Great River Faith in Action

10/12/2026

We are excited for this event Tuesday Oct 13! Memory Cafe is a wonderful time for caregivers and their loved ones!! ❤️

Join us at the Elk River Memory Cafe.

10/09/2026

Congratulations Pastor Dave! 🎉 Grace Lutheran Church is an amazing partner of our organization for many, many years, and we are blessed to have our office space through this wonderful relationship. ❤️

Pastor Dave has always supported our ministry and seen that our goals are the same....to serve His people and share Jesus with all!! Can I get an Amen?!?! 🙏

His JOY for others and hard work in all he does is contagious!!! We will miss seeing Pastor Dave, yet we wished him all the best in his new adventure!! We have no doubt that God will continue to use him in impactful ways!! I'm sure he'll stop in to visit too. 💗.

Grace Lutheran celebrates Pastor Dave

By Don Bellach, Contributing Writer

Grace Lutheran Church will celebrate and give thanks to Pastor Dave Johnson on Sun., Oct. 11, 2026.

Johnson has led the church he helped plant since June of 1997. Grace Lutheran was the fourth church Johnson would serve in, and even though he’s leaving the church, he won’t be leaving Becker, which has been his home for 30 years.

A 40-Year Career

Johnson first served at St. Jakobi Lutheran Church in Shawano, WI, just after graduating from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN. He was ordained and installed on July 5, 1987. Later, he served at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Melrose, MN, from 1990 to 1996 before moving to Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, IL, from 1996 to 1997. It was after that tenure that he was faced with a choice that would define his life for the next 30 years.

Johnson was already married to his wife of 44 years, Jill, and they had formed a family with their son, Peter, and daughter, Allison, when offers to serve in Becker or North Branch were received at the same time. A drive through the town of Becker with Jill’s father, Ron Ueker, helped him decide.

“I saw a wonderful community and fell in love with it,” said Johnson.

The Future

When asked why he’s decided to retire, the first thing he said was that his wife retired last year from a long career as a fourth-grade teacher at Becker Elementary.

“We’ve got grandkids. It’s time to visit grandkids and go on trips,” shared Johnson.

He also mentioned that Jill has a trip planned after his retirement. He doesn’t know where they’re going, but 10 days after his retirement party, they’ll leave. That trip is eerily similar to what Johnson imagines his future to be.

“I think I’ll always be serving the Lord, just in a different way,” he shared.

He’s thought about serving with the denomination’s Lutheran Early Response Team. LERT teams respond to disasters throughout the country, offering immediate physical, emotional, and spiritual care.

Johnson has no plans to leave Becker. He’ll continue to hunt, fish, and rollerblade, but he also wants to learn new skills like playing the harmonica or the three-string cigar box he built himself. As for the church he planted, he tries to remember it’s the Lord’s church, not his.

Great leaders have been installed, and they are capable of preparing it for its next chapter.

“I’ll be 67 in October, and I think I’ve given the Lord my best,” reflected Johnson.

Two interim Pastors will serve the church until a Call Committee chooses the next Pastor. Johnson’s final service will be Sunday, Oct. 11. A reception will follow.

10/08/2026

We ❤️ local businesses that support struggling families and help local seniors! Shout out to GROEBNER for being a fantastic partner! Joining us again for Rake the Town, sponsoring our Annual Golf Scramble, and even donating household items for local families in need! Coffee maker, shower curtains, rings, cookie sheets, pizza pans!! 😲. Wow! 😲 You guys STEP UP and make a BIG IMPACT in our community! THANK YOU!! 👍

10/05/2026

Mondays aren't so bad!! 🎉 Today we arrived to find multiple bags full of much needed kitchen & bath items for our Furniture for Families Program! 💗 Then we had a thoughtful volunteer drop off some much items for families in the afternoon ❤️. Thanks to Wendy and Heather!! 🙏 We are SO GRATEFUL!! 🙏

10/03/2026

Volunteer Drivers NEEDED in Elk River, Otsego, Big Lake, Monticello, and Zimmerman! 🚕🚕🚕🚗🚗🚗 Can you help drive an elderly person to their medical appt? Once a month or whenever you choose!

Join our mission to help the elderly and families in need within Sherburne County and parts of Wright County. Become a volunteer today!

10/02/2026

🤗 A couple weeks ago we had our Volunteer Appreciation Event and WOW, what a wonderful time it was! 💯 Seeing volunteers, giving tours, playing corn hole, enjoying dinner together, meeting new volunteers, tshirts, eating cupcakes, sharing hugs, and strengthening our community!! Thanks to all who stopped by. We are SO, SO GRATEFUL for each volunteer!! ❤️

10/02/2026

Let us know if you can help! Thank You!

09/29/2026

Do you wonder about Dementia? What is it? What's it like to live with this disease? Need tips for communicating with people who have dementia? This one-time session will be led by local Dementia Consultant & Dementia Friends Champion, Tami Kolbinger!

*Come get new understanding and practical action for you to use!*

☑ This is a FREE Event. Please RSVP so we know how many people to expect. 763-263-4277.

☑ Wednesday November 4th at 1:00pm

☑ Session held at Becker Baptist, 11951 Hancock St, Becker.

❤ Special thanks to Becker Baptist Church

09/29/2026

💡 Attn Connexus Customers! 👇🏻

Everything we do is for the benefit our members. We’re proud to provide a wide variety of products and services for your home, helping you save time, money and energy.

09/27/2026

These locally made, beautiful quilts put a smile on the faces of families we serve! 😲 They are unique and special, just like each person ❤️. Huge thanks to Rosie and Tomorrow's Treasures Quilt Club for your generosity! What a blessing.🙏 Now these folks can stay warm and feel cared about by their community. That's a WIN - WIN!! ✅