On a quiet stretch of Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda, a whitewashed sanctuary with high vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, and a ship hanging from the nave looks as if it were lifted from a 12th-century Danish village. It is the home of The Danish Lutheran Church and Cultural Center, an ELCA congregation that has been meeting on this site since March 19, 1995, and that traces its roots back to June 5, 1906, when five Danish immigrants in Los Angeles founded a small church to worship in their own language. In 2026 the congregation marked 120 years of worship and fellowship, and it remains, in the words of its motto, a place "where hope greets humanity."
"Human First, Then Christian": The Grundtvig Spirit
The church takes its cue from the Danish pastor, poet, and educator N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872), whose phrase "Human first, then Christian" has become the congregation's motto. Grundtvig is credited with helping to shape modern Danish consciousness and the Danish National Church, and the Yorba Linda congregation still sings many of his hymns and historical songs. Members sometimes call themselves "Happy Danes" and describe the community as "Lutherans, but Grundtvigians as well." The result is a worship style that holds tightly to traditional Lutheran liturgy, seasoned hymns, and creeds while staying open to new ideas, contemporary messages, and a diverse congregation.
The mission statement puts it plainly: to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments, to grow and increase ministry and presence in the community, to be a vocal and visible part of community, to embrace change and new ideas, to promote the Danish attitude of joy, acceptance, community, and "fare" (togetherness), to invite everyone to the table, to accompany everyone on their faith journey, and to journey together as a community of belonging, believing, and behaving.
Sunday at Eleven: A Liturgical Service with a Danish Accent
Sunday worship is the heart of the week. The service is held at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary and is in English with a Danish accent and Danish liturgy, with some translated Danish hymns sprinkled in. Visitors do not need to speak Danish to attend, and people are encouraged to come as they are; Pastor Anne-Grethe notes that, given the Southern California climate, members dress in everything from casual to formal wear. Ushers greet worshippers at the door, raise the flags, ring the bell, hand out bulletins, assist at the collection and Holy Communion, and lead the opening and closing prayers.
The service follows a set liturgical structure: gathering in the name of Jesus, hearing the gospel, praying, singing, sharing communion, and being sent out to serve. The liturgical year is marked through seasons such as Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Advent, and Christmas. Holy Communion is celebrated regularly, and two chalices are used: a stainless steel chalice donated in 2004 from Denmark, and an older chalice donated in 1984 in memory of Carl Sørensen. The congregation uses the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, and Lutherans hold to the foundational principles of grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone, with Baptism and Holy Communion as the two sacraments.
Worship has been livestreamed on Facebook every Sunday since March 2020, allowing an online congregation to join from California, Oregon, Washington, Kansas, Tennessee, Canada, Norway, and Denmark. Pastor Anne-Grethe has said that worshippers can join "from your living room in your pyjamas, from your car, from anywhere in the U.S. or the world."
Once a month, from October through May, a Danish-language service replaces the regular 11:00 AM gathering. The sermon is offered in Danish with a translation provided, and the Danish Hymns are sung in their original language. The service is followed by a social hour on the patio, then a three-course Danish dinner prepared by church chef Jim DeLeo, and an afternoon of "hygge" - the untranslatable Danish word for cozy togetherness. These Danish Evenings are sometimes hosted by a group or individuals, and they may include a short program.
The Sanctuary, the Bell, and the Ship Above the Nave
The current sanctuary was designed by Danish architect Ebbe Videriksen with all the traditional elements of a 12th-century Danish village church: white walls, high vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, a wood altar, a baptismal font, a pulpit, and significant stained glass windows. Ground was broken on November 21, 1993, the roof was raised in a traditional Danish "rejsegilde" on May 15, 1994, the Certificate of Occupancy was received on March 15, 1995, and the grand opening was held on March 19, 1995.
The sanctuary is airy and light-filled during the day, and in the evening the two stained glass windows are reflected over the Christ statue at the front of the altar area and over the side pews. The stained glass, designed by artist Mitsuki Kondo and installed in 1996, was a gift from Gudrun and Jens Edvardsen. The window above the altar depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending into tongues of yellow and orange hued flames on a green field; the side window shows the angel Gabriel surrounded by clouds and blue skies.
