Knowing, Growing, and Going with Jesus on Hill Road
Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church, School, and ECDC sits on a 15-acre campus at 31385 W. Hill Road (Hwy 83) in Hartland, Wisconsin, a town that sits in the rolling Lake Country of Waukesha County. From that address a single congregation runs a full Sunday worship schedule, a Missouri Synod K-8 school enrolling more than 520 students, and a brand-new Early Childhood Development Center that opened its doors on September 30, 2024. The mission that ties those ministries together is short and memorable: Knowing, Growing, and Going with Jesus.
The mission is unpacked in three sentences the congregation repeats often: to make known the love of God in Christ Jesus to all people, to help them grow as disciples, and to equip them to go into the community and the world to share the Gospel. Behind that mission sits more than fifty years of history, a teaching staff of nearly fifty, three pastors, and a long list of ministries organized around men, women, youth, small groups, and the wider Lake Country community.
From a Bank Basement to a 15-Acre Campus
The story of Divine Redeemer began in 1972 when a small group of charter members started meeting in a bank basement in Hartland. Within two years the congregation had grown enough to move, first to a building on Hill Street and then, as the school-aged children kept arriving, to the larger campus where the church and school remain today. The school was founded in 1980, weaving itself into the congregation from the start so that worship, Christian education, and family life have grown up together.
On the weekend of November 5-6, 2023, Divine Redeemer marked its 50th anniversary with an authentic Biergarten, bus tours to the early Hartland locations, a formal dinner, and special worship services. By that point the school already educated over 400 students annually, and church membership was thriving. Rather than rest on those numbers, the congregation launched a capital campaign under the theme Forward in Our Story, All For His Glory, with the explicit understanding that the "All For His Glory" is the most important half of the phrase. The biggest visible fruit of that campaign is the new 25,000-plus-square-foot ECDC building, which now stands beside the older sanctuary, school, and gym as a fourth major structure on the campus.
Three Sunday Mornings Under One Roof
Worship at Divine Redeemer happens three times each Sunday morning, and the variety is one of the first things a visitor notices.
The 8:00 AM service gathers in the sanctuary and follows a traditional liturgical format with a blend of traditional and modern hymns. It is also the first service of the morning to be carried online. The 9:15 AM contemporary service moves down the hall into the gym and offers a contemporary liturgical form with a wide variety of popular Christian music led by one of the congregation's four rotating praise bands. The 10:30 AM service returns to the sanctuary for another traditional liturgy.
The music ministry supporting those services is unusually rich for a single congregation. Divine Singers, the adult choir, sings primarily at the 8:00 and 10:30 traditional services. Divine Ringers, a handbell choir, adds the distinctive sound of five octaves of bells at different times of year. Four praise bands - Called By Him (rock style), Voices of Truth (upbeat), One Voice (a Point of Grace style of three female vocalists), and the Youth Band - lead the 9:15 service. School choirs, divided by grade band, sing periodically throughout the year.
Children are welcomed, families are visible in every seating style from suits to jeans, and the church's own description of what to wear is simple: "Will you find people dressed up? Yes. Will you find people in jeans? Yes. Will you find people who bring their coffee into worship? You bet." Visitors who cannot walk forward for communion can flag an usher, gluten-free wafers are available, and grape juice sits in the middle of the tray for those who prefer it. Anyone who would rather not commune is welcome to come forward with arms crossed over the chest for a blessing.
Communion and the Sacraments
Divine Redeemer practices closed communion in the Lutheran sense. Holy Communion is celebrated on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends of the month at the traditional services, and on the 2nd and 4th weekends at the contemporary service in the gym. The five communion questions printed in the bulletin walk each worshipper through the same self-examination Luther's Small Catechism has used for centuries.
Baptism is treated as God's act, not the family's act. Pastors invite parents to schedule baptisms before the baby arrives whenever possible and strongly encourage families to have baptisms performed during a regular worship service rather than privately. Baptisms are scheduled on non-communion weekends: the 2nd and 4th Sundays in the sanctuary and the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays in the gym. On the day of the baptism, families arrive at least twenty minutes early so a pastor can walk them through the service. Photography with flash during the service is not allowed, but flash photos after the service are welcome. The baptismal napkin, candle, and certificate are provided by the church. The pastoral staff also note that Divine Redeemer does not practice rebaptism: any baptism performed in the name of the Triune God is recognized as valid.
The role of godparents and sponsors is taken seriously. Sponsors are asked to be confessing Christians, to witness the baptism, and to continue praying for and supporting the baptized as they grow in the faith, especially helping to ensure that ongoing Christian instruction happens in the home.
