SERVICES

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Four weeks from moving into its new sanctuary, the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Rome, Ga., congregation received shocking news: a January fire caused enough damage that the new structure had to be gutted to the framework. That set the congregation back about five months in the building process. Members of this congregation of 200 have to sit “shoulder-to-shoulder” when there are guests in the pews, Pastor Jack Karch said, so they decided to build, using LCEF as their loan partner. They expect to be in the new church by summer’s end.

Despite the setback, Karch said the congregation remains positive. “I told everyone there are two kinds of problems in the world: the kind money can fix and the kind money can’t fix. For the kinds of problems that many people face that money can’t fix, we turn to the Lord…He’s the only one that can fix those,” Karch said.

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, Wisc., church leaders were impressed that Consecrated Stewards is based on the Synod’s stewardship principles and looked forward to helping congregants become more aware of the blessings they’d been given.

“This program has been a great blessing to us all,” said Pastor Krug. “It has touched many people’s lives.” The congregation completed two years of the program and is moving into a third. Krug emphasized it is a spiritual event, not a secular one. “People come to realize that they’re the managers of God’s gifts. That includes being involved in all aspects of the church. There was no motivation to make a budget or increase our outreach, although those things did happen in the process.”

Shepherd of the Coast, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was created after Grace Lutheran, Peace Lutheran, and Hope Lutheran churches merged in 2008. This congregation now operates a church, an elementary school and preschool near a large hospital, with a vision to serve employees as well as patients and their families. After selling the other two churches, Shepherd purchased some adjoining property and is remodeling its existing facilities and constructing additional space. LCEF was able to provide a loan to cover construction costs while the congregation conducts a capital campaign. The congregation broke ground in April of this year, but had already had signs of the congregation’s outreach: two children from the school ministry were baptized into God’s Kingdom in February.

St. John Lutheran Church is currently situated in the heart of Farmville, Va. The congregation continues to attract new people in worship, particularly from two colleges that are in the area. This growth was the catalyst for members to decide to relocate in order to better serve the community. After much prayer, the congregation decided to relocate to a larger piece of property about a mile outside of town rather than repair and renovate its current worship site. With the assistance of an LCEF loan, construction has started on a new 12,500-square-foot building that will include a sanctuary, fellowship hall, offices, a kitchen, eight classrooms, and large narthex.