Sunday traditional worship, 8:30am
Setting Four liturgy from the ELW hymnal with organ and the chancel choir.
Gathering since 1957
Come as you are, at 8:30 or at 11
Traditional liturgy and hymnal at 8:30, contemporary with a band at 11. Communion is open to all who wish to receive.
68 yrsin this neighborhood
410in worship weekly
2Sunday services
1957congregation founded
Worship and ministries
Sunday worship and the week around it
Everything listed is open to visitors and members alike, at no cost.
Sunday contemporary worship, 11am
Praise band, projected lyrics, communion by intinction, roughly 65 minutes.
Sunday school and confirmation
Ages 3 through grade 5 during the 11am hour, confirmation for grades 6 to 8 on Wednesdays.
Holden Evening Prayer in Lent
Wednesdays at 6:30pm through Lent, preceded by a soup supper in the fellowship hall.
Tuesday food shelf
Open to anyone in the 55901 through 55906 zip codes, Tuesdays 4pm to 7pm, no ID required.
Weddings and funerals
Sanctuary use with organist and pastor, waived for members, includes premarital sessions.
Who we are
An ELCA congregation, welcoming and unhurried
Grace was founded in 1957 by families from the old downtown parish who wanted a church on the northeast side. We are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Southeastern Minnesota Synod. Pastor Ingrid Sorenson has served here since 2016, alongside Pastor David Muturi who leads the 11am service and youth ministry.
•Communion is open, no membership required to receive
•Nursery staffed during both services, cry room at the back
•Building is fully accessible with hearing loop in the sanctuary
Reviews
From our members
“We visited three churches after moving here. Grace was the only one where four people learned our kids' names before we left the parking lot.”
Karin H., Member since 2021
“The Tuesday food shelf carried my family through a rough eighteen months and nobody ever asked me a single uncomfortable question.”
Anonymous, Food shelf guest
FAQ
If you are visiting
What should I wear?
Whatever you own. The 8:30 service skews a little dressier and the 11am is mostly jeans. Nobody at either service is checking, and there is no visitor spotlight or standing up to be introduced.
Can I take communion if I am not Lutheran?
Yes. Our table is open to all who wish to receive, regardless of denomination or membership. Gluten free wafers and grape juice are available at every station, just ask the server.
Where do my kids go during worship?
The nursery takes infants through age three during both services and is staffed by background checked volunteers. Sunday school for ages three through grade five meets during the 11am hour, and children are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary instead.
How do I become a member?
We hold a three session New Member class twice a year in the fall and spring, then receive new members at a Sunday service. There is no financial requirement. Many people attend for a year or more before joining, and that is fine.
Contact
Come this Sunday, or just call
The office is open weekday mornings and Pastor Ingrid returns calls the same day. Visitors never need to sign anything.
Phone(507) 555-0142
Address3140 Viola Rd NE, Rochester, MN 55906, Rochester, Minnesota
HoursOffice Mon to Thu 9am to 3pm, worship Sundays 8:30 and 11am
AreaNortheast Rochester, Chester, Eyota, Byron