Beliefs: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone
Divine Redeemer is a member congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, part of the South Wisconsin District. The congregation summarizes its teaching in the trio that has defined Lutheranism since the Reformation: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone.
The LCMS believes in the triune God: the Father, creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise again in victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.
Grace Alone, in the congregation's own words, means that "God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly." Faith Alone means that "by His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them." Scripture Alone means that "the Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine."
The congregation's vision statement adds the practical application: "to ensure a welcoming, caring, serving, Christ-Centered culture that, through worship and education, strengthens individuals and families in their relationship to Jesus." Luther's Small Catechism and the Augsburg Confession, both part of the Book of Concord, are recommended as the best starting points for anyone wanting to read further.
The School That Grew Up With the Church
Divine Redeemer Lutheran School was founded in 1980 and now educates more than 520 students from kindergarten through eighth grade on the same campus as the church. In 2024 the school earned one of the top accreditation scores from National Lutheran School Accreditation, and the school was previously named one of just 34 "Exemplary" Lutheran schools in the country by NLSA. Individual teachers have brought home a remarkable string of regional and statewide honors, including the 2025 and 2026 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellow Awards (Caitlin McGaffick in 3rd grade and Lisa Plopper in 5th grade), the 2026 LEA Distinguished Lutheran Elementary Teacher award for Mrs. McGaffick, and the 2024 Elementary Educator of the Year for Jen Boris in 4th grade. The high school sports tradition runs through Lake Country Lutheran, and many Divine Redeemer graduates continue to win scholarships and honors there.
The school day reflects the same Christ-centered culture the congregation describes for itself. Kindergarteners enjoy half-day or full-day schedules with specials in PE, music, choir, art, chapel, library, and guidance. First through fifth grade expand their academic day with subjects like Spanish, science labs, novel studies, and field trips to places such as Discovery World, Old World Wisconsin, Madison, and the Retzer Nature Center. Sixth grade marks the start of middle school, with semi-departmentalized classes, the option to join band or drumline, and the first season of organized athletics.
Seventh and eighth grade move fully into a departmentalized model. The pastoral staff itself leads the 7th-grade Bible study on the Gospel of Luke and the 8th-grade study in the book of Acts. SOAR Groups (Students Organized Around Relationships) meet one to two times each month for 6th through 8th grade so students can talk honestly about how their Christian worldview meets a secular culture. Every other year the 7th and 8th graders take a week-long trip together to Washington, D.C. Eighth grade Bible study is taught from the text itself, applying Scripture to the joys and challenges of daily life.
Athletics are open starting in fifth grade. DR teams are known as the Eagles, and fall offerings include girls' volleyball and boys' and girls' cross country. Winter brings boys' and girls' basketball and cheer. Spring brings boys' volleyball, co-ed soccer, and boys' and girls' track and field. Forensics (competitive public speaking) runs through the school year. The athletic programs have produced numerous LSA of Wisconsin state appearances in volleyball, basketball, and track and field.
Beyond the team sports, middle schoolers can join Knowledge Bowl (which Divine Redeemer's team won at the Waukesha County and Rock River Region level in 2024), the Spelling Bee, the National Geography Bee, Chess Club, the 3rd/4th Grade Musical, the 6th-grade Wax Museum, the middle school choir, handbells, and Free-Style Fridays, an entire class period each week set aside for real-life skills such as woodworking, car care, investing in the stock market, automotive repair, origami, scrapbooking, yoga, robotics, theatre, and beginning German. A new session of topics is offered each quarter.
The ECDC: Infants Through Four-Year-Olds
The newest building on the Hill Road campus is the Early Childhood Development Center. Opened on September 30, 2024, after a public groundbreaking in August 2023, the ECDC adds more than 25,000 square feet of classrooms, age-appropriate outdoor play spaces (over 14,700 square feet of fully fenced playgrounds), and wrap-around care for children from six weeks old through four-year-old kindergarten.
Three programs make up the ECDC. The Infant Class serves children from six weeks to twelve months, with two teachers providing a language-rich, Christ-centered environment built around talking, reading, singing, and a daily "Jesus time" of Bible stories, simple crafts, and children's hymns. The Hatchling Class serves one-year-olds and new walkers. Hatchling families can choose any schedule from two to five days per week, half or full days, with the One in Christ early childhood curriculum and a "Love and Logic" classroom approach. The Eaglet Class serves two-year-olds in two sections - Young Eaglets (ages 2 to 2½) and Older Eaglets (ages 2½ to 3) - while three-year-old preschool and four-year-old kindergarten round out the early childhood programs with hands-on Bridges math, weekly chapel, Promethean boards, and off-site field trips to a fire station, a pumpkin farm, a petting zoo, Glacier Rock Farm, and Reichl & Kolstad Orthodontics.
