A Brief History of Life in Christ Lutheran Church, of Cook County MN.
In February of 1998, a hopeful group of ten Lutherans met in the home of Robert Mesenbring for fellowship and bible study. There prayer was that God would grace Cook County with a Confessional Lutheran Church. They studied the catechism led by Pastor Dean Rudloff.
After studying the catechism and several books of the bible, the had their first Sunday morning devotional at the Cook County Community Center on July 19, 1998. Also led by Pastor Rudloff. In October of that same year the Minnesota District of the LCMS called Pastor Dennis Schutte as a Missionary and Church Planter for Cook County. He was installed on November 5. By April of the next year the budding congregation had their first worship service at the Community Center.
God had blessed their efforts and soon the congregation adopted a constitution and chose the name “Life in Christ Lutheran Church of Cook County Minnesota”.
April 13, 2003, on its Charter Sunday, Life in Christ signed the Minnesota District North Constitution. The small congregation participated in the Fisherman’s Picnic parade in Grand Marais, and placed flyers in local hotels and restaurants announcing worship services at the Community Center. With prayers answered the Life in Christ Congregation officially began Word and Sacrament ministry in Cook County.
In July of that same year, Confirmation Classes began in the homes of the youth. Life in Christ became a tax-exempt entity.
December 2003 Advent services were held for the first time. Their focus was on outreach to the community, looking forward to the celebration of Our Lord’s Birth at Christmas.
Services began at the preaching station at Heston’s Lodge in July of 2005. They have been a great blessing to the congregation and the many visitors to Gunflint Lake.
Life in Christ has been served by five pastors, both as called servants and interim. Rev. Dennis Schutte (2007-2011), Rev. Dean Rudloff (2011-2017), Rev. Richard Resch, Interim (2017), Rev. Daniel Preus (2017-2018), and Rev. Jonathan Watt (2018-Present). Pastor Watt is the Congregation’s first resident pastor.
In December Life in Christ called its first pastor. Rev. Dennis Schutte. He was installed on January 21, 2007. Pastor Schutte retired in 2011.
Rev. Dean Rudloff was called by Life in Christ to be her pastor in September of 2011. He served the congregation until 2017. That year Rev. Richard Resch served as interim until Rev. Daniel Preus served, also as interim until September of 2019.
September of 2013 brought the opportunity to purchase the Congregation’s current property. It is a beautiful three-acre plot just outside of Grand Marais, on Highway 61. The property was purchased for $150,000. After some renovations the first worship service at the new site was celebrated in May of 2016. Thanks be to God; due to generous contributions the property was paid for in February of 2017.
In September of 2019 Rev. Jonathan Watt was called to be Life in Christ’s first resident pastor.
Many work projects have been accomplished over the history of the church. In July of 2014, Crossview Lutheran Church, Edina MN participated scraping and cleaning the church building and prepare the property for worship services.
Total renovation of the parsonage was begun in July of 2017, with the help of St. Matthews, Esco, MN. Over an extended period, a new roof, new windows, interior walls rebuilt and insulated, and inside and outside painting were completed. Pastor Watt moved into the parsonage January of 2020.
Plans for an outdoor worship center were put forward and begun. It was used during the COVID pandemic (2020).
Two buildings were removed from the property, an old cabin in the northeast part of the property (2016) and the cafeteria, to the west. These changes have greatly improved the appearance of the Church Property.
Over the last 20 years the church has experienced many joys and hardships. We could not have succeeded except for the support of the Minnesota North District of the LCMS and the many churches of the district. God is good, he continues to bless our efforts to be a Confessional Lutheran Congregation in Grand Marais.