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In 1975, a number of outreach, mission-minded members of St. James Lutheran Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church, and University Lutheran Church got together to form a mission congregation on the south side of Lafayette. Founded in 1975, that congregation was officially named Grace Lutheran Church. For a number of months the charter members of Grace worshipped in rented facilities on the site formerly known as the Tahoe Swim Club on Beck Lane. In 1976, Phase 1 of our current facility was built (fellowship hall/sanctuary and all the space just before the education wing.) In 1985, the members of Grace under the leadership of Charley Crum built Phase 2 of our facility, or what we know today as the education wing. At that time, Grace was still considered to be that “little church on the outskirts of town, just in the country.” In 1997, things had certainly changed. The city had come to us, and houses were being built all around us. Grace Lutheran Church, by God’s grace had grown to a membership of 250 souls. In 1997, with “down the road” expansion in mind, we spent $50,000 to acquire the equivalent of four home building lots adjacent to our existing property. In 1999, we added two services on Sunday morning, so that we wouldn’t be “fender to fender” in the parking lot, nor “elbow to elbow” in worship and fellowship. We did that while working with building experts to design a new addition to Grace. A final design was approved in the fall of 2001. That final design included a new sanctuary, narthex, library, restrooms, office and meeting space. We broke ground on this 12,000 square foot, $1.2 million dollar expansion on Palm Sunday 2002 (March 24). We moved into our new facilities one year later and dedicated our expansion to the Lord’s service on March 30, 2003. That’s our history; actually, it’s His Story, God’s story. A story that has His Son, Jesus Christ, at the source and center of our church's twenty-nine year history. In 2010, we continue to do what we have been doing since 1972, proclaiming and sharing. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense – Ephesians 2:4-5: Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. |
• The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is His message to all people. The entire Bible points to Jesus as the Savior. • There is only one true God. He has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. • God is the Creator of everything that exists. • People were originally created by God pure and holy. They lived according to God’s will doing what was pleasing to him. • Adam and Eve, the man and woman God created in the beginning, went against God’s will and brought sin into the world. Since that time, all people have been conceived and born in sin. • Sin is living out of relationship with God, not living according to God’s will, and thus transgressing His holy will in thought, word and deed. • People cannot save themselves by their good works or restore themselves to a right relationship with God. • God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world; He is both true God and true man. He lived to fulfill God’s law for us, died on the cross to pay the penalty our sins deserved, and rose from the dead so that we might have eternal life. He ascended into heaven, where he now sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us. • Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, God declares a person just – or righteous – and forgiven. This happens not because of human effort, but because the justification won by Jesus is applied to the one who believes in Jesus as Savior. • Faith in Jesus is a gift of God, given by the power of the Holy Sprit, thus all the glory belongs to God. • The means of grace are the Word, Holy Baptism, and Holy Communion. By these means, God applies the merits of Jesus’ atoning death to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior. • Jesus will come again to take all believers to Himself. On the final day, all the dead will be raised. Those who are still alive will be bodily transformed. After this, the final judgment will take place. Unbelievers will go into eternal damnation, and believers into eternal life. • The true Christian church is made up of all believers of all times who believe in the Triune God and in Jesus Christ as their only Savior. • The true visible church is the church which correctly preaches and teaches God’s Word and administers Holy Baptism and Holy Communion according to the teachings of Scripture. • Christians are called to tell others that the only way of salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and to show their faith by their deeds of love towards others. |
A Meal of Forgiveness – A Confession of Faith According to 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” A brief self examination: I recognize that I fall terribly short of God’s expectations of me. I humbly confess all my sins and sincerely repent of them. I believe and confess that Jesus Christ is my only Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil. I believe that the body and blood of Jesus Christ my Savior are really present in the bread and wine of Holy Communion to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen my union with Him and fellow believers. With God’s help, I intend to live a life of service to Him through regular worship, sacrificial giving, and thankful living. (Visitors who hold a belief different than that expressed above and yet desire to receive this Sacrament are asked first to speak with the Pastor.) Note: Communicants approach the communion rail at the invitation of the ushers. Communion elements will be distributed and communicants may select either the individual cups or the chalice. Non-alcoholic wine is available in the center cups of the communion tray. |
What is Baptism? Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's Word. Which is that Word of God? Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) What benefits does Baptism give? It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare. Which are these words and promises of God? Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16) How can water do such great things? Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's Word the water is plain water and not Baptism. But with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Sprit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying." (Titus 3:5-8) |