Recognizing the need for an additional church in western Edina, Rev. Arnold Meyer, Minnesota South District Mission Executive and Dale Johnson, District Treasurer determined to seek a church site. After examining several locations in the area, they negotiated the purchase of a fifteen-acre site at a cost of $41,000 in May of 1967.
In May of 1968, the district called the Rev. Benard H. Becker to serve as missionary and organizer of the newly planned congregation and was installed as their first pastor on Sunday, October 6, 1968.
The West Suburban Lutheran Mission began worship services at Creek Valley Elementary School on October 13, 1968. Dale Johnson was elected to serve as president of the new congregation. Christmas was celebrated at Calvary Lutheran Church. As the year ended, the total membership was 45 communicants and 75 baptized souls.
In 1969 the new membership adopted the name Cross View Lutheran Church and elected its first church officers. February 9, 1969 was designated as Charter Sunday and 114 persons were received as charter members of Cross View Lutheran Church, 70 were communicant members.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on October 5, 1969 and the church construction began on October 15, 1969. A loan was financed from the Church Extension Fund of the Minnesota South District with a total estimated cost of $260,000, exclusive of furnishings. The first worship service in the new facility was on August 30, 1970. The dedication service for Cross View was held on October 11, 1970.
Dr. Ray Halm was ordained and installed as Cross View’s third pastor on June 11, 1978. At the end of 1979, after 10 years of existence, Cross View’s membership had increased to a total of 293 baptized members. Cross View stopped receiving financial subsidy from the Minnesota South District effective July 21, 1980. Rev. Ray Halm preached his farewell sermon on June 25, 1980.
Our fourth pastor, Rev. Dean Nadasdy was installed on June 14, 1981. At that time many significant ministries began, including the Living Nativity, the Christian Art Festival, and Cross View’s annual Advent Devotional booklets. After 15 years, baptized membership had climbed to 456 souls.
The construction for the new addition to Cross View began in August 1985. Paul Krentz accepted the call for the newly authorized position of Director of Christian Education and was installed on October 6, 1985. Rebecca Waller assumed the duties as church organist as well as choir director and was installed on September 29, 1986. On October 26, 1986, the congregation dedicated the newly completed addition to its building. The first Director of the Early Childhood Center, Jan Stockman, was installed on July 26, 1987.
A two-service worship schedule was established, beginning on September 11, 1988. The Stephen Ministry program began at Cross View and 23 members started their training on October 13, 1988. Lisa Keyne was installed as Director of Church Growth Ministries on August 27, 1989. At the end of 1989, after 20 years, baptized membership of Cross View Lutheran Church stood at 731.
When Lisa Keyne accepted a call to serve as the director of the DCE program at Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, Lyle Heggemeier received our call to be Director of Church Growth Ministries. He was installed on February 9, 1992. “Building on Blessings” was the theme to initiate a three-year drive for funds to remodel the church sanctuary, expand the parking lot, and build a new organ. The ground breaking for the new construction was May 30, 1993. The new Holtkamp pipe organ was dedicated on October 31, 1993. Dedication of the new 10,000 square foot addition was November 14, 1993. As the congregation celebrated its 25th anniversary in February of 1994, we numbered 960 baptized members.
Cross View’s new prayer chapel was consecrated on February 26, 1995. Air conditioning became a reality at Cross View in July of 1995. In September of 1995, Paul Emch became the new organist and October saw Paul and Becky Krentz moving on to Texas. A call was extended to Audrey Duensing to join the staff at Cross View as Director of Child and Family Ministries. She accepted and was installed on April 14, 1996.
Christian Bode was ordained into the Holy Ministry and installed as the first Assistant Pastor of Cross View on June23, 1996. On June 1 1997, Pastor Dean Nadasdy received a call to serve as Associate Professor of Homiletics on the faculty of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. A month later, he accepted the call and preached his last sermon at Cross View on August 17, 1997.
A wedding reception was held at Cross View on September 14 for Pastor Chris and Angela Bode who were married in Colorado on August 16, 1997. During the Senior Pastor vacancy, three part time staff members were hired to help the regular staff, including Loren Rehmer as Director of Evangelism. Three candidate pastors were interviewed in January of 1998. Rev. Gerald Coleman was called on March 8, 1998 and accepted the call on April 19. Installation of Rev. Gerald (Gerry) Coleman as our Senior Pastor was May 31, 1998.
Cross View celebrated its 30th anniversary in May of 1999. Loren Rehmer was installed as Director of Evangelism in 2000. Audrey Duensing and Ronald Werner were married at Cross View on October 28, 2000.
On March 19, 2002, Pastor Gerry Coleman accepted a call to Concordia College in Broxville, NY to serve as Dean of Worship and Director of Choral Music. On April 7, 2002, we learned that Pastor Christian Bode had accepted his call to serve at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN. Both Pastor Bode and Pastor Coleman left Cross View on May 11, 2002.
A call was extended to Rev. Steven Wheeler on November 17, 2003. Jan Stockman and George Sater were married on December 28, 2003. Rev. Steven Wheeler accepted Cross View’s call to become our pastor on January 4, 2004. He and his family moved to Minnesota and was installed on February 29, 2004.