The altar was dedicated and blessed on December 1, 1940, and was donated in memory of Henry Petersen by his wife. A blue altar frontal designed and made by Vibeke Alnor Fong was first used in December 2004; its embroidered stars symbolize the birth of Christ and the blue color marks Advent. The altar has held a copy of the famous Bertel Thorvaldsen Christ statue since 1995, made from the same Italian Carrara marble used for the original in the Cathedral of Copenhagen, donated by Mia Christensen and her son Carl Christensen Jr. A smaller handmade Lladro porcelain reproduction of the same statue rests in the narthex, welcoming worshippers as they enter.
The silver altar candelabras were designed and made by Danish silversmith Philip Paval and donated by Svend Olsen in 1937. The wood pulpit was made in the United States in the 1930s and purchased for the second Danish church in 1937 for $800; the wood statues on it were carved by Fred Clark in 1938-39. The baptismal font was designed by architect Edith Northmann and made by Niels Peter Nielsen in 1937, with a silver basin by Philip Paval and a silver-plated pitcher donated by the Friendship Circle in 1967.
A 200-pound brass bell, inscribed "Danish Lutheran Church, dedicated March 19, 1995," hangs above the choir loft and tolls at the beginning of each service. It is a replica of the ship bell on the Danish battleship Fregatten Jylland, cast at Slagelse Metal and Staalstoeberi in 2001 and donated by Karl and Ruth Olsen. Above the nave hangs a 56-inch scale model of the same battleship, a gift from Kenneth and Ruth Hansen commissioned in Denmark in 1966, restored by Wilmar Lindgreen before being rehung in Yorba Linda in 1995. A second, smaller ship, the history of which traces back to the Danish church in Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, hangs in the side aisle. To Danes, the church ship symbolizes both the church as a safe ship on the vast ocean of life and the Danish heritage as a nation of sailors, fishermen, and merchant mariners.
The pastor wears the traditional Danish pastor's gown with a piped, starched ruff - a 17th-century Danish tradition originally the formal wear of academically trained men - and adds a chasuble for Communion. The chasubles, designed and made by Vibeke Alnor Fong in consultation with Inge Greenwald, Lilian Lykke, and Miriam Stender, follow the colors of the liturgical seasons: white, green, purple, blue, and red, each with a variation of the cross.
Knudsen Hall, the Library, and the Cultural Center
Connected to the church through a central entryway, the Cultural Center is a multi-purpose building that hosts most non-religious events. At its heart is Knudsen Hall, a banquet and reception hall that seats 176 at 72-inch round or rectangular tables, with a birchwood floor made for dancing and a portable stage that can transform the room into a theater or a runway. Light-blocking curtains and an automated projection screen allow for audio-visual use at any time. Large sliding glass doors open onto a covered, heated patio that seats 50 to 70 more, providing a natural extension of the hall.
The Cultural Center also holds a conference room that seats 14 to 16 around a pommele mahogany and birch root table designed by architect Ebbe Videriksen, and a Danish-language library with more than 2,000 items - primarily fiction but also a significant collection about Danish history, Vikings, the royal Danish family, and Danish cuisine. The library is open to anyone who is interested, and the books are lent on an honor-system basis. A full industrial kitchen, praised by caterers and chefs, supports the cooking that is a central part of the church's life.
Two unexpected pieces decorate the cultural center: the busts of Tom and Valley Knudsen of the Knudsen Creamery, rescued from a hallway of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History during the 1990s relocation by Christian Castenskiold and Karl Olsen after being part of the museum's Knudsen Elephant Safari Exhibition, and a Viking lur, a traditional bronze wind instrument donated by the estate of Musse and Kenneth Hansen.
