Who We Are

We’re ordinary people with an extraordinary God. We cannot fully comprehend the wisdom of God, but that is good! It means we have One to trust who is wiser and stronger than we, and can help us in our weakness and need. We readily admit we are not perfect, but take heart in the revelation of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection covers our guilt and declares us saints.

We are a young church seeking to grow here in Dahlonega and Lumpkin County. As the only Lutheran church in this community, we naturally hope to appeal to Lutherans, but genuinely desire to reach out to all people. At the heart of our teaching is God’s undeserved love, His grace, which urges us to share it with everyone.

Our mission is to love others as God has loved us. Because of that unmerited love, we proclaim the Good News of Christ through Word, service, and outreach.

We’re involved in the community. Individually our members seek to live faithfully and responsibly as citizens of our community. As a congregation, we participate in the Community Helping Place, the annual Side by Side endeavor, and in helping deliver Meals on Wheels as well as supporting many of the local charitable organizations through donations to their operating costs. As a part of the Dahlonega – Lumpkin County community we desire to play our part.

We’re Lutheran. What this means is that:

(1) we find our confidence in Christ’s perfect work for us;

(2) that He is the center and key to understanding the Scripture, the source and basis of our teaching;

(3) that everyone counts since we are saved by God’s grace; and

(4) this grace motivates us to do good works and proclaim His love. We are firmly planted in the center of the Christian tradition.

Our Affiliation. St. Peter Lutheran Church, a daughter mission of Living Faith Lutheran Church in Cumming, gratefully acknowledges their support. Together with them, we belong to the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. This enables us to engage in worldwide missionary, educational, and humanitarian endeavors with fellow Christians. Also received through this membership are ongoing nurture, support, and guidance.

Our Leadership Team provides guidance for the church’s planning and decision-making, so that the whole congregation can work together effectively. Currently serving are officers Mark Siedschlag, Linda Larson, Ron Larson, Randy Smith, and Jane Siedschlag; elders Van Bareither, Chuck Lewis, and Fred Wiedenmann; member care contact is Judy Lewis; and outreach contact is Kelley Wiedenmann.

Our Pastor

Rev. Charles J. Kanefke received a Masters of Divinity Degree from the Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO in 2007. He was ordained at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cape Coral, FL as its Senior Pastor in July 2007 and has faithfully served its congregation for over 15 years. Rev. Kanefke originally hails from Saddle Brook, NJ and grew up in a suburb of New York City, about twelve miles west of Manhattan. Prior to attending the seminary he attended William Patterson University, Wayne NJ, concentrating on computer technology. Having honed his computer skills, he became a Technical Director, a Project Manager, and a Systems Engineer and Systems Administrator while working in the computer industry for 20 years.