History

Two lots were purchased at the south end of Diamond Lake for the congregation’s first building—a small, wood-framed chapel painted red to resemble a country church in Sweden. By 1952, the congregation needed more space for worship, and the present-day sanctuary of gothic design and limestone exterior was built. In 1960, a building was constructed to the west of the sanctuary for church and community activities, and a 1987 renovation filled in the space between the buildings. Another renovation completed in 2022 created new gathering spaces for community use.

Today, members of Diamond Lake Lutheran Church come not only from South Minneapolis but also from many parts of the metro area. Diamond Lake is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), specifically the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA.