Tucked into the residential streets of Denver's Hilltop neighborhood, Augustana Lutheran Church has anchored a stretch of East Alameda Avenue since 1959. The congregation's identity rests on three words that greet every visitor: Living Grace. Loving Neighbors. Beneath that simple motto lies a 19th-century Swedish-American congregation that now runs a thriving early learning center, an award-winning music program, a faith community nurse, and a capital campaign to renew its buildings for the next generation.
Augustana is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America within the Rocky Mountain Synod, and it carries a Lutheran understanding of grace into every corner of its life. "Celebrating God's grace, we welcome everyone to worship Jesus, grow in faith, and go serve in the world" is the mission statement that shapes everything from Sunday worship to food drives. More than 40 people volunteer each Sunday morning just to make worship happen, and the church's reach extends through Hilltop, across the metro area, and around the world.
From a Swedish Constitution to a Hilltop Sanctuary
Augustana's story begins on September 20, 1878, when a small group of Swedish immigrants in Denver gathered to adopt a constitution for the Swedish Evangelical Augustana Church. Worship services were held in Swedish for decades. The first building went up at 18th and Welton in 1880, and as Denver grew, so did the congregation. A second site followed at 23rd and Court Place.
In 1919 the congregation added English services on alternating Sundays, and by 1924 both languages were used every week. Holy Communion was offered only ten times a year at that point, and membership had climbed past 900 by the late 1920s. World War II brought a surge of new arrivals to Denver, Swedish-language services were phased out, and Augustana's membership swelled to roughly 1,400 by the late 1930s.
The move to the current Hilltop campus was decades in the making. Plans began in 1954, and the Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and office wing were dedicated on September 20, 1959, the congregation's 81st birthday. Additions followed: Christ Chapel and the education wing were dedicated in 1965, the Augustana Early Learning Center began operating in 1971, and the Augustana Memorial Garden broke ground on Sunday, May 28, 1989.
Augustana also planted two mission congregations that still thrive today: Bethany Lutheran Church in 1908 and Highlands Lutheran Church in 1923. Caring for the sick and elderly has been a steady thread since 1918, when the congregation established the Augustana Lutheran Home. Today the Faith Community Nursing program and the 60+ Ministry carry that work into the lives of older members. A Great Chancel Pipe Organ that has led worship at two Augustana sites still anchors music in the Sanctuary.
The congregation now numbers around 1,000 baptized members and is approaching its 150th birthday on September 20, 2028, an occasion the congregation is preparing for through its Welcome 150 initiative.
Two Sunday Services, All Welcome at the Table
Worship lies at the heart of Augustana's life. The congregation describes its services as authentic, Christ-centered, and grounded in the musical gifts, heritage, and sacred space that lift up the praise of God.
Sunday worship happens twice each week. A smaller service is held at 8:00 a.m. in Christ Chapel, and the main service takes place at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Both follow the liturgical calendar, and Holy Communion is offered every Sunday. Everyone is welcome at communion, including visitors. Parents who wish to keep children nearby during worship are invited to use the Cozy Corner in the back of the narthex.
The 10:30 a.m. service is livestreamed each Sunday on the congregation's YouTube channel, and recordings remain accessible long after the livestream ends. The service relies on a small army of volunteers: readers, ushers, communion assistants, acolytes, crucifers, greeters, the Spiritual Arts Committee, and more. Acolytes and crucifers carry the cross, Bible, and torches on a monthly rotation, and families or individuals serve as communion assistants about six times a year.
An assistive listening system in the Sanctuary allows worshipers to connect through an app on a smartphone. Large-print bulletins are made available every Sunday. Children who step out for Faith Formation during the 10:30 service can take part in GIFT (Growing in Faith Together), which meets from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., and youth in grades 9 to 12 gather for Breakfast Club in the Youth Room at the same hour.
Adults looking for conversation between services are invited to the Adult Forum in the Anna Paulson Room at 9:15 a.m. From September through May the forum hosts a wide variety of discussions and learning opportunities. A second adult gathering, Lunch & Learn, meets once a month at noon in the Anna Paulson Room after worshipers pick up Sunday lunch in Fellowship Hall.
