Join Us for Worship with Communion: Sundays at 10:15 AM
Worship, Connect & Grow at
Paradise Lutheran Church
Find your place to believe, belong, and serve.
A Place for All to Belong
Find Your Place with Us. All Are Welcome.
At Paradise Lutheran Church, ‘all are welcome’ is the core of our identity. As a proud Reconciling in Christ community, we celebrate and fully affirm people of every race, gender, sexual orientation, and background. If you’re seeking a supportive and non-judgmental spiritual community on the Ridge, we invite you to find your place with us.
A Mission to Serve Our Neighbors
Living Our Faith Through Loving Service.
We share the Good News of Jesus Christ by answering the call to “feed my sheep” through loving service. This mission comes to life with our weekly Fridays for Lunch program—the only free community lunch on the Ridge. Whether you are looking to get involved or seeking support, you will find a compassionate community dedicated to putting faith into action.
ABOUT US
As a lay-led congregation, Paradise Lutheran Church is guided by a dedicated team of trained volunteer ministers, diligent council members, and helpful staff who oversee the spiritual life and daily operations of our community. An ordained Lutheran minister guides us in the proper ways of liturgical ministry. This approach fosters a deep sense of shared ownership and authentic connection.
WORSHIP
Many people are seeking a Christian identity that can flourish within spiritual and intellectual freedom. At Paradise Lutheran Church you will find an intelligent spiritual home where questions are encouraged, and where often there are more questions than answers. Here in supportive setting, you will connect with God and neighbors and experience renewal through the grace and faith.
MINISTRIES
Explore the many ways to engage with our community. Paradise Lutheran Church offers a range of ministries with an emphasis on providing meaningful service, fun, and inspiration to our community, and making a difference in the lives of our neighbors. You will find your place to serve at Paradise Lutheran Church.
Who We Are
The Paradise Lutheran Church (PLC) congregation is composed of people of all ages, backgrounds, education, and experience. We come from various religious traditions–or from no religious traditions– as reflected by our many lay ministries. At its heart, Paradise Lutheran Church is a community rooted in faith, service, and authentic connection. Guided by our lay-led leadership and a deep commitment to our core values, we strive to be a welcoming spiritual home for all on the Ridge.
Our Mission
Paradise Lutheran Church is a diverse community of seekers dedicated to answering the call to “feed my sheep” through loving service to our neighbors.
Our Core Values
- Offer a welcoming, inclusive spiritual home amid the beauty of liturgical ritual where we honor and respect everyone.
- Serve all people with justice and compassion.
- Practice an open and discerning approach to the word of God in a place to listen, question, learn, and grow through prayer, scriptures, and relevant sermons and studies.
Our Leadership
As a lay-led congregation, Paradise Lutheran Church is guided by a dedicated team of volunteer ministers, diligent council members, and helpful staff who oversee the spiritual life and daily operations of our community.
Our Staff
Our dedicated staff handles the day-to-day operations of our church, from managing the office to ensuring our property is welcoming and ready for all services and events.
Our History
Since our founding in 1947, a deep commitment to community service and helping our neighbors has been the cornerstone of our history and a tradition that continues to define us today.
Leadership Team
Meet Our Leadership Team
Diana Butterfield
Council President
Oliver Wingenter
Council Vice President
Marc Nemanic
Council Treasurer
Debbie McKey
Council Secretary
Kathy Thomas
Council Member-at-Large
Joe Miceli
Council Member-at-Large
The Team
Meet The Team
Gwen Nordgren
Assistant to the Council
Nancy Abbay
Office Manager
Robert Jensen
Site Manager
Our Story
Paradise Lutheran Church was founded, and its original worship space built, in 1947
We operated a weekly free medical and mental health clinic for several years and founded a free lunch program that fed 100-125 people daily
Today, we have fifty active members, with new visitors weekly
Paradise Lutheran Church Today
Worship & Ministries
Many people are seeking a Christian identity that can flourish within spiritual and intellectual freedom. At Paradise Lutheran Church you will find an intelligent spiritual home where questions are encouraged, and where often there are more questions than answers. Here in supportive setting, you will connect with God and neighbors and experience renewal through the grace of faith.
Your Guide to Sunday Worship
What to Expect
Join our welcoming community in Paradise, CA, each Sunday morning for an uplifting worship service rooted in timeless tradition. Our 10:15 AM service features relevant sermons, beautiful music, and Holy Communion, where all are invited to the Lord’s Table. It is a time to connect with God and neighbors, find spiritual renewal, and experience the grace of our faith in a supportive setting. At PLC, ALL are welcome!
Worship-related Activities
Bible Study
Join friends from the comfort of your home for a thoughtful exploration of the Scriptures. Our weekly Zoom-based study blends Biblical passages with commentary from respected theologians, fostering a lively and engaging group discussion. This welcoming setting is perfect for asking questions and deepening your faith alongside fellow community members.
Periodic Church Retreats
Step away from the everyday to deepen your spiritual journey with our periodic retreats. These special events offer a cherished time for quiet reflection, prayer, and meaningful fellowship in serene settings. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with God, yourself, and our community. Details for upcoming retreats will be announced in our weekly bulletin and on the community calendar.
