River of LIFE Lutheran Church began as a church plant of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Mankato. In 2013, Our Savior’s established the “St. Peter Mission Church” to bring a new worship community to St. Peter. Pastor Tom Braun was called to lead this new congregation, with the first worship service taking place on August 18, 2013, in his apartment.
From these humble beginnings, the congregation quickly grew and moved to new locations. By September 8, 2013, services moved to the Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College for three Sundays, and then to the Historic Traverse de Sioux Treaty Center on September 29, 2013, where worship continued for nearly a year.
In October 2014, the congregation relocated to the “Friends” building in downtown St. Peter through the generosity of Bill Soderlund. As the congregation expanded, the search for a permanent home became a priority. In the fall of 2014, the Good Samaritan Society offered their former nursing home facility to River of LIFE at two different prices. Led by the Spirit, the congregation declined both offers. Despite the uncertainty, God was at work the entire time. In November 2014, Pastor Braun received an unexpected call from the Good Samaritan Society. They informed him that they would donate the facility at no cost, with the hope that it would continue to be used to share the Gospel message.
With this generous donation, the congregation began preparing their new space in February 2015, dedicating countless hours to cleaning and painting. River of LIFE held its first worship service in the new building on May 3, 2015, gathering in the former dining hall while still known as the “St. Peter Mission Church.”
On December 11, 2016, River of LIFE Lutheran Church officially became an independent congregation, adopting its new name and calling Pastor Tom Braun as their full-time pastor. The first congregational meeting took place on January 8, 2017, where the church elected its initial Board of Directors, which consisted of Arvin VanderPlas, Steve Anderson, Ben Aronson, Elizabeth Bangert, Nick Magelee, Tracy Stuewe and Pam Eckberg. Its first Board of Elders was Bo Going and Gary Schuft.
By May 7, 2017, River of LIFE celebrated its first confirmation class, which included Noah Faulstich, Emma Aronson, Rachel Stuewe and Sarah Conlon. As the congregation continued to grow, discussions began about expanding the worship space. On August 13, 2017, the church broke ground for a new sanctuary, and on March 11, 2018, the new space was dedicated with a special worship service.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought new challenges, leading the church to adapt with a Drive-Thru Easter service. Around the same time, Pastor Tom Braun accepted a call to serve in Arizona, and the church transitioned to online worship services with Interim Pastor Steve Kosburg. A new chapter began for River of LIFE when Pastor Brian McQuiggin was installed on July 23, 2021, leading the congregation into its next season of ministry.
Today, River of LIFE Lutheran Church remains committed to its mission of sharing the Gospel in St. Peter, building on its history of faith and service.