Wrap-around care is built into every ECDC program, with before-school care starting at 7:00 a.m. and extended care running to 6:00 p.m. The ECDC director, Meghan Vogel, was honored in 2024 with the LEA Distinguished Lutheran Early Childhood Administrator Award.
Men's and Women's Ministries: M2M and g4G
Two large-scale ministries organize life beyond Sunday morning. M2M (Ministry to Men) started as a single Bible study and now includes multiple men's Bible studies and events. The men's ministry meets the goal expressed by Philippians 2: "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." Weekly studies include a 6:30 a.m. gathering in the Fellowship Hall led by Dave Lange and a parallel 6:30 a.m. group in the Media Center led by Jeff Lippert, along with other small groups, the annual No Regrets Conference Resources, and a connection to the Lutheran Hour Men's Network and other men's apologetics resources. Director Michael Oldenburg and Pastor Chris Sturges are visible leaders of the men's ministry.
g4G (girlfriends for God) is the women's ministry, with the purpose statement "We exist to connect women to God and each other." Programming runs September through April each year and includes a kick-off event in September, a Christmas-themed retreat, an annual Oasis inspirational-speaker event in April, ongoing Bible studies from September through April, a summer study, online pre-recorded sessions on the g4G Facebook group, a SOAR with Me playgroup for caregivers and their infant or preschooler, the M.O.M. Cafe for moms of similar-aged kids (currently studying the book of Esther and pairing with the church-wide "Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at the Table" study), Revelation Wellness with Julie Palbicki, a Mother-Daughter Tea, a Soup-Off, Faith and Fitness, Yoga and Scripture Meditation, and Contemplative Prayer. Each g4G ministry year centers on a theme such as Armor of God (2026), Relaxed (2025), Fear and Faith (2024), Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table (2023), Encountering God (2022), and The Best Yes (2015).
Bible Study, Small Groups, and Young Adults
On any given week more than 168 people gather for adult Bible study at Divine Redeemer. Two Sunday-morning classes anchor the schedule: Bethel, led by Brian Dall in the Prayer Room at 9:15 a.m., and Ephesians, led by Ken Saydel in the Fellowship Hall at 9:15 a.m. A seniors Bible study meets at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays in the Fellowship Hall from September through May, and new-member and transfer-member classes meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. Baptism information classes meet at 11:45 a.m. on the first Sunday of every month in the Fellowship Hall.
Beyond the scheduled classes, Small Groups are the heart of midweek life for many in the congregation. Small Groups are typically ten to twelve people and are organized around common interests - young parents, empty nesters, singles, teens, retirees, or simply people who want to grow in faith together. Groups choose their own study from a library the church provides, set their own schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly), and rotate meeting locations between the church building and members' homes or a local restaurant. Director Nicole Steffen helps newcomers find a group that fits.
GriefShare and DivorceCare support groups meet at the church and resume in mid-September each year. A young-adult ministry, for adults roughly ages 18 to 35, meets in the Lower Level Youth Space for Bible study, fellowship, and prayer, with events organized around the year. For the more academically inclined, Greek Info Classes taught by Pastor Graham meet bi-weekly on Sunday mornings (Level 2 at 8:00 a.m., Level 1 at 9:15 a.m.) across twenty sessions, with the explicit goal of learning to read the New Testament in its original language. The class is open to high school students and up.
Outreach and Missions: From Hartland to the Ends of the Earth
Divine Redeemer organizes its outreach and mission support around the Acts 1:8 pattern: Jerusalem (local), Judea (regional), Samaria (national), and the ends of the earth (international). Supported mission partners rotate through the year, with the congregation's giving directed quarter by quarter to a chosen organization. The 2025-2026 rotation has included Journeys Lutheran School in late summer and fall, Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan's Purse) in winter, Living Hope Mission Support in winter to early spring, and Hope Chest Ethiopia in spring and early summer, with summer support and mission trips continuing through August.
Serve Sunday is the annual hands-on day when the whole congregation turns outward. Past Serve Sundays have included yard cleanup for neighbors, letters to service members and shut-ins, blankets for the homeless, hats for children in chemotherapy treatment, goodie bags for the children of veterans, sandwiches for Milwaukee homeless shelters, and nursing home visits with games and songs. The hope expressed each year is that "all are blessed: those that serve as well as those who are served."
