About Our Lady of the Lake · Kings Beach, California
Our Lady of the Lake is a Catholic mission church in Kings Beach, California, on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. It operates as a mission of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in nearby Truckee, sharing that parish's pastor, Rev. Vincent R. Juan JCL, and falling under the Diocese of Sacramento. The mission serves a bilingual community, offering Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday plus a bilingual weekday Mass on Thursdays. The stone church building itself is a 1947 work of Native American master stonemasons and is widely admired for its rustic Lake Tahoe craftsmanship.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Lake (the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Vincent R. Juan JCL
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Mother Lode Deanery, Placer County grouping)
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Lake offers a small, bilingual lakeside Catholic community in Kings Beach where weekend Mass in English and Spanish, a bilingual Thursday Mass, and Sunday confessions are all close at hand. As a mission of the historic 1869 Assumption Parish in Truckee, it draws on the larger parish's sacramental preparation, OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults), faith formation, and sacramental record services, while giving north-shore residents a parish home of their own. It is a welcoming option for full-time residents, retirees, young families, and the many part-time Tahoe residents and visitors who worship on the lake throughout the year.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 3:30 p.m.
About Our Lady of the Lake Mission
Our Lady of the Lake is a Catholic mission church serving the north shore community of Kings Beach on Lake Tahoe. It is administered as a mission of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in nearby Truckee, sharing that parish's pastor, staff, and sacramental programs. The mission falls within the Diocese of Sacramento and is grouped in the Mother Lode Deanery's Placer County cluster. Its mission is to bring the Eucharist and the sacraments to the lakeside community of Kings Beach in a welcoming, bilingual setting.
- Type: Catholic Mission (Latin Rite, Roman)
- Diocese: Diocese of Sacramento
- Deanery: Mother Lode Deanery (Placer County grouping)
- Mother parish: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truckee
- Languages: English and Spanish
History & Building (1947)
The church building at 8263 Steelhead Ave. was constructed in 1947 and is widely attributed to Ernest Wungnema and his son Burton Wungnema, Native American master stonemasons associated with the masonry program at the Stewart Indian School in Carson City, Nevada. When Our Lady of the Lake was built, Burton was only 21 and already a master craftsman working alongside his father and brother Randall. The building is celebrated for its precisely aligned stonework, even grouting, window keystones, dark mud-and-grout joints, and the use of turquoise in the wall — hallmarks of the Wungnema family style. The mission is part of a wider Catholic presence on the north shore that has historically been served out of Truckee since the founding of the Assumption parish in 1869.
- Year built: 1947
- Stonemasons: Ernest and Burton Wungnema (Stewart Indian School heritage)
- In February 2016, the statue of Mary in front of the church was vandalized; it has been repaired and is now protected by a plexi-glass shield
- The mission is listed by the Diocese of Sacramento and by GCatholic as a mission of Assumption Parish, Truckee
Clergy & Staff
Our Lady of the Lake is served by the pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Truckee. Parish office staff and sacramental preparation are coordinated through the Truckee office, and all sacramental records are issued from there.
- Pastor: Rev. Vincent R. Juan JCL
- Parish Office: 10930 Alder Dr., Truckee, CA 96161
- Parish Phone: (530) 587-3595
- Parish Email: [email protected]
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are available through the combined parish of Assumption / Our Lady of the Lake, with preparation programs and registration handled from the Truckee parish office. Children preparing for Reconciliation, First Communion, or Confirmation must be enrolled in the parish catechism program.
- Baptism — preparation classes third Monday of each month at Assumption Parish (6:00 p.m. Spanish, 7:00 p.m. English); godparents required to attend
- Confirmation — preparation through the catechism program (grades 1–8)
- First Holy Communion — preparation through the catechism program
- Reconciliation — Sunday 3:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Lake; Saturday 3:30–4:30 p.m. at Assumption, Truckee
- Matrimony — minimum 6 to 12 months of preparation; all weddings celebrated inside the church (no outdoor weddings, per diocesan policy)
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
- Holy Orders — discernment appointments with Fr. Vince via the parish office
- Quinceañera — application and preparation coordinated through the parish office
Faith Formation & OCIA
Religious education for children in grades 1–8 and adult formation through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) are coordinated out of the Truckee parish office and are open to families from both Assumption and Our Lady of the Lake. OCIA is offered bilingually for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Children's catechism program (grades 1–8) — required for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation prep
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — bilingual, register through the parish office
- Baptism certificate and First Communion certificate requests — processed via the parish office or online form
Architecture & Notable Features
The 1947 church is a celebrated example of rustic Lake Tahoe ecclesiastical architecture and of Native American stonemasonry in the region. Visitors frequently comment on the precise stone alignment, even grouting, window keystones, the dark mud-and-grout joints, and the turquoise accents — all signatures of the Wungnema family builders. A restored statue of the Virgin Mary stands at the front of the church.
- Construction: 1947
- Style: Rustic stone church, characteristic of Lake Tahoe region
- Stonemasons: Ernest and Burton Wungnema (Stewart Indian School, NV)
- Distinctive details: precise stone alignment, dark mud-and-grout joints, turquoise accents, window keystones
- Statue: restored statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the front of the church (vandalized Feb. 2016, since repaired and protected)
Contact & Visit
Our Lady of the Lake Mission is staffed and administered out of Assumption Parish in Truckee. The parish office is the main point of contact for sacramental records, preparation classes, Mass intention requests, and parish registration.
- Address: 8263 Steelhead Ave., Kings Beach, CA 96143
- Phone: (530) 587-3595
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocesan listing: scd.org/parish/our-lady-lake-mission-kings-beach
- Parish Facebook: facebook.com/assumptiontruckee/
- Mother parish office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (closed Wednesday and weekends)