About
We are and will be:
Faithful to the Scriptures
True to the Reformed Faith
Obedient to the Great Commission
Our Values
Worship
We will prioritize the importance of worship and the ordinary means of grace.
Worship is the single most important thing we do at Grace Covenant. We worship because God has called us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and has saved us by grace through faith. Our worship centers on the Triune God of the historic, orthodox, evangelical Christian faith and relies upon the ordinary means of Word, prayer, and sacrament. Each part of worship engages our hearts and minds and points us to the saving work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Discipleship
We will model discipleship that learns, lives for, and loves like Jesus.
Discipleship starts on Sundays at Grace Covenant. We establish believers in the biblical faith and equip believers to make disciples through our worship service and Christian Formation. Discipleship continues through the week in our growth group ministry, in the context of ongoing personal relationships founded on the Word of God and developed by praying, living, and serving in ordinary life together.
Mission
We will participate in mission locally, regionally, and globally with our time, talents, and treasure.
Mission for Grace Covenant is primarily with our neighbors, the people around us where we live. We engage our neighbors with the gospel of Christ while we also send missionaries and work with missions organizations to “make disciples of all nations.”
BEING DISCIPLES
WHO MAKE DISCIPLES
Core
At the core of Grace Covenant is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are saved by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We are saved to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We find direction for life and ministry in the Word of God, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, which is our rule of faith and directs us how we may glorify and enjoy God.
Confession
We are a confessional church, this means that we are accountable to a set of doctrinal standards. For us, in the Reformed tradition, this means the Westminster Confession of Faith, and Larger and Shorter Catechisms (our "standards"). You don't have to agree with everything in them to be part of Grace Covenant, but know that our standards help to keep our ministry focused on the Gospel and accountable to do what we say.
Community
At Grace Covenant, we don't just "do church" on Sundays - We want to live life together. Standing together in our faith is something we do in daily life and we need each other to help us to do it. Our growth groups and other ministries meet during the week, throughout the year, as we seek to build a community where "you are more important than I am" and the Gospel matters more than anything.
Staff & Leadership
Pastor John came to Grace Covenant in October 2016 after growing up and pastoring in Nebraska. While serving on staff with The Navigators collegiate ministry, he sensed a call to serve the local church and completed seminary at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in North Carolina. John and his wife Tami have deeply enjoyed marriage & ministry for almost 30 years together and are very grateful for their three adult children and daughters-in-law, two teenagers still at home, and a grandchild with another on the way. Pastor John roasts his own coffee, consumes good books, and appreciates a good sense of humor and witty remarks. Outside of ministry he can often be found playing board games or riding his bike (summer) and his XC skis (winter) on the tremendous trails around the Twin Cities. His playlist includes Bon Jovi, Bach, and The Gray Havens.
Rev. John Frese
Teaching Elder
Patrick O’Banion has been at Grace Covenant since 2019. He has has served the congregation as a ruling elder since 2021 and is a licentiate in the Siouxlands Presbytery. He lives in south Minneapolis along with his wife (Rachel) and two children. A historian by trade, he enjoys traveling, teaching, and reading, writing, and translating Reformed theology.
Dr. Patrick O'Banion
Ruling Elder
Tom and his wife Terri live in Lakeville and have two adult daughters with whom they enjoy spending time. Tom has been immeasurably blessed to profess Jesus as Savior since 1991. Tom enjoys going on walks with Terri, the gym, and memorizing scripture. Tom’s current playlist includes various contemporary Christian music, Glen Campbell guitar solos and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
Tom Luttio
Ruling Elder
Kevin and his wife Teresa have been members of Grace Covenant (prior Riverside) for over 30 years,
since moving back to the midwest from the east coast in 1994. Kevin enjoys reading and listening to various podcasts, and spending time with the family, as well as cats Mabel and Ivy, and dog Jordy, but especially grandson Walker. Kevins' day job involves computer programming and related software development activities.
Kevin VerMeer
Ruling Elder
Randy and his wife Lorie joined Grace Covenant in 2017. Randy grew up in North Dakota, Lorie in Minnesota and have been married since 2000. They have 3 grown sons and are now blessed with two granddaughters. Randy enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.
Randy is presently on sabbatical until January 2027.
Randy Wahlstrom
Deacon
Teresa has been a member at Grace Covenant since 1995. She took on the role as Ministry Administrator in August 2022 and loves what she does! She lives in Savage with her husband, Kevin, their dog and two cats. Kevin and Teresa have two grown sons, two daughters-in-law and one grandson. She loves spending time with her family and when reading it's usually a historical fiction book.
Teresa VerMeer
Office Administrator