About

Let’s go back to 1966…. How many here weren’t even born yet in 1966? 1966 was the time of civil rights movement, escalating Vietnam war, Star Trek was the big hit on TV and the Beatles and the Beach Boys were all the rage, and who remembers the mini skirts, go go boots and Nehru jackets? 

The area we now know as Apple Valley was still Lebanon Township.  In 1960 the population was 585 with forecasts to grow to 3,400 by 1980 but in 1980 it was over 21,000 and today is over 56,000.

On June 1, 1966 Pastor Roger Eigenfeld was named Pastor of Mission Development for a congregation in the south metro. On August 25, 1966 an Interest meeting was held and on Sept 11, 1966 the first worship service for Christus Victor Lutheran church was held at Sioux Trail Elementary School in Burnsville.  Articles of incorporation were signed on June 16, 1967 with the first worship service in this building Oct 19, 1969.

There have been 14 Pastors at CV, including some interim, some associate and some senior pastors, beginning with Pastor Eigenfeld as the Mission Developer of Christus Victor.  Interesting fact found in notes of the 2^nd pastor, Pastor Walter Leitze:

Leitze wrote: MN Synod LCA wrote to him telling him of an extremely tiny mission congregation on the edge of the metro. If he had no interest in becoming the pastor they would close the mission. The previous pastor (Eigenfeld) left without completing his obligated tenure.

So, if not for Pastor Leitze accepting the pastor position in May 1968, knocking on 300+ neighborhood doors to invite and grow membership, CV would not exist today.  Many of you may think there was only one Pastor here, Pastor Kent due to his long tenure but to some other familiar names are Pastor Charles Tindell, Pastor Mark Huggenvik, and Pastor Bill Sutlief.

The building has changed from the original in 1969 with the now Fellowship Hall being the sanctuary, to the 1^st addition of the new and current sanctuary in 1979 to 2^nd addition (office & classrooms) in 1988 to the most recent addition of The Gathering Space in 2019 and current Sanctuay refresh just completed.

CV was part of the original formation of the Community Action Council in Jan 1972 which today is 360 Communities, and we not only continue our community involvement with that organization, but also have formed key relationships with FMSC, Red Cross Blood Bank and most recently The Open Door Food Pantry, the annual garage sale and others.

CV began its companionship with the Mlowa Parish in Tanzania and became part of Bega Kwa Bega in June 2000 and started our relationship with Kid’s Alive in the Dominican Republic with the first trip to visit in 2009.

In 1986 Spirit Bound began and grew into a major intergenerational music traveling group for 24 years.

In 2006 we formed partnerships with Casa de Oracion and Lily of the Vally (AME) churches to share our facilities.

We’ve celebrated so many milestones, too numerous to mention with births, baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, pastors, youth leaders, music, bible studies, small groups. 

As we created our Mission statement in 2004 and expanded it in 2006 to Serving Christ in Community with Faith, Love and Open Arms.  And with this statement as our guide we will continue into the future.