Weddings, Funerals, and the Building Itself
Divine Redeemer's sanctuary is described as "quaint and traditional in style appearance," and it is a popular site for weddings. Member families receive first consideration; non-members may also be married at the church if the calendar permits and the Lay Eldership approves. Marriages performed at Divine Redeemer are understood as a worship experience in which a couple seals a covenant modeled on the covenant between Christ and His church, and every ceremony respects the scriptural principles of the congregation and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. A wedding interest form must be filled out before any plans are made with caterers or reception venues.
On the funeral side, the pastoral staff takes responsibility for the content of the service, with families invited to suggest readings and hymns. Services are finalized three business days before the funeral so bulletins and participant schedules can be printed. Distinct funeral policy documents are available for families using a funeral home and for those handling arrangements without one.
Special architectural details are also part of the building's ministry. A symbolic-meanings brochure explains the stained glass windows, and the entire history of the congregation is captured in The History of DR, available in print.
The Endowment Fund and the Legacy Tree
Established in November 2014, the Divine Redeemer Ministry Endowment Fund gives families a way to leave a lasting Christian legacy. The fund is permanent and entirely separate from the operating and building budgets. Earnings are distributed for projects that go beyond the annual budget. Recent grant cycles have funded the Light of Christ Scholarship for an 8th grader headed to Lake Country Lutheran, mission trip scholarships for Living Hope, free estate-planning coaching for members, the new youth space furniture and equipment, an electronic drum kit for the contemporary worship team, and a parking lot expansion for the new Bible study area.
The Legacy Circle, established in late 2018, recognizes members who have named Divine Redeemer in their will or estate plan. A Legacy Tree display in the narthex lists names of Legacy Circle members (with the option to remain anonymous) and serves as a quiet, visible reminder that future ministry will be funded by present-day generosity. The Endowment Committee and Board include representatives from across the congregation.
The Christian Scholarship Foundation
For more than thirty-five years the Christian Scholarship Foundation at Divine Redeemer has awarded college scholarships to high school seniors graduating from Waukesha County high schools. Each spring the foundation gives eight scholarships at a banquet held at The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, including a $6,000 male Christian athlete scholarship, a $6,000 female Christian athlete scholarship, the $5,000 Garrett Becker Scholarship for someone who has overcome a significant obstacle or plans to enter healthcare, the $5,000 Mike and Kathy Oldenburg Scholarship for Lutheran leadership or Lutheran education, the $10,000 Jean Pordon Memorial Scholarship for music or education, the $10,000 Dennis Pordon Memorial Scholarship for business, the $15,000 Douglas Baker Memorial Scholarship for Christian leadership, and the Jim Baker Memorial Scholarship. The annual golf outing that funds these scholarships rotates through August dates each year, with 2026 held at Ironwood on August 3 and 2027 planned for August 2.
Serving on Sundays and Throughout the Week
Worship services at Divine Redeemer are supported by a long list of volunteer teams. Greeters are the first faces visitors see at the door. Ushers hand out bulletins, help people find seats, take the offering, and direct communion. The Worship Experience Team runs the sound, ProPresenter slides, livestream, and other audiovisual equipment one service every two to three weeks. Student Acolytes from the 7th and 8th-grade confirmation classes light and extinguish the candles. The Altar Guild, with four rotating teams, prepares for communion, fills candles with oil, sets the paraments, and places altar flowers. Lay Readers read the scripture lessons during the services. Fellowship Time Volunteers make and serve coffee and snacks between services. Greeters, acolytes, lay readers, and ushers can sign up through SignUpGenius links from the church website, and the Altar Guild is coordinated through Jackie Luetke.
Plan a Visit
Divine Redeemer's campus sits a short distance off Highway 83 in Hartland, with clear directions available on the contact page. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and three phone numbers cover the congregation's three main ministries: 262-367-8400 for the church, 262-367-3664 for the school, and 262-367-2972 for the ECDC. Visitors can watch services on the YouTube channel, listen on a podcast called PB&J (Wednesdays at noon) or, beginning in October 2026, the g4G women's ministry podcast on Mondays. The DR App is available for iOS and Android. Online giving runs through PushPay, and the secure Church Community Builder (CCB) portal allows members to update their contact information, view giving statements, join groups, and access the church directory.
For anyone wondering where to begin, the congregation's own Jump In page offers a graded ladder from "Testing the Waters" (watch online, contact a pastor) to "Taking the First Step" (attend in person, sign up for a Bible study) to "Jumping In Feet First" (join a worship team, explore baptism, learn about membership) to "Diving In Head First" (become a member, volunteer on a team, lead a small group, support a mission). The destination is the same at every rung: a deeper relationship with Jesus, walked out together in the Lake Country community that Divine Redeemer has been serving for more than fifty years.