A time for renovation | News, Sports, Jobs


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A sign in the foreground carries a message about Grace Lutheran Church’s renovation.

Grace Lutheran Church of Minot, a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) church, is being renovated.

Grace Lutheran has been an operational church for several years but did not have its own permanent space. In 2017 the search began to find a home for Grace Lutheran. After several failed attempts to find the right church building, in 2019 Grace Lutheran found a space and in spring 2021 the new renovations began.

For Pastor Nate Walther and his family, Minot has been an adventure. They began church services at Minot’s Grand Hotel in 2014, where they had services for six years in a conference room. This sometimes raised an eyebrow for new guests, at the thought of a church meeting out of a hotel, but it is not at all uncommon.

“It’s going to be a beautiful church building and reflect our values as a congregation,” said Walther. No matter where we gather “we realize wherever two or three gather together in God’s name, he is with them,” said Walther.

Finding the former North Hill Baptist Church to gather and worship has been a blessing because it has been tough at times for a growing Lutheran congregation to hold the conference room for a growing traditional Lutheran congregation. When North Hill Baptist realized they would be selling to Grace Lutheran, it was a relief to know that continuing to share the gospel would be the future of the building.

The space at Grace Lutheran offers community programs such as “Mornings with Mommy,” which will pick up again this fall and welcomes families with young children to explore structured activities built on themes. “The Noodle Ministry” is also a program at Grace, which provides local prisoners with some ministry and top ramen noodles.

The building renovation is expected to be complete by late summer and will offer and invite more benefits to the community in the future. Grace Lutheran has many weekly Bible studies throughout the year, a vacation Bible study in August and plans for a grand re-opening or dedication of the church this fall.

“We love people and want to serve and help to provide for needs in the community,” Walther said.

Grace Lutheran Church does family ministry, provides a faithful fixture in the neighborhood and is invested in the community, looking to serve during joyful and difficult times.



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