On the northwest edge of the Las Vegas Valley, just off U.S. 95 at West Cheyenne Avenue, sits a campus where a stained-glass sanctuary, a working preschool, and a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade elementary school share a single address. That address is Mountain View Lutheran Church and School, a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation that has been gathering in the city since 1957 and on its current campus since 1997. The congregation's mission statement, "Refreshing ever-changing lives with the never-changing love of Christ," is visible in everything from Sunday worship bulletins to the school day, and the building itself is built around a large stained-glass window that is "impossible for passers-by to miss when driving down West Cheyenne Ave."
A Campus Built for Worship, School, and Family
The Mountain View campus is the result of three major moves. The congregation was founded in 1957 near downtown Las Vegas, then relocated to Charleston and Decatur, where it thrived well enough that members voted in 1991 to add a preschool. Within a few years the church and preschool together outgrew that site, and in 1997 the congregation broke ground on the current property at 9550 West Cheyenne Avenue. Worshippers met in the gym while the sanctuary was being constructed around the central stained-glass window. The first kindergarten class began in August 1998, and the school added a grade each year until that inaugural class graduated fifth grade. In April 2022 the church began a campus-wide remodeling project funded by the congregation's prayer and giving.
Today the same site hosts Sunday worship for several hundred people and a Christ-centered school that admits students of any race, color, or national or ethnic origin. Both operations are coordinated out of the same building, with shared leadership and a shared calendar.
Two Sunday Services, One Shape of Worship
Sunday at Mountain View is anchored by two services that share the same Lutheran shape but differ in feel. Traditional Worship is held at 8:00 a.m. and follows a historic pattern of Christian worship: hymn singing accompanied by organ or piano, Scripture readings, prayer, the historic creeds, a sermon, and Communion on most Sundays. The church teaches that the real, literal body and blood of Jesus Christ are mysteriously present in the bread and wine, so those who commune are asked to be baptized Christians who share that understanding; visitors who prefer not to take Communion are invited forward to receive a blessing by crossing their arms over their chest.
Fellowship and coffee follow the traditional service at 9:00 a.m., and the Education and Equipping Hour runs from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. with an Adult Bible Study, a Youth Bible Study in the Youth Room, a Sunday School class for elementary-aged children, and a staffed Nursery for children under five. A staffed Next Steps Desk is set up during this hour for visitors who want directions, information, or an introduction.
Contemporary Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and is led by a live praise band with lyrics on screens, but the order of service keeps the same time-honored elements: confession and forgiveness, creeds or statements of belief, prayer, Scripture readings, a sermon, and Communion. Families and children are always welcome, and the church explicitly invites everyone to "come as they are." Both services are livestreamed on Facebook Live at 8:00 a.m. and on the church's YouTube channel.
What Visitors Should Know
Parking is available through either of two entrances, on the east and west sides of the campus, and "WORSHIP ENTRANCE" signs on the building direct newcomers to the right door. There is no dress code. Suits and ties are as common as jeans and t-shirts, and the church teaches that what someone wears has no bearing on what God does through the hearing of His Word.
Children are encouraged to be present in the service rather than shuttled off. A weekly children's message invites them to interact with the lesson, "quiet bags" with activities are available near the Welcome Desk, and a Cry Room at the back of the sanctuary is open every Sunday for nursing, diaper changes, or a quieter moment. Between services, the Nursery in the Education and Equipping Hour provides staffed care for children under five. Greeters stationed throughout the building are trained to answer questions or hand out a campus map.
The Lutheran Teaching on Baptism and Communion
Mountain View's teaching on the sacraments follows classic Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod doctrine. The church teaches that Baptism is not earned but given, with God connecting His promise to the water so that the baptized person is welcomed into His family, forgiven of sin, and given new life through Jesus. Mark 16:16 reads: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved." Baptism is offered both to children and to adults, and the church holds an Orientation class called On-Ramp several times a year for anyone wanting to learn more about Christianity, the Lutheran tradition, or what Mountain View specifically teaches.
On Communion, the church teaches that it does not try to explain how Jesus is present in the bread and wine, but believes, teaches, and confesses that He is. The Small Catechism states: the Lord's Supper "is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink." Children who have been instructed in what the sacrament means are welcome to receive, and the church teaches that first Communion typically follows the first year of Confirmation instruction. Classes for those interested in being baptized or learning more about Communion can be arranged through the Church Office.