Music at the Heart of Augustana
Music is woven into nearly everything Augustana does. The Music Ministry is open to anyone who wants to share voice or instrument in worship, and the program ranges from a professional vocal quartet and a children's Cherub Choir to large-scale collaborative concerts that fill the Sanctuary with orchestra.
The cornerstone of the 8:00 a.m. service is the Augustana Vocal Ensemble, a professional quartet that sings September through May and serves as section leaders for the Chancel Choir. The Chancel Choir is the primary choir for the 10:30 a.m. service and is open to high school and adult singers. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. The choir also sings two concerts each year as part of Augustana's cultural outreach to the wider community. The Augustana Singers, a weekday choir, rehearse Wednesdays from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. a few weeks before each time they sing in worship.
The Augustana Ringers, an adult handbell choir, plays in the 10:30 service about once a month and rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Handbell experience is helpful but not required. The Augustana Instrumental Ensemble welcomes players of any age and rehearses periodically on Sundays from noon to 12:45 p.m., playing hymns and service music in worship.
Children's choirs make Sunday mornings a steady stream of young singers. Children age 4 through grade 2 are invited to the Cherub Choir, which rehearses Sundays from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. and sings the first Sunday of each month. The Choristers, for grades 3 to 5, rehearse at the same hour and sing the second Sunday of each month. Middle and high school singers are invited to Cantabile, which rehearses from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m. on Sundays and sings the third Sunday of every month. Chapel Ringers, for grades 4 to 5, rehearse Sundays from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m. and play about every six weeks. The Chancel Handbells ensemble, open to students in grades 6 to 12, rehearses Sundays from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. and plays about every six weeks.
The Music Ministry is led by Director of Music and Organist Dr. Patrick Kronner, who joined Augustana in July 2026 after eleven years as Choral Program Director and Organist at the University of Notre Dame. In 2025 the Magnificat Choir he directed in Rome sang at the request of Pope Francis and received his papal blessing. Dr. Kevin T. Padworski directs the Chancel Choir, leads the Colorado Chorale as Artistic Director, and conducts vocal music at Colorado Academy. Steven Aguiló-Arbues directs the Choristers and Cantabile choirs and serves as Music Director of Orchestral Programs at the Gunnison Orchestral and Vocal Academy Festival.
Concerts at Augustana reach into the wider Denver community. Each fall the Chancel Choir and the Colorado Chorale combine for a monumental collaborative concert; recent seasons have included performances of Mozart's Requiem and Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 "Lobgesang" with 150 voices and a full orchestra. The Sanctuary also hosts recitals and welcomes visiting ensembles throughout the year.
Children, Youth, and Family
Children, youth, and families are a central part of Augustana's identity. The Children, Youth, and Family Ministry buzzes with activity from Sunday morning through summer evenings, and special events throughout the year carry the rhythms of the church calendar into family life.
Families are welcome to supervise their children in the nursery, located downstairs in the education building across from the Anna Paulson Room and next to the Youth Room. GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) meets from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. on Sundays for children in pre-K through grade 8. Each Sunday students rotate between teachers for science, music, theater, and arts and crafts, exploring Bible stories in different ways. High school youth gather for Breakfast Club in the Youth Room at the same hour, sharing breakfast, faith conversation, and scripture.
Holy Baptism is the starting point for children and adults alike. Families wanting to schedule a baptism are encouraged to contact Pastor Caitlin Trussell or Pastor Michael Tassler. First Communion instruction takes place during the final weeks of Lent for children and young people in third grade or older. One parent or grandparent attends each class with the child, and students spend an evening painting their own chalice at Ceramics in the City before celebrating First Communion at the 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday worship.
Confirmation gathers youth in grades 6 to 8 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. Confirmation classes open with a kick-off each fall, and youth in those grades also travel to Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp for an October retreat of community-building and learning. The Youth Group, for grades 8 to 12, meets from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month, using ELCA Youth Gathering preparation materials to engage with each other and the local community.
