A Swedish Lutheran Congregation on North River Boulevard

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church sits at 1101 North River Boulevard in Wichita, Kansas, and has been a steady presence in the city since 1938, when forty-two charter members organized the parish. The name Gloria Dei is Latin for "Glory to God," a name commonly given to Lutheran congregations with a Swedish heritage, and the church still identifies with that tradition today. More than six hundred baptized members make up the congregation, which describes itself as "Gathered to Worship" and "Sent to Serve."

The church is pastored by The Rev. Peter Jacobson and is assisted by Cantor Annette Lindal, Deacon Galen Shriner (Assistant Director of Music), and Rachel Schober (Director of Youth and Christian Education). The parish offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the phone rings at 316-263-0872.

Gathered to Worship, Every Day of the Week

What sets Gloria Dei apart from many Lutheran parishes is the sheer frequency of its worship schedule. The primary gathering is the Holy Eucharist on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m., but the congregation gathers around Word and Sacrament on weekdays as well.

Midweek Eucharists (each lasting about thirty minutes) are held on Monday at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday at noon, Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., and Thursday at 11:40 a.m. On Thursdays, Matins (Morning Prayer) precedes the day's liturgy at 10:00 a.m., before Bible Study. The Daily Office pattern means a visitor can find a Lutheran service almost any day of the week.

The liturgy is at the center of all of it. The congregation is baptized "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and in that same name it gathers every Lord's Day to celebrate the Holy Eucharist: to offer praise and thanks to God, to hear the Word in scripture, liturgy, hymn, and homily, and to receive Holy Communion.

Sunday morning begins with Christian Education at 9:15 a.m. during the school year, followed by the Sunday Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. The weekly service is livestreamed on the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church YouTube channel, and recordings remain available afterward. Bulletins and homilies are posted online as well.

A Heritage of Word and Sacrament

The congregation's understanding of itself follows a simple two-part rhythm. "First and foremost, we are Gathered to Worship," the parish states. "We don't gather ourselves, but we are gathered by the Holy Spirit through the Word and Sacraments." Worship is the source of everything else the parish does.

From that worship, the congregation is then "Sent to Serve." The liturgy strengthens members to depart and serve God by serving their neighbors in love, in families, in places of employment, in neighborhoods, and across the city. "Rightly understood, our whole life is one of service - service to God and service to the neighbor."

The Sunday liturgy follows the western catholic tradition, with particular emphasis on the Lutheran heritage. Scripture, prayer, hymnody, and preaching carry the service forward, and the congregation receives Holy Communion as a regular part of its Sunday gathering.

Music at the Heart of Worship

Martin Luther famously called music "a fair and glorious gift of God," and music is central to worship at Gloria Dei. Congregational singing of the liturgy and hymns leads every service, supported by a pipe organ and regular use of strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion.

Several ensembles welcome musicians of various ages and abilities:

• Jubilate Youth Bells - for middle school and high school students; rehearsals on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.
• Gloria Dei Ringers - the adult bell choir; rehearsals on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
• Parish Choir - high school through adults; rehearsals on Wednesdays from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m.
• Liturgical Dance - open to upper-elementary girls through adult women, with no upper age limit and no prior dance experience required. The dance group performs four or five times a year at major Sundays and festivals.

Assisting Cantors help the Director of Music sing the Psalm verses and other parts of the liturgy at the Sunday Eucharist, and instrumentalists are invited to play preludes and offertories throughout the year. Many of the choir anthems include parts for brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion.

Sent to Serve in Wichita and Beyond

The Social Ministry and Outreach committee carries one of the larger programming budgets in the congregation and has given monetary gifts to approximately forty organizations over the past year. Members regularly roll up their sleeves alongside their financial giving.

Service opportunities include:

• Preparing and serving breakfast at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
• Preparing lunches for Saturday Sack Lunches at St. John's Episcopal Church.
• Gathering personal hygiene items for Partners for Wichita.
• Collecting food and clothing for Open Door.
• Participating in CropWalk.
• Making quilts for Lutheran World Relief and The Orphan Grain Train.
• Collecting money and household items for refugees in Wichita, given to the International Rescue Committee.
• Supporting victims of natural disasters through Lutheran World Relief and Lutheran Disaster Relief.
• Supporting local charities including Union Rescue Mission, Open Door, Wichita Children's Home, Carpenter Place, Love in Action, and Family Promise.
• Providing fellowship and care for members and ministry to homebound members.

The parish also organizes an annual garage sale, an Oktoberfest Dinner tied to Reformation Vespers, a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner and Bingo, Lenten Vespers followed by dinner at Picasso's Pizza, and a Youth Pancake Lunch and Pie Auction.

Children, Youth, and Lifelong Learning

Gloria Dei offers a youth program that begins at age three and continues through high school, with instruction and training in the Bible, First Communion, and Confirmation. The offerings go well beyond classroom time:

• Sunday school for all ages
• Confirmation mentoring
• Vacation Bible School (held over three evenings in early summer)
• Summer camps and spiritual retreats
• Church lock-ins
• Monthly fellowship, food, and fun gatherings
• Summer mission trips
• Youth Sunday, when young people lead portions of the liturgy

Rachel Schober serves as Director of Youth and Christian Education, and a library, devotional guides for children and adults, midweek programs, family nights, and adult education fill out the broader Christian education ministry. Confirmation is a major milestone, marked each year on Confirmation Sunday with a reception for the Confirmands.

The Liturgical Year at Gloria Dei

The congregation walks through the church year with a steady rhythm of feast days and parish traditions. Advent brings Lessons and Carols with an Advent reception; Christmas is marked by both a candlelight service on Christmas Eve and a Festival Eucharist on Christmas Day. Epiphany is celebrated with an annual Lessons and Carols program and a cake reception. Lent opens with Ash Wednesday services at noon and 7:00 p.m., continues through Lenten Vespers at Picasso's Pizza, and leads into the Great Three Days: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday Adoration of the Cross, and the Easter Vigil followed by a reception. Easter Sunday itself includes an Easter brunch, children's games, and an Easter egg hunt before the service.

Reformation Sunday in late October is another highlight, with Reformation Vespers and the popular Oktoberfest Dinner. Rally Day in early September launches the Sunday school year with a potluck lunch, children's games, and bingo. Rally to Read Day later in September adds a community-wide book giveaway to the same mix. A summer pilgrimage to Spain has also been part of parish life.

Planning a Visit

For a first-time visit, Saturday at 5:00 p.m. or Sunday at 10:30 a.m. offers the fullest experience of the liturgy. Those wanting Christian Education should arrive by 9:15 a.m. on Sunday during the school year. Weekday visitors can choose from four shorter Eucharists on Monday through Thursday, plus Matins on Thursday morning.

The church can be reached by phone at 316-263-0872 during office hours, and visitors are welcome to email Pastor Jacobson directly or write to info@gloriadeiwichita.com. The building is located on North River Boulevard, just north of downtown Wichita, with parking on site. The Sunday service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person, and bulletins and homilies are posted afterward. Giving is available online through a secure portal.

Gloria Dei continues a Lutheran tradition nearly ninety years old in Wichita, gathering around Word and Sacrament seven days a week and sending its members out into the city to serve God by serving their neighbors.