OUR HISTORY

Saving Grace Lutheran Church was formed on April 28, 2013, after our first worship service was held with 383 in attendance at Stokes, Prock and Mundt Funeral Home in Altoona, WI. 

Our members were primarily the former active members of Grace Lutheran Church who had been court ordered to give up control of the assets of their former church and vacate the building they and their families had supported and worshiped in, some for all of their lives. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by a small minority of Grace members who left the church in May 2011 and formed a new church called Amazing Grace ELCA, Inc. In November 2011 they filed a lawsuit against the members of Grace declaring themselves to be the true members of the church and rightful guardians of its assets. In January 2012 the Synod Council of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America rendered a decision in partial support of those claims. Since that decision would not allow the Court to completely turn over all assets, a second decision was rendered in April 2013 and submitted to the Court. That decision was then enforced upon the congregation.  

A congregational meeting was held and a new church, Saving Grace Lutheran Church, affiliated with LCMC  was formed, with Pastor Rolf Nestingen and Pastor David Irgens to serve as ministers. The former Council members of Grace were asked to continue in their roles until our first Annual Meeting and a Constitution Committee was formed.  Pastor Nestingen has since retired, and Pastor David Irgens continues as Senior Pastor of our growing and vibrant church family.