Seasonal family traditions include Advent Adventure, an afternoon of seasonal food, crafts, and music-making held on the second Sunday of Advent in Fellowship Hall. Families sip hot cider, share a light dinner, sample made-on-the-spot lefse, make Advent and Christmas crafts, sing carols, and hear beloved Christmas stories. During June and July, Wednesday evenings bring S'more Fun and Worship, a family-friendly meal followed by camp-style worship in Augustana's Church Park. Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp staff lead a Day Camp week for children entering kindergarten through 5th grade, with music, games, worship, Bible stories, and crafts.
The ministry is led by Director of Children, Youth, and Family Casey Cross, who joined Augustana after studies at California Lutheran University and Wartburg Theological Seminary and nearly twenty years of professional work with children, youth, and families.
Adult Faith Formation and Learning Together
Learning at Augustana continues well past childhood. Adult Faith Formation spans Bible studies, women's circles, a book group, lunch conversations, and a four-week Discover Augustana orientation offered twice a year.
The Adult Forum meets in the Anna Paulson Room at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays from September through May, with a rotating slate of faith-related presentations and discussions. The Discover Augustana class runs four weeks at a time and is open to anyone curious about Lutheran beliefs and Augustana's ministries, whether or not they intend to join.
Women's ministry takes several forms. Rachel Circle meets on fourth Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Anna Paulson Room, and Sarah Circle meets on second Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. in the homes of participants. Both circles support Bible study, fellowship, and outreach such as Easter and Thanksgiving baskets for Warren Village, assistance at funeral receptions, and support for the Gathering Place, Dolores Project, ELCA Women in Prison Project, and Metro Caring. Women, Wine and Word, a Bible study for all women, meets September through May on third Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Ammerman Library.
Augustana's Book Group meets on the third Monday of the month from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., September through May. Members read and discuss a selected book each month, alternating between fiction and nonfiction chosen by the group. No advance preparation is required to drop in.
Health, Healing, and Wholeness
Healing and caring have been part of Augustana's calling since 1918, when the congregation established the Augustana Lutheran Home. That legacy lives on in the Health Ministry, which the Congregation Council launched in 1991 and staffed with a half-time master's-prepared faith community nurse in July 1994.
Today the Health Ministry is led by Faith Community Health Minister Alyson Rockhold, who holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies. Her work connects people with resources and supports for body, mind, and spirit. The Health Ministry Committee collaborates with her on the vision and direction of parish nursing inside and beyond the congregation.
Augustana Firm Believers, a Monday-Wednesday-Friday strengthening and stretching class led by Karen Terry, meets from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Participants pay $5 per session or buy a 10-session class card for $70. The Augustana Community Garden grows produce for the surrounding neighborhood and welcomes new gardeners. E4 (Enlighten, Encourage, Educate, Equip) gathers on the fourth Sunday of each month from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. in the Ammerman Library to pray, study, and plan around mental illness and mental health in a faith-based setting.
The Helping Hands Ministry matches volunteers with people who need minor repairs, handrails, light bulbs, smoke detectors, snow shoveling, or other handiwork, especially for seniors, single-parent families, and individuals who cannot do the work themselves. Augustana Knitters meets on the first Sunday of the month at 11:45 a.m. just outside the John W. Cowee Health Ministry Office, combining knitting with prayer. The Footcare Clinic, staffed by the Colorado Visiting Nurse Association, meets on fourth Mondays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the narthex, providing preventive care and referrals.
Two ongoing support groups meet at Augustana. The Alzheimer's Association Support Group for Caregivers of Loved Ones with Dementia meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Anna Paulson Room or via Zoom. PEAK, a support group for parents of estranged adult children, meets on third Saturdays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in the Youth Room.
The 60+ Ministry and Pastoral Care
Augustana's 60+ Ministry offers worship, fellowship, learning, and service opportunities for the congregation's older adults. The committee occasionally sponsors field trips around the Front Range and hiking day trips. Twice a year, usually in May and during Advent, the congregation offers Bless the Years, a shorter midweek service with Holy Communion in the Sanctuary followed by a catered luncheon in Fellowship Hall. Holy Communion is also brought to home-centered seniors four times a year by volunteer teams.
