansion in Plymouth was the creation of Precious Corner Preschool, which began in 1999 as a self-sup-porting outreach ministry of Beautiful Savior. �e program and staff have changed and grown to meet the needs of our burgeoning young family community. Now, under the direc-tion of Jessica Jirele, more than 60 children are offered a safe, Christian environment in which to explore the world around them and learn about Jesus.

Growth in Plymouth

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Top to bottom: Rev. David F. Kruger installation March 2006 Rev. Joe Behnke installed as Associate Pastor February 2014

As membership grew and facilities expanded, new people were added to the team of faithful and dedi-cated staff. For the �rst time in its history, Beautiful

Savior called an Associate Pastor. In March 2006 Rev. David F. Kruger was installed. His duties included preaching, lead-ing worship, teaching and pastoral care, with a strong emphasis on pastoral counseling. Other staff expansions after moving to Plymouth included the addition of positions in Missional Outreach, Facilities Management, and Music and Worship. Two de�ning moments in the life of Beautiful Savior were the 2012 retirements of Rev. David Kruger and Director of Care Ministry, Sherry Olson. Member Rev. Ted Schroeder provided preaching and teaching support during the Associate Pastor call process which concluded in February 2014 with the installation of Rev. Joe Behnke. By the end of 2014, Beautiful Savior’s full- and part-time staff would number close to 30 people. �e events in the world and in people’s lives in our communities have brought opportunities to serve others in a variety of ways. �e people of Beautiful Savior have been used

by God to walk with others facing challenges through pastoral care, Stephen Ministry, small groups, unemployment minis-try, bereavement ministry, and the Acts II fund (a ministry to offer �nancial assistance to anyone facing crisis or hardship), among others. Local mission projects include the support of Trinity First Lutheran School in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, PRISM, SoleCare for Souls, Loaves and Fishes, and Dinner at Your Door. �e people of Beautiful Savior have also reached well beyond the community making several trips to rebuild homes and people’s lives in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Other Beautiful Savior groups have made trips to Honduras and Mexico to serve others and to bring the message of God’s love. �e senior high youth have also reached out to complete mission projects near and far in places like Delaware, Michigan, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Texas, and Indiana.

Growth in Plymouth

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Since 1924 Beautiful Savior has remained steadfast in its teaching and preaching of Christ as the Savior of

mankind. We are grateful for all that He has done in us, among us, and through us. As we celebrate our 90th anniversary in 2014, our worship life consists

of three services each weekend with an average weekly attendance of 823, and we now number 2,568 baptized members. May God continue to lead and guide the peo-

ple and mission of Beautiful Savior for His glory.

� anks be to God!

Join us online & in worship!

/beautifulsavior.plymouth www.beautifulsaviorlc.org @bslc_plymouth

Saturdays @ 5:00pm and Sundays @ 8:30 & 11:00am5005 Northwest Blvd., Plymouth, MN 55442 | 763-550-1000