Mountain View Lutheran School: Preschool Through Fifth Grade
The school is a Christ-centered preschool through fifth grade program that occupies the same campus as the church. It is accredited by both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA), and the preschool itself was the first in Nevada and the first in the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS to receive WASC accreditation. Donna Einspahr, the Preschool and Extended Care Director, was named Early Childhood Educator of the Year in the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS for her work building that program.
Preschool serves children from age two through pre-kindergarten in four classrooms named the Caterpillars (2-year-olds), Butterflies (3-year-olds), Honeybees (4-to-5-year-olds), and Ladybugs (4-to-5-year-olds), with both two-day and full-week options at the older ages. The elementary school begins with kindergarten and adds a grade each year through fifth grade. Curriculum draws from Core Knowledge, Common Core State Standards, Nevada State Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards, while Bible history, Christian doctrine, prayer, and verse memorization are woven into the school day. Specialty classes include computers, library, music (with optional choir in grades 3-5 and band in grades 4-5), art, and physical education. A staffed Extended Care program is offered every weekday from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., with Summer and Holiday Day Camps that run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuition for the 2026-2027 school year is $10,985 for kindergarten through fourth grade and $11,135 for fifth grade, which includes an Outdoor Education program. Tuition can be paid annually, semi-annually, over 10 months, or over 12 months, with sibling and referral discounts available, and Financial Aid is available for elementary students and full-time preschoolers through Blackbaud Aid. All elementary students wear uniforms purchased through Campus Club, with the school code 1074 for that vendor.
Students can participate in athletics including cross country, volleyball, basketball, and cheer, along with performing arts, visual arts, and service projects. Many graduates go on to Faith Lutheran Middle School and High School, with which Mountain View has a long-standing feeder relationship. The school year is organized around an annual theme verse drawn from the Bible.
Beliefs in Brief
Mountain View teaches that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God, the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine, revealing His Law and the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. The church confesses with the historic Christian Church that Jesus is both true God and true man, the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, whose life, death, and resurrection happened in real history in first-century Israel. It teaches that all people are sinful and in need of forgiveness, that Jesus died as the substitute for all people of all time to purchase forgiveness and eternal life, and that those who hear the Gospel and believe it receive the gift of life with Him forever. The church holds that Baptism works forgiveness of sins and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this promise, and that in the Lord's Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly present, distributed, and received by virtue of Christ's words of institution.
The congregation has organized those convictions around five values - Gospel Grounded, One Body, Joyfully Approachable, Pragmatically Bold, and Fully Equipped - and four marks of the Christian life: Love, Trust, Abide, and Go. Its strategy framework is built on the four words Worship, Belong, Grow, and Serve, the same four categories that organize the "Next Steps" path that runs from first-time visitor to member to active disciple.
Bible Studies and Small Groups
Bible study is woven into the life of the church. On Sunday mornings the Adult Bible Study meets during the Education and Equipping Hour in the Mt. Charleston Room; topics rotate, and the church publishes the current study on its calendar. Two weekday women's Bible studies are held in the Mt. Charleston Room (downstairs, with elevator access) on Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., led by Christina Oka. A co-ed study meets at Bonnie Karner's home on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., and a Tuesday night women's study meets at the same house at 6:00 p.m. The Men's Bible Study gathers on the third Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. with food and coffee provided. A community prayer group for parents, grandparents, and church members meets Mondays at 8:15 a.m. in the Mt. Charleston Room to pray for the children, staff, and community.
The Rooted program is a ten-week small-group experience built around daily devotions, prayer, service projects, and weekly meetings. Brews and Good News, led by Jen Karner, is a fellowship-oriented group that meets on the second Saturday of the month at Foxtail Coffee in the Trails Village Center at 10:00 a.m. and on the fourth Saturday at MacKenzie River Pizza near City National Arena at 6:00 p.m. GriefShare is offered as a Christ-centered support group for those experiencing grief.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Sunday School is offered for children from age three through eighth grade during the Education and Equipping Hour, and a staffed Nursery cares for children under age three between services and during the equipping hour. Vacation Bible School is held during the summer and draws children from across the Las Vegas Valley, with Water Day a perennial favorite.
The youth ministry, simply called YOUTH, is led by Pastor Brad Wellik and Leanna Wellik and meets twice a month from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Youth Room, typically on the first and last Sundays. It is open to all middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12, whether or not they are members of the church. A typical gathering starts with snacks, foosball, and catching up, moves into games, then a Bible study and prayer time, and closes with more games. Throughout the year the group also runs game nights, service projects, off-campus events, campus cleanups, care packages for college students, food drives, and seasonal parties.