Ministries
Fridays for Lunch
Paradise Lutheran Church Women
Fellowship & Care Ministry
Singles Ministry
Find a welcoming community and connect with other singles in a relaxed, social setting. Our vibrant Singles Ministry is all about camaraderie and fun, with regular gatherings in homes, local restaurants, and other fun venues around the area. We celebrate and accept everyone, offering a supportive and engaging group where all singles can build meaningful friendships.
Stop and Pray
Take a moment each week to pause and center your spirit with our Friday Stop & Pray E-Blast. This special communication delivers an inspiring meditation directly to your inbox, along with community updates and shared prayer requests. It’s a beautiful way to stay connected with our faith community and carry a sense of peace into your weekend. Sign up for the Stop & Pray e-blast.
Paradise Lutheran Church
Community Events Calendar
✨ The Holy Days of Paradise Lutheran Church
Celebrating the Story of Our Salvation
Welcome to a closer look at the liturgical calendar that shapes our worship and spiritual life at Paradise Lutheran Church. The Church Year is a wonderful gift that guides us through the significant events of Jesus’ life—His birth, ministry, death, and resurrection—and points us toward His promised return. Our year begins with Advent and is divided into two main parts: the Festival Half (Advent through Pentecost), which centers on the saving work of Jesus, and the Non-Festival Half (from Trinity Sunday to the end of the Church Year), which focuses on the life of the Christian Church as we are nourished by God’s Word and Sacraments. The Holy Days listed below are special services and observances that mark significant events in the Christian calendar, offering our community opportunities to gather in worship and remembrance. We invite you to explore the dates and descriptions of the holy days we celebrate throughout the year.
The Advent Season | 11/30-25 – 12/24/25
The Advent Season, meaning “coming” or “arrival” in Latin, marks the beginning of the new Church Year and the liturgical Festival Half. This four-week season is a time of spiritual preparation and anticipation for the coming of Christ. As Lutherans, we focus on Christ’s coming in three ways: His birth at Christmas (Incarnation), His present coming to us through Word and Sacraments, and His promised second coming as Christ Triumphant. The season is liturgically marked by the color purple or blue, symbolizing penitence, preparation, and hope for the coming King. Our traditions, such as the Advent wreath, help the community focus on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
Christmas | 12/25/25
Christmas is the festival that commemorates the Incarnation, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, who is God made man. The Christmas season, also known as the Nativity, begins on December 25th and lasts for twelve days until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 5th. During this time, we rejoice in the miracle of the Father sending His Son into human flesh to be our King and Servant. The liturgical color for Christmas is white, symbolizing holiness, purity, glory, and the profound joy that is ours through Christ. This festival emphasizes the Lord’s name, Jesus, which means “The LORD saves” (Matthew 1:20-21).
Epiphany of Our Lord | 01/04/26
Epiphany, which means “manifestation” or “showing forth,” commemorates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ to the world. Historically, this festival celebrates the visit of the Magi (Wise Men), who were Gentiles, signifying that Christ came not just for Israel, but as the Savior of all nations. Epiphany marks the beginning of the Season after Epiphany, a period in the liturgical calendar often marked by the color green, where the Gospel readings focus on Jesus’ early ministry, His miracles, and the increasing revelation of His divine glory.
Baptism of Our Lord | 01/11/26
The Baptism of our Lord marks the culmination of the Epiphany celebrations and signifies the formal beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It commemorates the moment when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, at which time the heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove, and the voice of God the Father declared, “This is my beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17). This event is a powerful demonstration of the Holy Trinity at work and points to the authority of Jesus as the Messiah. As Lutherans, this day reminds us of the power and promise of our own Baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection.
Transfiguration of Our Lord | 02/15/26
The Transfiguration of our Lord focuses on Jesus’ spectacular manifestation of divine glory before Peter, James, and John on a high mountain (Matthew 17). This event is strategically placed at the end of the Epiphany season and serves as a powerful preview of the resurrection to strengthen the disciples’ faith before the trials of Lent and the ultimate suffering on the cross. The appearance of Moses and Elijah further confirms Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets and proves the reality of resurrection and eternal life. It is a glimpse of the immortal glory that awaits all believers.
Ash Wednesday | 02/18/26
Ash Wednesday is a Day of Special Devotion that marks the beginning of the solemn season of Lent. During the service, individuals receive ashes on their foreheads in the sign of the cross, symbolizing mortality (“dust you are and to dust you shall return”) and the urgent need for repentance. This day sets the tone of penitence for the next forty days as the Church prepares itself to follow Christ through His passion. The liturgical color is often black or violet to highlight the suffering and death Jesus endured on our behalf.
The Lenten Season | 02/22/26-03/22/26
Lent is a 40-day season of reflection, repentance, and spiritual preparation that immediately precedes Easter. Historically, the forty days recall Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and the forty years Israel wandered. As a Lutheran community, we observe Lent by focusing on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and recognizing our need for a Savior. The liturgical color for the season is purple (violet), recalling Christ’s sacrifice and encouraging a time of self-examination and deepened devotion to the Gospel.
