David Lee Rinden

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Pastor David Lee Rinden, 79, went home to be with His Lord Jesus on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at Augustana Home in Moose Lake, MN, where he had been a resident since January 12, 2021 due to complications from Parkinson's Disease and Lewy Body.

Pastor Rinden was born on August 1, 1941 in Lake Mills, Iowa to Oscar and Iva (Stensrud) Rinden, and was the oldest of four children.  His early years revolved around working on the family farm, attending a one-room schoolhouse through the eighth grade and going with his family to church, a regular part of his life.

At a young age, he felt the call to enter the ministry and pursued the steps necessary to reach this goal.  After graduating from junior college in Iowa, he attended the University of Minnesota, Moorhead, where he obtained a degree in Speech Pathology.  He met his wife, Gracia Carlson while attending school in Moorhead.

While he enjoyed his work as a Speech Pathologist, he never lost sight of his calling to become a pastor and in May 1966, he graduated from the Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  David and Gracia married in September, 1966 in St. Paul, Minnesota.  They immediately moved to Viscount, Saskatchewan, Canada where they would serve their first church.

In addition to serving in Saskatchewan, Canada, he served the following churches:  Eau Claire, Wisconsin (l968-1972); Lynnwood, Washington (1972-1979); Underwood, Minnesota (1988-2000); Rochester, Minnesota (2000-2014) and Grand Rapids, Minnesota (2016-2018).  In 1979 he and his family moved to Fergus Falls, Minnesota where he would serve as Director of Publication for the Church of the Lutheran Brethren in the role of editor of Faith and Fellowship Press.  He would serve in this capacity for 20 years, before moving to Rochester, Minnesota.

Pastor Rinden is survived by his wife of 54 years, Gracia; daughters Elizabeth (Michael) Hahn of Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania, Amy (Wayne) Pafko of Marshall, Minnesota; daughter-in-law DuRanda (Koch) Rinden Torkelson of Rochester, Minnesota; 9 grandchildren: Brie, Liddi and Quinn Rinden of Rochester, Minnesota, Ingrid, Henry, and Greta Hahn of Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania and Charlotte, Benjamin and Julia Pafko of Marshall, Minnesota.  David is also survived by three siblings: Daniel (Mary) Rinden of Cokato, Mary (Rollin) Tonneson of Souris, North Dakota and Martha (Mark) Jarvinen of Farmington, many other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a son, Jonathan Rinden in 2011.

Family and friends will remember him for his strong, unswerving love for his Lord and Savior, his love for others, his life-long love of music which began in childhood, manifesting itself in singing tenor in various quartets and choirs, and playing his guitar and ukulele at home and woven into ministry, his love for travel (Norway, Israel and Africa, England and France) and his desire to see the Gospel spread both near and far.

Memorials preferred to: Church of the Lutheran Brethren World Missions, PO Box 655, Fergus Falls, MN 56538.

Funeral Services for Pastor David Rinden will be at 1 PM; Friday, May 7, 2021 at Barnum Community Church in Barnum, Minnesota.  A time of visitation and reviewal will be held from 6 -8 PM; Thursday (5/6/21) at the Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City and also one hour prior to the service at the church.  The interment will take place: 3:30 PM Friday, May 7th at Blomskog Cemetery in Windemere Township, Minnesota.  Following the interment, there will be a time of sharing at the church.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel.
www.FuneralAndCremationService.com