Confirmation runs over two years, with students meeting weekly with one of the pastors to work through Luther's Small Catechism and the foundations of the faith. After the first year, students are welcomed to begin receiving Communion, and at the conclusion of the second year the church hosts a banquet to celebrate their completion of the program. Confirmands are also trained to serve as acolytes, lighting and extinguishing candles and carrying processional items in the Traditional Service.
Music, Readers, and the Care of the Sanctuary
The Music Ministry is led by Worship Director Christin Schlicker, who also teaches music at the school. Choir and Handbells rehearse on Monday evenings during the school year (choir at 6:00 p.m. and handbells at 7:00 p.m.), with childcare provided during rehearsals; both groups perform in worship periodically and combine for a Palm Sunday/Easter Cantata. The Praise Band leads contemporary music at the 10:30 a.m. service, and volunteers are welcome with no audition required. Readers serve the 8:00 a.m. service by reading the day's Scripture lessons, with texts emailed in advance. A Sound Room team runs the sound board, slides, and livestream on Facebook Live, with one-on-one training offered for new volunteers.
The Altar Guild prepares the sanctuary for worship each Sunday, setting up Communion, changing paraments, and keeping hymnals and Bibles facing forward in the pews. The team comes together to decorate for major holidays, strip the altar on Maundy Thursday, reset it for Good Friday, and prepare the Easter cross on Holy Saturday.
Pastoral Care, Members, and Community Life
The Care Committee coordinates the congregation's everyday ministry of connection: spotting new faces on Sunday morning, sending birthday cards using the narthex birthday calendar, organizing meal trains through mealtrain.com for families dealing with illness or loss, sending care packages to deployed church and school members, and pairing members with confirmation students as secret prayer partners. The Elders, headed by Rick Erickson, are organized into "flocks" so that each member has an elder who checks in regularly, offers spiritual guidance, and helps in times of need.
The congregation maintains a Prayer Chain that anyone can join by email, and a Prayer Request form sends concerns to the prayer team. The Church Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and can be reached at 702-360-8290 or churchoffice@mvlcs.org.
Purple Star School: Serving Military Families
Mountain View Lutheran School holds a Nevada Purple Star School designation for its commitment to military-connected students and families. The school supports active duty, reserve, and veteran military members through the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission, which eases transitions between states and districts. Tutor.com is available free to military-connected students, the school is part of Child Care Aware of America's Military Fee Assistance Program for Army families, and a Purple Star School Program display in the hallway outside the ladies' restroom honors military-affiliated families by name. The school office asks to be notified of upcoming deployments so that teachers can support children through the transition, and the church prays regularly for the military community during worship.
Giving, Endowment, and Mission Partners
The congregation encourages members and visitors to support the ministry through online giving, with financial commitment cards and a stewardship sermon available for those who want to think theologically about tithing. The MVLCS Endowment Fund is invested with the LCMS Foundation under an Investment and Spending Policy set by the Endowment By-Laws, with the Board of Directors appointing an Endowment Committee to oversee it. Once the principal is large enough, 75 percent of annual earnings will be distributed for education and scholarships, building and campus improvements, and outreach ministries and missions, while 25 percent is reinvested in the corpus.
Mountain View partners with several LCMS-aligned ministries including the Pacific Southwest District, the Texas and Southern Mission District, Lutheran Bible Translators, Concordia University Irvine, Lutheran Hour Ministries, and LINC SoCal. It is also a Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs ministry partner.
Leadership
Derek Klemm has served as Senior Pastor since 2014. A native Nevadan who has also lived in southern California, he is known for his love of fantasy sports, travel, the mountains, and trying new restaurants. Brad Wellik joined the staff as Associate Pastor in 2019 after growing up in Tucson, Arizona; he is especially drawn to helping people dig deeper into the mysteries and promises of God, and in his off-hours he watches Formula One, works in the garden, and spends time with his wife Leanna and their pug, Mr. Pete.
School leadership includes Diana Bartholomew, Interim Principal, who previously served 25 years as a classroom teacher and ten years in Lutheran school administration before moving to Las Vegas nine years ago. Donna Einspahr directs the preschool and was named Early Childhood Educator of the Year in the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS. Samantha Linares serves as the Admissions Director and School Office Manager. The Board of Directors is led by Chad Stepanek, with Mark Cheney as Vice President, Nate Moeller as Secretary, and Amy Brewster as Treasurer.