Pastor Anne-Grethe Krogh Nielsen and a Long Line of Clergy
The current pastor, Anne-Grethe Krogh Nielsen, was born and raised in Denmark on the island of Fyn. She studied theology at the University of Aarhus and graduated with a master's degree in 1991. Her first call was to Ringive Parish in Jutland, where she served from 1991 to 2004. In 2004 she and her husband Soren, with their sons Mads and Kristian, accepted a two-year calling to the Danish Lutheran Church in Yorba Linda. After a year and a half back in Denmark, the family returned in August 2008, and Anne-Grethe has been serving the congregation ever since. She currently serves as Dean for the ELCA's Rejoice Conference.
She has described her calling as a multifaceted blessing: "To be a Pastor is about preaching, building relationships, showing and fostering commitment and compassion, so we all invest our talents and time in a community that grows to be a place where we belong." She is also a published writer of book recommendations, including titles by His Majesty King Frederik X of Denmark, Dy Plambeck, and Sissel-Jo Gazan, and she leads confirmation classes twice a month from November through April.
The list of pastors who have served the congregation over 120 years is long and includes both Danish-born and American clergy. The most recent prior pastors were Jesper Hougaard Larsen (2002-2004), Anne Mette Wind Gundesen (2006-2008), Poul Joachim Stender (1997-1999), and S. Richard Baglien (1993-1996). Substitute-supply pastors currently include Steve Bieghler and Michelle Kuan, who was herself an intern at the church and now serves at Lamb of God in Anaheim. Past interns also include Ditte Sjelborg-Pedersen and Maria Snejbjerg Poulsen, both now pastors in Denmark, and Sissel Jørgensen, who is still studying.
Ceremonies of a Lifetime: Baptism, Confirmation, Wedding, Funeral
The church celebrates the Lutheran sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and offers baptism, confirmation, weddings, and memorial services to anyone who is a member or who feels attached to the church. Membership is not required to attend services or to request any of these ceremonies.
Baptisms usually take place during the Sunday service so the congregation can welcome new members right away, although baptisms can be performed outside the regular service when specifically requested. There are no fees for baptisms at the church, although parents are asked to provide birth certificates for the child and parents, a parents' marriage certificate, and the names of two to five godparents, with at least two witnesses present for the baptism. Those baptized by the church's pastor automatically become members.
Confirmation is celebrated on the last Sunday of April each spring, with classes running from November through April, twice a month on Sundays following the 11:00 AM service, for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 16. The classes include a confirmation camp - a Saturday and Sunday at the church when the confirmands prepare their own Sunday service. Confirmation is also possible for those living outside Southern California via e-mail, or it can be completed in Denmark.
Weddings at the Yorba Linda church are popular enough that the sanctuary is often referred to as "The Wedding Church" for its unique architecture and light-filled interior. Weddings in California require a marriage license from the county clerk, and the church's pastor can also perform weddings at other venues - the beach, the mountains, a hotel, or private gardens. There is a skilled wedding coordinator and organist on hand.
Funerals and memorial services can be held on site at no charge for the pastor's services, with fees applicable for the organist and soloist if requested. Coffee and pastries can be served in Knudsen Hall or on the patio after the service, with full-scale catered luncheons available at extra cost. The church is open to assisting Danish nationals and their families with arrangements to lay loved ones to rest in Denmark in coordination with the Danish Consulate in Los Angeles.
Children, Youth, and the Danish Summer Camp
Children and youth programming threads through the year. Annual highlights include Fastelavn in February, egg painting and an Easter egg hunt after the Easter service, Grundlovsfest in June, the Danish Summer Camp in late June or early August, a Harvest Service in September, a Mount Baldy hike in October, Klippekister and Lucia rehearsal in November, and the Lucia service and children's Christmas party in December. Family Day gatherings, with baking, cooking, gardening, and crafts, draw multi-generational participation.
The Danish Summer Camp is the centerpiece. It runs four days and three nights for children ages 5 to 13, filled with stories, crafts, fun, and good food, with themes that rotate through Danish Kingdom and History, H.C. Andersen, Danish Food, Danish Traditions and Customs, and Vikings. Past summers have taken as their theme "Fairytales and Fun." The camp has been held in summers including 2017, 2018, and 2025.
