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stained.glass.cross"Living Savior" was a very intentional name from the start. Think about it in relation to life's biggest concerns. If we don't have a solution to our fears, an answer to death, and hope that will be realized for all eternity, then what do we have? Nebuluous hope? Cross-your-fingers kind of optimism? 

But we do have an answer. We have a God who came into this world to take away our sins, free us from guilt, conquer death and the devil, and provide a place in heaven for all eternity. How do we know that?

He lived a perfect life in our place, and after dying on the cross, he rose from the dead. He lives! That truth is not only undeniable, it's the backbone of who we are as Christians and why we do what we do in worship. 

The gospel message of our living Savior is at the center of our worship. To accomplish this we use what is called liturgical worship, a pattern of worship which has been used by Christians for hundreds of years that communicates the wonderful truths of the gospel in our modern language. Since the purpose is to keep everyone engaged with the life-changing gospel of Jesus, our aim is to focus on Christ. We remain connected to him through his word. Christ-centered focus helps keep us from either extreme: caught up in mindless tradition ("But we've always done it this way. Older is better.") or captured by meaningless misadaptations ("Let's change for the sake of change. Newer is better."). 

At Living Savior we strive for worship that is...

  • more celebration than party.
  • more accessible than simplistic.
  • more profound than complicated.
  • more worthwhile than convenient.
  • more timeless than traditional.
  • more diverse than contemporary.
  • more crucial than casual.

Come join us. We will work hard to make sure you feel welcome.
But we will also tell it like it is - helping you come face to face with your living and loving Savior.

What to expect: 

What should I wear to worship?

Honestly, this question is much less important than we tend to realize. Wear whatever makes you and those around you comfortable. If you want to dress up for church, by all means, go for it. If you believe it's judgmental and unfair when we force people to dress up for worship, wear something else. If your clothes match in either case, even better! And if there is still a question about dress at Living Savior (which hasn't happened yet), come find me, Pastor Caleb Kurbis. We'll talk about it. I'll provide the coffee (or herbal tea, soda, water, or whatever). Odds are, there's probably something more important that we can discuss as people gifted by God to be heard and to serve others. And isn't that a big part of why we come to church anyway?

 

What do you offer for kids?

Serving the whole family is very important to us. As we grow, we're continuing to expand our offerings for kids.

On Sundays, it looks like this:

  • The whole family is invited to the worship service at 10am.
  • There are activity bulletins provided for children during the service.
  • There is a staffed nursery for kids age 2 to grade 2, adjacent to the worship service. This room has windows and speakers that keep them connected to the service. 
  • There is also a cry room/family room that is adjacent to the worship space. This room is for families who might need a moment with their kids. This room is almost identical to the staffed nursery room, with windows and speakers that keep everyone connected the service. 
  • There is a special message just for kids during the service. This is always a lot of fun!
  • During Family Bible Hour, there is Bible study time for children of all ages. This takes place after the service, and happens at the same time as the class for adults and teens. Find out more here.

 

What's the difference between Lutherans and other Christians?

First of all, not all Lutherans are exactly the same; just like not all Presbyterians, Baptists, Evangelicals, et al denominations are not all the same. Some Lutherans don't sound like Martin Luther at all. 

Martin Luther (the german pastor from the 1500s, not the American champion of racial equality) led a movement that brought a straying church back to the teaching of God in the Bible. This means that Lutherans (who teach like Luther) teach what the Bible teaches. 

  • People aren't "basically good." We are basically selfish. While we were originally created to find a fulfilling purpose in relationships with other people and especially with God himself, in our flawed way of approaching life we think our greatest purpose is to please ourselves.
  • To fix this, and to make it so every life that has ever been lived isn't a complete disappointment, God became a human (Jesus Christ) and lived correctly. He had perfect relationships with everyone around him and with God. 
  • He then GAVE, for free, his perfect life to all people, replacing their disappointingness. We don't deserve this. We don't earn it by being good. It's just there for us to believe in.
  • The great news in the point above is communicated to us, clearly, in the Bible. God delivers that love to us through the Bible and through baptism and communion.
  • Since Jesus' life took away our old and disappointing state-of-being, we have a new and full-of-potential state-of-being in which we can actually have the relationships we were meant to have, fulfilling our original purpose.
  • It's crucial to understand this. We aren't perfect yet, so we study the Bible and find joy in sticking to what it says. This encourages us to understand what God has done for humanity as completely as possible. 

In summary, there are a few basic phrases or slogans that still stick from the time of Martin Luther and the Lutheran Reformation. They are as follows, I'll spare you the Latin: 

  • In Christ Alone - Only in Christ do we have access to God, the gift of eternal life, and salvation. 
  • In Scripture Alone - Only in the Bible do we find the gospel message of God's grace in Christ Jesus, our Savior.
  • By Grace Alone - We are saved by God's grace. If we had to do anything, it would no longer be grace. Nor would salvation be possible?
  • Through Faith Alone - Only by faith in Jesus Christ do have the forgiveness of sins, the freedom from guilt, the power over death, and a place for all eternity. 
  • To God Alone Be the Glory - God gets all credit for accomplishing our salvation, from beginning to end. He is our loving and saving God after all. 

If this is the first time you have come into contact with some of these concepts, or if you have some questions or comments about any of this, please feel free to contact us at any time.