Our Staff
Senior Pastor Dan Gifford
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38).
Pastor Dan Gifford sees the honor, the joy, the challenge, and the need for the command Christ gave to His disciples. He now serves as the Senior Pastor of Lord of Glory to preach and to teach, to lead and to guide this family of believers to reach out and be God's voice and hands in bringing more people to the saving love of Christ.
Pastor Gifford has served the Lord's people in congregations in Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota since his Ordination in 1996. His ministry was preceded by following God's plan for him, step by step, as he graduated from White Bear Lake Area High School in 1987, Concordia College (now University) in 1992, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis in 1996. Over the past 30 years of ministry, Pastor has been blessed to share the Gospel message of forgiveness and redemption in Bible studies, worship, vacation Bible school, youth group, Lutheran Women's Missionary League events, home and nursing home visits, and in the communities in which he has served.
Pastor Dan, and his wife Katy, join the Lord of Glory family after raising their own family of five children, who live in four states across the nation. They have a love for the outdoors including camping, fishing, and gardening. Together they support each other in their vocations and pray that God would use them in each opportunity to share their hope in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Associate Pastor Seim
Carl was born in St. Augustine, FL and transplanted to Grand Marais, MN with his parents at the age of ten. Later he would live in Lino Lakes and Stacy, MN. He attended Concordia Academy High School, Roseville, MN (2003). After High School he attended Concordia University Wisconsin and graduated December 2007 with Bachelor of arts in Pastoral Ministry/ Theological Languages (Pre-Seminary). While in College Carl enlisted in the Wisconsin Army National Guard (2005) as a 56M Religious Affairs Specialists (formerly known as Chaplain Assistant).
Notice of a deployment to Iraq after college delayed application to Seminary. During interim between graduation and training for deployment, Carl worked as a Behavior Modification Assistant for the MN Department of Human services working with clients diagnosed with developmentally disabilities that had aggressive and assaultive behaviors from 2008-2011.
Carl deployed to Baghdad Iraq in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and worked alongside LC-MS Chaplain (COL) Douglas Fleischfresser. Together as a Unit Ministry Team would provide the Religious Support to the International Zone.
Upon his return from Iraq, the vocation with Department of Human Services was in transition and Carl gained employment with the Department of Corrections (DOC) in 2011 as a Correctional Officer at Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud, Married Sarah (Huss), and moved to Sauk Rapids. Carl would continue to serve in the Army National Guard and work full-time as a Correctional Officer with additional duties on the Special Operations Response Team and Crisis Intervention Team. In 2013 Carl and Sarah bought a home in Big Lake and transferred church membership from Messiah Lutheran (Mounds View) to Lord of Glory in 2016.
Carl deployed again in 2017 with Minnesota Army National Guard with the 47th Chaplain Detachment as a 2-person team to Romania and Bulgaria in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Just as deployment began his son Cody was born. Carl provided Religious Support to two Forward Observation Sites of Mihail Kolgalniceanu, Romania and Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria to U.S. Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Coalition Forces to include Romanian, Bulgarian, French, British, and Canadian Forces.
Returning to work with the DOC, Carl was encouraged to begin seminary education and seek Prison Chaplain positions. Carl began the Specific Ministry Pastoral program through Concordia St. Louis, MO in 2019. At the same time, he transitioned from Correctional Officer to Office Administration Specialists. Carl served as Lord of Glory Vicar for two years 2019-2022 and ordained as Associate Pastor on January 30, 2022.
Carl while serving Lord of Glory Lutheran Church has served as a temporary Prison Chaplain and continues to conduct prison and military ministry in those vocational contexts to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ for you.
Pastor Carl Seim is richly blessed by his wife Sarah, sons Cody and Colton, daughter Hannah, and father-in-law Jim Huss living in Becker, MN.
Pastor Seim enjoys Hockey as a Coach and player, world travel, riding motorcycle, fishing, hiking, running, spending time with family and kids and the fall season with campfires and coffee.
To contact Pastor Seim: email pastorcarlseim@gmail.com.
Office Manager
Brenda Kreuger
Organist &
Music Coordinator
Julie Hunt