Danish Language School and the Confirmation Year
Adult Danish language classes are taught on Wednesdays by Søren Finsen, a Danish-trained and experienced teacher (who also serves as Consular Officer at the Royal Danish Consulate in Los Angeles). A multi-dimensional approach uses songs, movies, Danish newspapers, and games to make the learning process fun, informative, and hands-on. Group and individual classes are offered at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Advanced adult classes meet Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, and Beginner/Intermediate adult classes meet Wednesdays from 8:00 to 9:00 PM. There are currently no children's classes available.
Thursday Thoughts and Food: Pausing in the Middle of the Week
Once a month, on a Thursday evening at 7:00 PM, the church hosts "Thursday Thoughts and Food" - a short service of words and music in the sanctuary followed by a meal together in Knudsen Hall. The gatherings are a chance for reflection, conversation, and "hygge" in the middle of a busy week. The Cheer Committee, the Cultural Committee, and the Kitchen Committee all help to make the evenings run.
Fastelavn, Grundlovsfest, Hyggefest, and Julemarked
The church year is shaped by Danish traditions alongside the Lutheran liturgical year. Fastelavn, the Danish carnival at the beginning of Lent, is celebrated in February with a family service and games for the kids. Grundlovsfest in early June marks Denmark's Constitution Day with morning song, picnic in the tents, live music, a petting zoo, wheel of fortune, kringle, hotdogs, raffles, and lots of hygge.
Hyggefest in October is an afternoon-and-into-evening Danish food and culture festival, with æbleskiver served with raspberry jam and powdered sugar, frikadeller (Danish meatballs), potato salad, hotdogs, medister, brats, cookies, brownies, Swedish funnel cakes, coffee, Carlsberg, and a DJ and line dancing. Kids enjoy a Lego Corner and a petting zoo, and short tours of the church are offered.
Julemarked, the Scandinavian Christmas Fair, is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving from 9 AM to 3 PM. Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian vendors sell items imported from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland, and artisans offer glass, ceramics, paper art, paintings, jewelry, and fabric art. The church's volunteers serve traditional Danish smørrebrød, æbleskiver with raspberry jam, strong Danish coffee, and gløgg - the hot Scandinavian yuletide drink of mulled red wine with cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, raisins, and slivered almonds. About 450 guests come through during the day, and Danish pastries and selected meat products are available for purchase.
Other recurring traditions include a Harvest Service in September, a Lucia service in mid-December, a Christmas Eve service, a Christmas Ball fundraiser hosted by the Cheer Committee on the first Saturday of December, Klippe-Klistre (cut-and-paste decoration) afternoons in late November, and a New Year's Service with champagne.
Books & Breakfast, Concerts, and Art on the Walls
The Cultural Committee, chaired by Vibeke Alnor Fong, runs a rich calendar of public programs. The Books & Breakfast series invites authors and artists to talk about their work over a morning coffee and breakfast, typically running from 10 AM to noon. Past guests have included Lisa See, Steve Berry, Tatjana Soli, Leon Leyson, Heidi Durrow, Gabrielle Burton, Sara Blædel, Sophie Schiller, and Susi Rasmussen.
Concerts are a regular feature. "Up Close & Classical" is a free chamber music series that presents professional concerts with listening keys for the audience, with past offerings including Haydn's "Seven Last Words" on Good Friday. Other concerts have featured Rush Robinson on piano, Cymbaline Inez Olsen and Friends, the Cool Yule Concert with Mads Tolling, the Helsingor Pigegarde, the Frederiksberg Kirke Pigekor, the Roskilde Domkirkes Drenge-og mandskor, the Randers Big Band, the Amadeus Ensemble, and many more.
Art exhibits rotate through the year, with past shows by Charlotte Breinholm, Claus Carstensen, Jan Jensen, Linda Riber, Hanne Støvring, Susanne Thea, Marianne Jeffers, Bit Vejle, and Angela Su. Past visits include Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Prince Joachim, and several Danish ambassadors and honorary consuls.
Other occasional events have included wine tastings with the Sjoblom, Ampellos, and HRH Henri/Cayx wineries, costume parties, Nimbus Motorcycle Meets, golf tournaments, tea and fashion shows, cooking classes, and excursions to Solvang and Temecula.
