Historical Journey of Risen Savior Church

      Bishop Paul V. Dudley announced the formation of the new Risen Savior Church, at Brandon, on March 28th 1979, carved from areas previously served by St. Therese church, Sioux Falls, and St. Rose  of Lima, Garretson. Fr. Edward J. Pierce

was the founding pastor, organizing the parish on the feast of the Ascension, for the two hundred families living in the area.

      Sunday services and Religious Education classes were held at faith Presbyterian Church (formerly a Lutheran church) until growth made it necessary to move to the Brandon grade school gymnasium on weekends. Fr. Ed purchased a home to serve as rectory, office, and chapel and crafted the sanctuary furniture. The tabernacle came form the former St. Joseph Cathedral convent chapel.

      Groundbreaking for a new church was Sunday, April 27, 1980. Parishioners were invited to bring earth from their own yards to mix with the soil on site. The facility would consist of a church with seating for 300, a hall serving 120 and eleven religious education classrooms suitable for twelve students each. Construction began in May and was completed in time for the parish to celebrate Christmas Midnight Mass. The first service in the unfinished church was the funeral of a building committee member, Francis Olson on November 24th.

       Fr. Pierce guided the growth and development of Risen Savior until June, 1986. With Joyce became pastor in July of 1986. With his encouragement, the church sponsored some fourteen political refugees from Ethiopia, Somalia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Armenia, after they fled from civil and religious persecution. After serving Risen Savior Parish for thirteen years Fr. Joyce retired from parish ministry in 1998. Fr. Anthony Imberi was appointed pastor in June of 1998 and served the parish for three years. During his tenure the parish experienced rapid growth increasing to almost 500 households with young families being predominate.

       In June of 2001 Fr. Imberi was transfered to St. Dominic Parish, Canton.  He was replaced by Jerry Kopel who continues to serve as the current pastor. Due to the continued expansion of the parish membership the size of the current facility is being stretched to the limits. To accommodate these increases an additional weekend Mass was added on Sunday morning bringing the total to four, additional religious education classes for elementary students were added on Wednesday afternoon and the Confirmation preparation class was moved to Sunday evening.