Baptism - Confirmation - Wedding - Funeral/Memorial
Baptism
Baptisms usually take place during our Sunday service. This allows the congregation the opportunity to welcome its new member(s) right away.
Baptisms may be performed outside regularly scheduled services when specifically requested.
No fees are due for baptisms conducted at the church. For baptisms conducted off-site the pastor may ask to be reimbursed for gas and travel expenses. Those baptized by our pastor automatically become members of our church family.
The Danish Lutheran Church is a wonderful place to celebrate baptism, and we are privileged to celebrate with you when your child, your youngster, or your loved ones or you are baptized.
Before baptism, parents must contact the pastor to set the time and date for the baptism. The pastor would also like to have time to talk to the parents and meet the one who is to be baptized. An in-person meeting at the church is preferable, but it can be by phone, Skype or email.
For the meeting the parents must provide and verify: The child's birth certificate, parents' birth certificates, parents' marriage certificate, if any. Name and address of a minimum of two and a maximum five godparents. At least two witnesses must be present for the baptism
To be a godparent means to be a witness to the baptism and a sponsor who promises to help raise the child in the Christian faith should the parents pass away. A godparent is often a family member or friend who can follow the child through life.
For more information contact Pastor Anne-Grethe
Confirmation
Confirmations are celebrated the Last Sunday of April every spring. Confirmation preparations begin in November and follow a schedule worked out between the pastor and the confirmand candidates. We will meet in late November for service and registration. I am looking forward to meeting and greeting our Class of 2023.
Confirmation is the joyous celebration of faith that marks the transition between childhood and adolescence. Confirmation is God's confirmation of his relationship (baptism), and the confirmand repeats the promise of the baptism with his/her own yes to confirm his/her faith.
Confirmation is celebrated in April in the church at a festive Confirmation Service followed by champagne reception and lunch.
In the confirmation classes from November through April, the Confirmands will learn more about their Christian faith, the church, Christianity and ethics. We engage in conversation about the bigger issues of life and faith, we sing, we worship, we laugh and we learn.
Confirmation class is planned twice monthly on Sundays following the 11 am service. It is also possible to follow the confirmation classes here in the United States and then be confirmed in Denmark.
In addition to the confirmation classes on Sundays there is a confirmation camp at the church. The confirmation camp is a Saturday and Sunday, where the confirmands stay at the church and cultural center and prepare their own Sunday service.
If you live outside the state of California or Southern California, you can participate in confirmation classes via e-mail.
Please contact pastor Anne-Grethe for more information and to sign up.
Wedding
Testimonials from Couples:
“ Thank you so much for everything you did to help us prepare for marriage and carry out our wedding ceremony. It was a beautiful day made all the better by your presence, grace and blessing. We received many many compliments on our ceremony and its all thanks to you. “
“The service and ceremony were wonderful, we couldn’t have imagined it any better.”
Our church is commonly referred to as “the wedding church” as its unique architecture and beautiful, light filled sanctuary provide very special surroundings for your special day.
Weddings in the state of California require a marriage license by a state agency. A marriage license can be obtained from the county clerk. You can begin completing your marriage license application online, which will help speed up the process for obtaining your license. To obtain your actual license, you are both required to appear in person at the office of the county clerk.
You must present a valid photo ID(driver's license, passport, military ID, etc). The current fee for a public marriage license in $61 (please check with the county clerk for the latest fees). Payment can be made by cash, personal check, cashier's check, money order, Discover Card, American Express, MasterCard, Visa and debit. A marriage license must be more than 24 hours and less than 90 days old to be valid.
Note: A marriage license from the state of New York is only valid in the state of New York.
Planning a Wedding?
Southern California and the greater Los Angeles area are an incredibly exciting and fascinating place to live and visit. The Danish Lutheran Church can provide a unique setting for a wedding in California. Our church provides an intimate setting for any wedding--grand or small.
The pastor would be like to meet you before the wedding, and you should contact the pastor to arrange a date for the wedding and a pastoral conversation. We have a very skilled wedding coordinator and organist on hand for your convenience.
The pastor can also perform weddings at other churches or venues: the beach, the mountains, a hotel or private gardens. There are fees for wedding ceremonies onsite and off. Please contact the pastor for information.
Facility Rental
You can rent the congregation hall, kitchen and patio as well as host a reception after the ceremony, which gives you the opportunity to celebrate the church service and the reception at the same beautiful venue.
Funerals and Memorials - Begravelse
There is no charge for a funeral or memorial service held on site conducted by pastor. Fees are applicable for the organist and soloist if re-quested.
Coffee and pastries can be are offered in the Knudsen Hall or on the patio following the service. Arrangements can be made by the family for additional refreshments and full-scale catered luncheons at extra cost.
For more information, please contact Pastor Anne-Grethe.
When we lose a loved one, we need a time and a place to mourn, to pray and to celebrate the life of the person we have lost. The Danish Lutheran Church is a beautiful place to find comfort and solace in such a time.
When a person dies the ones left behind are to contact a mortuary that will take care of the practical and legal issues of a funeral. They will also have to decide whether the deceased is to be buried or cremated, where it will take place, and if a pastor is to be present at the funeral. For funerals and memorial services the church service is free of cost, but the church appreciates donations.
Should you or your loved one wish to be laid to rest in Denmark, please contact the Danish Consulate office in Los Angeles.
If relatives wish the funeral or the memorial service to take place in the Danish Lutheran Church, then they may contact the pastor.