Our History
It was only an idea in 1992 when Rev. Boyce Whitener met with 22 other Lutherans to explore the possibility of establishing a Lutheran church near Lake Gaston. The interest was real and about a year later our first service was held in the Warren County Rescue Squad building.
The church acquired a building site and decided to affiliate with the Virginia Synod and became affiliated in November of 1996.
It was 1998 before the group was officially able to meet on the grounds when the pavilion was completed. There was a groundbreaking for the sanctuary in 1999 and it didn’t take long before the group, now 160 strong, was moved into their new building & worshiping in two services.
Over the years the church has hosted Christian rock concerts as well as a community Christmas Cantata, blessed animals and people alike, hosted Vicars and changed hearts through a dedication to living Christ in our daily lives.
Today, the campus includes the pavilion, sanctuary, education rooms, and a fellowship hall. Recently, the congregation realized its dream of incorporating stained glass windows into the sanctuary and expanding 
audio/visual capabilities to include livestreaming the second service and utilizing the fellowship hall in the event of participant overflow.
Led by Pastor Christine Roe, who joined us in 2024, Lakeside Lutheran continues to grow and thrive as we learn together how to become good stewards of the time and talents that God has blessed us with.
The church enjoys a vibrant music program that includes a choir, a handbell choir and several soloists. 
There are always opportunities to express our joy in the Lord.
Our monthly and weekly church newsletters, The Lakeside Lutheran Light, and Notable Notes, respectively, feature organically sourced articles and photos from our members and events. These communications keep our membership informed about upcoming activities and matters of the heart.
Outreach programs include:
- The Food Bank, which distributes food assistance to the community twice weekly.
- A partnership with Samaritan’s Purse to help locals in dire situations.
- The Prayer Shawl ministry focuses on the sick and bereaved.
- Blessing Bags for the Homeless provides quality of life essentials for the homeless.
- God’s Work Our Hands, which focuses on community outreach
- Angel Tree, providing Christmas cheer for local children in need
- Ministerium participation brings local churches together in worship
- and other ministries that connect our church with the community and each other.
There are always opportunities to be a blessing, and members are encouraged to show God’s love daily as the He leads us forward.
If study is your thing, Christian Studies includes:
- weekly in person and digital study opportunities through Zoom.
- Small Groups Study
- the Community Vacation Bible School program
Lakeside Lutheran enjoys a strong congregation of active members which enjoys sharing the love of Christ and all the social activities associated with that.
We hope that you will take the opportunity to join us for worship at
8 am for our Early Worship service in the pavilion (starting May 24, 2026)
9:15 am for Christian Education
10:30 am for our Late Worship in the sanctuary
You can also join us online each Sunday at 10:30 am on our YouTube channel at
https://www.youtube.com/@lakesidelutheranchurchelca5618.
If you would like more information, please call the church office Monday through Thursday from 8 am until 3:30 pm at 252-586-6778. We look forward to seeing you.
