Rooted in Community: Growing in Faith
– Lori Ollerich
I joined Peace Lutheran not long after graduating from SDSU and moving to Sioux Falls. I didn’t know many people yet, but at a new member potluck, I discovered Peace had a co-ed recreational softball team—so I signed up, met some familiar faces, and the rest, as they say, is history. My husband Ryan started joining me for services regularly, and as our family grew, so did our involvement. What began with a “mommy and me” playgroup eventually led to deep roots in the Children’s and Family Ministries programs—and some of the most meaningful friendships of our lives.
Today, our three kids—Erika, Landon, and Micah—have each found their place here. All three have participated in Sunday and Wednesday school, Vacation Bible School, youth choir, summer musical camps, and Christmas programs. Erika and Landon have also played youth hand chimes and bells, and Ryan and I have both served as Sunday and Wednesday school teachers. Ryan currently leads a small group confirmation class. Our kids even attended daycare and preschool at Peace, so there was a season of life when we were here six days a week. Honestly, it still feels like our home away from home.
One moment stands out above the rest. During the 2023 Christmas program prelude, all three of our kids got to participate together for the very first time. Erika and Landon performed a piano duet while Micah—our second grader—added triangle percussion. Given the gap in their ages, it was the first time they had all taken part in the same activity at Peace simultaneously. As a mom, watching that happen was something I’ll never forget.
We’ve also been part of the “Families Flourishing in Faith” Sunday school program, where families gathered together for Bible-themed crafts, stories, and activities. Doing that as a whole family unit—not just dropping kids off—made faith formation feel like something we shared, not something we outsourced.
That’s really at the heart of why we stay so involved. Being part of these programs keeps our family actively connected to God and to our church community. When Ryan and I serve—especially alongside kids and youth—it reminds us to live out our beliefs, not just talk about them. Music, in particular, gives our kids a joyful, expressive way to worship. Together, these experiences strengthen our values and help us model a faith-filled life for our children.
If I could say one thing to someone considering getting involved, it would be this: it doesn’t require perfection—just willingness. Our lives are busy. We aren’t perfect. But we show up, and that matters. When your whole family participates—and ours includes Grandma Arlene, too—it sends a message that church isn’t just something you attend on Sunday mornings. It’s something you belong to.
There’s a real joy that comes from serving: building relationships, mentoring younger kids, using music as worship. I hope that when others see our family engaged across so many different programs and events, involvement starts to feel more approachable. If our story can be the spark that encourages even one person to step in, try something new, and discover how serving deepens their own faith—that would mean everything to us.
We found our community here at Peace one softball signup at a time. You might find yours in ways you’d never expect, too.