Rooted in Faith. Growing in Grace. Called to Serve.
For more than six decades, King of Glory Lutheran Church has been a community of faith in North Dallas—gathering around Christ, growing together, and boldly sharing the grace of God with the world.
A Community Grounded in Grace
King of Glory Lutheran Church is a congregation in North Dallas where worship, faith, community, care, learning, and service come together.
We believe God's grace meets people where they are and calls us into lives of faith, love, generosity, and service. Here, people of different generations, backgrounds, abilities, experiences, and stories gather around Christ and discover what it means to live faith together.
Our Vision is simple and active:
Boldly share the grace of God with the world.
That mission shapes how we worship, welcome, learn, care for one another, and serve our neighbors. Our life together is grounded in three values:
Grounded in Love
We seek to reflect the love and grace of Christ in our relationships with God, one another, and our neighbors.
Growing in Faith
We believe faith is a lifelong journey. Through worship, Scripture, prayer, conversation, and learning, we continue growing together.
Generous in Serving & Giving
God's grace moves us beyond ourselves. We generously share our time, gifts, resources, and lives for the sake of others.
Our Story
It Began With a Mission
The story of King of Glory began in 1958.
Pastor Harold “Bud” A. Pearson was serving a congregation in New Hampton, Iowa, when he accepted the call to become the first pastor of a new American Lutheran Church mission congregation in Dallas.
Pastor Pearson, his wife Bev, and their four young children left Iowa for Texas with what he described as an “opportunity of a lifetime”—to help build, nurture, shepherd, and grow a new Lutheran congregation.
King of Glory Lutheran Church, located at 6314 Willow Lane, was dedicated on May 18, 1958 and officially became a congregation of the American Lutheran Church on September 21, 1958.
But even before there was a large congregation, there was a vision.
How King of Glory Got Its Name
Pastor Pearson was given the privilege of naming the new mission church.
He found its name in Psalm 24: “Who is the King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty... The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory.”
And so the new congregation became King of Glory Lutheran Church.
According to the congregation's 65th-anniversary history, King of Glory in Dallas was, at that time, the first and only Lutheran congregation in America bearing the name.
Faith Took Root on Willow Lane
King of Glory began with 53 charter members, their children, visitors, folding chairs, and an extraordinary amount of faith.
Members helped build the life of their new church. With assistance from Central Lutheran Church in Dallas, members designed and built pieces that would become central to worship, including the altar, Communion railings, baptismal font, and pulpit.
They also went into the surrounding neighborhoods and personally invited people to come.
The congregation grew quickly.
By 1960, King of Glory had 203 adults and children. An education wing was added in 1961 with classrooms, a nursery, and kitchen. By 1963, membership had reached 366, with average Sunday School attendance of 162.
Those early years established something that continues to characterize King of Glory:
Ministry has always been hands-on.
People didn't simply attend the church.
- They built it.
- They invited.
- They taught.
- They served.
- They formed relationships.
- They created community.
That makes this history a beautiful bridge into today's H.O.M.E. — Hands On Ministry for Everyone vision.
Growing Into the Future
As the congregation continued to grow, it became clear that King of Glory would eventually need a larger home.
During Pastor William “Bill” A. Slaughter's ministry, the congregation began considering relocation. After extensive conversation and discernment, property at 6411 Valley View Lane, near what would become Interstate 635/LBJ Freeway, was selected.
Ground was broken in October 1967, and the first worship service at the new location was held on July 26, 1968.
By 1969, King of Glory was approaching 500 baptized members.
The move represented more than growth in numbers. It reflected a congregation willing to make difficult
decisions, take risks, and prepare for a ministry larger than what its founders could initially see.
The Stained Glass Windows
Pastor William A. Slaughter brought together two callings that would shape the visual identity of King of Glory: ministry and art.
A gifted artist known particularly for his Texas landscapes, Pastor Slaughter designed 21 stained glass windows that were installed in the sanctuary in 1969.
As King of Glory's campus developed, the windows were preserved and relocated. Three additional windows were eventually designed, bringing the collection to 24 stained glass windows.
Today, these works continue to tell part of the story of King of Glory and form an important connection between the congregation's past and present.
Pastor Slaughter once described his artistic work as another call from God—one that allowed him to glorify God and inspire others through art.
A Church Built on Relationships
In 1972, the congregation called Pastor Jon Lee from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Pastor Lee would serve King of Glory for the next 35 years, through 2007.
Across generations, King of Glory became the place where families worshiped, children were baptized, young people were confirmed, couples were married, friendships formed, and lives were celebrated and remembered.
The congregation's anniversary history captures that story through generations of one family's experience:
“For Our Family and Our Home, We Will Serve the Lord Always.”
That history reminds us that churches are not ultimately built from brick, glass, programs, or property.
They are built through faith shared from one generation to another.
H.O.M.E. — Hands On Ministry for Everyone
King of Glory's story did not end with the generations that built what we inherited.
We're still building.
Not simply buildings.
Relationships.
Faith.
Community.
Hope.
Lives of service.
Today, H.O.M.E. expresses our invitation for everyone to participate in the life and mission of King of Glory:
H — Hands On
Faith becomes something we live.
O — Outreach
Grace moves beyond our walls into our neighborhoods and world.
M — Ministries
People use their gifts to worship, care, lead, learn, create, and serve.
E — Engagement
Everyone is invited to move from watching to participating.
And through it all, we're helping people:
CONNECT • GROW • LEARN • ENGAGE
This is not simply a theme for one year. It reflects something that has been part of King of Glory's DNA since 1958. Those first members put their hands to work building an altar, teaching children, inviting neighbors, and creating a congregation.
Today, we're still answering that call.
Grace Makes Room
King of Glory is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and is a Reconciling in Christ congregation.
We seek to be a community where people are welcomed into the life of the church and invited to experience the grace of God.
Our ministries include opportunities for children, youth and adults; music and arts; outreach and mission; faith formation; care ministries; Stephen Ministry; and Joyful Spirit, our inclusive worshiping community for people of all abilities, their families, friends, and caregivers.
Whether you have spent your entire life in church, are returning after years away, are exploring Christianity, or simply wonder whether there might be a place for you here, we invite you to come and discover King of Glory for yourself.
Our Story Is Still Being Written.
For more than six decades, generations of people have brought their faith, questions, talents, families, hopes, and lives to King of Glory.
Now there's room for your story too.
Your Journey Home Begins Here.
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