Passion/Palm Sunday | 03/29/26
Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week. The service begins triumphantly, commemorating the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where crowds waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David!”. The atmosphere then shifts dramatically to the Passion Narrative, where the focus moves to Jesus’ suffering, betrayal, and arrest, setting the stage for Good Friday. It is a stark reminder of the swift turn from praise to persecution as Christ fulfilled His mission of salvation.
Good Friday | 04/03/26
Good Friday is a Day of Special Devotion that solemnly commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is the most somber day of the Church Year, as the liturgy focuses entirely on the fulfillment of Christ’s sacrifice for the sins of the world. This day is a powerful confession of the core Lutheran belief that Christ was crucified for us, and His blood alone is the atonement for our sin. Services often feature the color black and conclude in silence, symbolizing the death of our Lord.
Easter | 04/05/26
Easter is the most important holiday of the church year. It is the Festival of the Resurrection, celebrating the triumphant rising of Jesus Christ from the dead, destroying the power of sin and death forever. The Easter season, which lasts for fifty days (the Festival Half of the Church Year), is a time of boundless joy and proclamation. The liturgical color is white, symbolizing the new life, holiness, and the victory that is ours in the Risen Christ. It is the foundation of Christian hope and the ultimate assurance of our own future resurrection.
Ascension of Our Lord | 05/10/26
The Ascension of our Lord is celebrated 40 days after Easter (always on a Thursday). It commemorates Jesus’ bodily ascension into heaven, marking the completion of His earthly redemptive work. Theologically, the Ascension means that Christ is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, from where He rules over all creation and intercedes for us. It is also the necessary prelude to Pentecost, as Jesus had to ascend to send the promised Holy Spirit to the Church.
The Day of Pentecost | 05/24/26
Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth day,” is celebrated fifty days after Easter and marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. This event, recorded in Acts 2, is considered the birth of the Christian Church. On this day, the Holy Spirit breathes life into the Church through Baptism, preaching, and teaching. The liturgical color is red, symbolizing the tongues of fire that rested upon the apostles and recalling the passionate work and power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Trinity | 05/31/26
Holy Trinity Sunday follows Pentecost and marks the formal acknowledgement of the essential Christian doctrine of the Trinity—one God existing in three distinct, coequal, and coeternal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This day transitions the Church into the Non-Festival Half of the Church Year. We confess the Triune God who works for our salvation: the Father as Creator, the Son as Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier who creates faith through Word and Sacraments. The liturgical color is white, signifying the glory and joy of God.
Reformation Sunday | 10/26/26
Reformation Sunday commemorates the historical event on October 31, 1517, when German priest and theologian Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses. This act challenged the practices and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation. As a Lutheran congregation, we celebrate this day by reaffirming the core tenets of our faith: Grace alone (Sola Gratia), Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura), and Faith alone (Sola Fide). The liturgical color is typically red to honor the apostles, martyrs, and the fervent Spirit of the Reformation.
All Saints Day | 11/02/26
All Saints’ Day celebrates the “communion of saints”—all saints, known or unknown, who have died and now live in eternity with Christ. For Lutherans, this day reminds us that we are part of the larger, eternal family of God. The emphasis is on the resurrection and eternal life that Christ has won for all believers. It is a day of hope and remembrance, often marked by the liturgical color white to symbolize the joy of the eternal victory of Christ.
Christ the King | 11/23/26
Christ the King Sunday, also called the Reign of Christ Sunday, is celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year. This feast emphasizes the spiritual and eternal kingship of Christ over all creation. It provides an eschatological dimension, pointing to the end of time when Christ’s kingdom will be fully established. As a Lutheran holiday, it reminds us that our highest allegiance is to Christ, whose kingship is demonstrated not through earthly power, but through radical compassion, love, and sacrifice. The liturgical color is typically white.
Life at PLC
Ready to Connect?
Whether you have a question, a prayer request, or want to plan your first visit, we’re ready to listen. We look forward to welcoming you. Let us know how we can help you get connected to our community.
OFFICE HOURS
Tuesdays: 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Wednesdays – Fridays: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
We'd Love to Hear From You
Support Our Mission
Your generosity makes our work on the Ridge possible. From providing a free weekly lunch to maintaining a welcoming space for all, every contribution directly supports our mission of loving service. There are several ways you can give:
Online
Join us in our mission to share hope and serve our neighbors in Paradise and the surrounding area. Your online donation, whether one-time or recurring, is a vital part of our work. All gifts are processed safely and securely through Tithe.ly.
Automatic Deduction
To set up a regular automatic gift from your bank account through Simply Giving, please email info@paradiselutheran.org or call (530) 877-3549.
Thrivent Choice®
If you are a Thrivent member, you can designate your Choice Dollars® to Paradise Lutheran Church.
Check By USPS
Please make checks payable to Paradise Lutheran Church, mailed to 780 Luther Drive, Paradise, CA 95969.