The Care Team provides pastoral care to people who are hospitalized, grieving, or limited in mobility. Van transportation to the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship is available to Augustana members and friends who live in nearby senior living campuses such as Windsor Gardens, Springbrook, and Dayton Place; drivers are scheduled one Sunday a month. Helping Hands, which pairs volunteers with people who need light handiwork and maintenance, is a 60+ Ministry favorite.
Compassion and Action with Our Neighbors
Outreach is organized through Compassion and Action with our Neighbors (CAN) Ministry, which leads partnerships focused on hunger, poverty, access to resources, immigration, criminal justice, and advocacy in public policy. CAN meets every two to three months and welcomes new initiatives through a congregational application.
The Sanctuary Soup Shelf, a covered honor-system pantry on the Sanctuary porch along the Alameda entrance, invites people to leave what they can and take what they need. Canned goods only please, with high-protein options preferred; surplus cans are taken to Metro Caring's fresh-foods market in central Denver, which serves up to 500 people every day. Drop-off boxes in the narthex and Fellowship Hall collect nonperishable food, diapers, toiletries, and household items year-round for Metro Caring, with a special emphasis during Lent.
Augustana supports several partner organizations. ELCA World Hunger works with congregations and partners across the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Lutheran churches overseas on relief, development, education, and advocacy. Lutheran Disaster Response brings hope, healing, and renewal after disasters in the United States and abroad. Urban Servant Corps is a one-year full-time Lutheran volunteer program in Denver, in which volunteers live in intentional community and serve at inner-city nonprofits. New Beginnings Worshipping Community, a Jubilee Ministry within the Rocky Mountain Synod, holds worship inside the Denver Women's Correctional Facility. Be the Source provides trauma education, relief, and therapeutic services to foster and kinship families throughout Colorado. Wholly Kicks distributes new shoes and socks in Aurora and across the Denver metro area to those experiencing homelessness or poverty. The Augustana Foundation also funds external grants in support of ministries such as the Nicaragua Project, Urban Peak Youth Shelter, Urban Servant Corps, and Open Door.
Each holiday season the congregation purchases Easter and Thanksgiving dinner baskets for single-parent families at Warren Village, with gift cards of $40 per family. Human Dignity Delegates gather occasionally on Sundays at noon in the Ammerman Library to learn how to advocate for housing access, criminal justice reform, climate justice, immigration, and ending hunger.
The Augustana Foundation and Welcome 150
The Augustana Foundation was established by the congregation in 1971 to remember loved ones and provide a lasting legacy. An eleven-member committee of congregation members meets quarterly to manage and disburse the funds. Investment income supports internal ministries including seminarian grants, financial support for Augustana students attending Lutheran colleges and universities, and a wide range of ministries across the congregation. The Foundation also directs $100 gifts to the ELCA Mission Investment Fund for every child baptized at Augustana, beginning a savings and stewardship tradition for the next generation.
Gifts to the Foundation can be made outright, through securities or real estate, life insurance gifts, bequests in a will, or in memoriam or in honor. Online giving is available for both operating support and the Foundation, and offering envelopes are mailed to members every two months. The Foundation accepts complex planned gifts with the help of Augustana's Finance Administrator.
Welcome 150, the congregation's capital campaign and ministry initiative, prepares Augustana for its 150th birthday on September 20, 2028. The campaign has three priority levels: Sanctuary Renewal, Organ Refurbishment, and Energy Efficiency; Curb Welcome, Fellowship Hall, More Energy Efficiency, and Meeting Space Renewal; and Narthex (Sanctuary Lobby) Expansion. The congregation has lifted the campaign beyond $7 million toward an $8.5 million goal. Capital projects include a Fellowship Hall renovation scheduled for January through March 2027 and an organ rebuild and sanctuary renovation planned for between Easter and Christmas 2027.