Local Outreach: AA, Scouts, and HIS OC
The church hosts a number of community programs on its campus. The Alcoholics Anonymous "Sober Start" meeting is held on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM and is open to anyone with a desire to stop drinking. Scout Troop 733, with scouts from Yorba Linda, Fullerton, Placentia, Brea, and Anaheim, meets on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 PM and runs more than 20 nights of camping each year along with a week-long summer camp. Life Line Screening periodically offers health screenings, including stroke and cardiovascular disease risk assessments. The church also supports HIS OC (Homeless Intervention Services of Orange County), which runs four programs assisting people who are homeless or at risk. Tabitha's, a clothing ministry, is being updated.
Cheer, Kitchen, Culture, Maintenance: The Volunteer Heart
The congregation runs on volunteers. The Cheer Committee, chaired by Connie Hanson, brings cheer, assistance, and relief to the sick, disabled, and destitute members of the church and to persons of Danish descent, and arranges transportation to its annual May luncheon for shut-ins and others unable to attend services. The Cheer Committee's yearly fundraiser is the elegant Christmas Ball on the first Saturday of December, which begins with a bilingual service and a champagne reception on the patio before guests enter Knudsen Hall for a traditional Danish Christmas dinner, dancing, and fellowship.
The Kitchen Committee, chaired by Anna Lisa Knudsen, plans and prepares Sunday lunches and coordinates food needs for other events such as Books & Breakfast, wine tastings, fashion shows, and sports tournaments. The Cultural Committee, chaired by Vibeke Alnor Fong, presents and promotes Danish customs, culture, heritage, and traditions to the broadest possible audience. The Maintenance Committee, chaired by Craig Longuevan, oversees the church campus and plans repairs, changes, and updates. Sunday lunch is described as a "true mix" rather than strictly Danish food, and the church "always has coffee."
Council, Membership, and the Self-Funded Congregation
The church is governed by a nine-member Church Council - Menighedsraadet - elected at the Annual General Meeting for three-year terms, with members able to serve up to two consecutive terms before a required two-year break. The Treasurer is an appointed role. The current council includes President Connie Hanson, Vice President Henning Nygaard Jensen, Secretary Karin Wasler, Treasurer Anna Lisa Knudsen, and members Jacqueline Ellington, Bente Helsted, Craig Longuevan, Jim DeLeo, Linda Rasmussen, and Susanne Hassan. New council members are elected every January.
The congregation has about 360 active members and a contact list of more than 750, with members from San Diego to Solvang and beyond California's borders. There is no cost to apply for or hold membership, though members are encouraged to support the church financially to the extent they can. Member benefits include voting rights at Congregational Meetings, the ability to serve on the council, and reduced rates for renting the sanctuary or Knudsen Hall for weddings, receptions, parties, and celebrations.
The Danish Lutheran Church and Cultural Center is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) religious organization, and donations are tax deductible. It does not receive financial support from the State of Denmark, the Danish National Church (Folkekirken), or Danish Churches Abroad (DSUK). The church is part of the ELCA Pacifica Synod and is recognized as an ethnic congregation. Itself an entirely self-funded community, it depends on membership offerings, donations, and fundraisers to cover operating expenses, salaries, utilities, outreach, and events, and to maintain the grounds and facilities. Generous gifts over the years have refinished the wood floor in Knudsen Hall, replaced the library carpet, purchased new round banquet tables and table trucks, provided new Danish language hymnals, choral books, and altar books with the support of Danish foundations including the Maersk Fonden, G.E.C. Gads Fond, Konsul Jorck Fond, and Jubilaeumsfonden, and enabled the purchase of a new chalice.
For those who want to visit or learn more, the church is open Sundays from 9:30 AM to 2 PM, Tuesdays from 10 AM to 4 PM, and Thursdays from 4 to 6 PM. Appointments can be made by calling the church office. Sunday worship is at 11:00 AM, the livestream is available on Facebook and through the church's livestream page, and Pastor Anne-Grethe invites anyone interested to come in for coffee and a talk.