Our Faith

"What is a Lutheran, anyway?" When I tell people that I am a Lutheran pastor the most frequent response I get is, "What is a Lutheran, anyway?"  Maybe that's your question too.  If so, here's my answer: A Lutheran is Christian Lutherans, like all Christians, believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  We believe Jesus was fully divine and fully human.  In Jesus, God became human, bore our human condition and our sins, in order to save us from sin and death and restore us to a right relationship with God.  Jesus came to make known God's love and grace to our broken and seeking world.  The ultimate symbol of that love is the Cross, where Jesus was crucified, and gave his life for the sake of the world. A Lutheran is Protestant Many people don't know that Lutheranism was actually the first Protestant denomination.  A German monk named Martin Luther started what became the Protestant Reformation when, in 1517, he posted 95 points of disagreement with the Roman Catholic Church on the doors of the Cathedral Church in Wittenberg.  The main differences between Luther and the Church concerned the nature of our salvation, the authority of the church, and the authority of the Bible.  Lutherans believe that we are justified or saved by God's grace, which we receive through faith, not by anything we do.  For more information on Martin Luther at the PBS website, click here. A Lutheran is Biblical We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  We believe that the heart of the biblical message is the good news that Jesus Christ died to redeem our suffering, forgive our sins, and give us abundant life now and eternal life beyond death.  Lutherans do not read the bible literally.  We are not fundamentalists.  We read the Bible through the lens of God's grace. A Lutheran is Liturgical Lutherans worship each Sunday, the day Jesus was raised from the dead.  During each worship service, we sing, we read passages from the Bible, the Pastor preaches, connecting the Bible lessons with daily life, and we receive Holy Communion. Want to know more?  Check out these Frequently Asked Questions on Christianity and Lutheranism.  New to faith?  Check out Sharing Faith.  Both pages are on the website of our national church body, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. +Peace, Pastor Keith Anderson

The Apostles' Creed I believe in God,    the Father almighty,    creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ,    his only Son,    our Lord.    He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit    and born of the virgin Mary.    He suffered under Pontius Pilate,    was crucified, died, and was buried.    He descended into hell.    On the third day he rose again.    He ascended into heaven,    and is seated at the right hand of the Father.    He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit,    the holy catholic Church,    the communion of saints,    the forgiveness of sins,    the resurrection of the body,    and the life everlasting. Amen.