Welcome 150 also renews Augustana's habits and governance so that the congregation reflects the unconditional welcome it first received from Jesus, intentionally welcoming children and adults of all ages, abilities, and attributes. The work spans Youth and Family Ministry, 60+ Ministry, Music Ministry, Compassion and Action with our Neighbors (CAN) Ministry, Health Ministry, and Welcome Connection. Titus 3:4-5, the Welcome 150 Bible verse, reads: "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
Meet the Pastors and Ministry Leaders
Senior Pastor Caitlin Trussell came to Augustana in February 2013 after a 16-year career as a Registered Nurse, including work in pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant and managing home hospice teams of RNs, chaplains, social workers, and CNAs. Born in Boston, raised in Pasadena, and a graduate of UCLA's Master of Nursing program, she later earned a Master of Divinity at Iliff School of Theology with concurrent coursework at Luther Seminary. She preaches, teaches, and leads worship, and she provides pastoral care and congregational leadership. She continues to preach intermittently at New Beginnings Church inside the Denver Women's Correctional Facility.
Pastor Michael Tassler (he/him) joined Augustana after serving in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs and supporting congregations through the Rocky Mountain Synod in seasons of economic challenge. His ministry covers worship, pastoral care, confirmation, adult education and formation, and communications. He earned his Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, and has spent more than three decades in ministry. He and his spouse May, along with their dog Porter, enjoy hiking, sketching creative ideas, and exploring new coffee shops.
The Director of Music and Organist is Dr. Patrick Kronner, who joined Augustana in July 2026 after eleven years as Choral Program Director and Organist at the University of Notre Dame. He holds Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music from Oakland University. Dr. Kevin T. Padworski directs the Chancel Choir, leads the Colorado Chorale, and serves as Director of Vocal Music at Colorado Academy. Steven Aguiló-Arbues directs the Choristers and Cantabile choirs and is Music Director of Orchestral Programs at the Gunnison Orchestral and Vocal Academy Festival. Casey Cross directs Children, Youth and Family Ministry after studies at California Lutheran University and Wartburg Theological Seminary and nearly two decades of professional ministry. Alyson Rockhold serves as Faith Community Health Minister, bringing experience as a medical missionary in Haiti, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The Augustana Early Learning Center
The Augustana Early Learning Center has operated since 1971, providing care and instruction for young children in the education wing. The entrance to the Early Learning Center is on the south side of the building. As part of Augustana's wider ministry, the Early Learning Center fills the building with laughter, care, and learning as part of God's work in the neighborhood.
Getting Here and Getting Connected
Augustana sits on the south side of East Alameda Avenue at its intersection with Fairfax Street in the Hilltop neighborhood of central Denver. From I-70 or I-25, exit Colorado Boulevard, head to Alameda Avenue, and travel about ten blocks east; from I-225, take Alameda west and turn left onto Elm Street to reach the north parking lot. From Parker Road and Leetsdale Drive, head west and turn south on Fairfax to access both parking lots.
Two main lots serve worshipers: the north lot, which includes accessible parking, and the south lot off Fairfax Street. Additional accessible parking is available in the Fairfax lot on the east side of the building, and an elevator at the Fairfax entrance opens onto the offices and main floors. The entrance to the Early Learning Center is on the south side.
Worshipers can also join by livestream on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. through the congregation's YouTube channel. Communion at home is prepared in advance, with bread or crackers and wine or juice, so that those watching from afar can fully share in the sacrament. Recordings remain available online after the livestream ends.
Augustana's Tower newsletter keeps the wider circle of members and friends informed, with a printed edition mailed monthly and a weekly ePistle by email. Giving is supported through secure online gifts, text-to-give at 303-653-9592, mailed offering envelopes, and dedicated gifts for ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, and the Augustana Foundation. Memorial and honor gifts, flowers for the altar, and poinsettias, lilies, and altar lamp offerings all carry names into the life of the church. Visitors are warmly welcomed at 5000 East Alameda Avenue, where the congregation has been celebrating God's grace since 1878.