Most of the churches where Protestants worship each Sunday were built in the 1950 and early 60's. Following World War II, there was a boom for the economy, family, America and, of course, the church.
Then something happened in the late 1960. There is a distinct downward trend in every mainline Protestant denomination beginning about 1968, including the Lutherans. In America, Lutherans started more churches, had more baptisms, and had the most members in 1968 than at any other time.
When the ELCA was formed in 1988, we started with 5.2 million members with over 11,200 congregations. Today, we have less than 10,400 congregations and have lost nearly 1 million members. To put it in perspective, we have been losing a church with a membership of 600-700 members every week for the past couple of decades!
Why the Debbie Downer News?
November 6 will be a significant moment for Christ Lutheran. While other congregations are struggling to stay open or hopefully remain plateaued, on Sunday we are going to stand on our new building site and declare this land to be holy ground. Very few of us can say that they were part of a congregation that built a new sanctuary--especially one of this size. On November 6, we stand united and in faith, traditional and contemporary alike, to be a part of this historic and significant event.
So come. Come with your decorated white flag to remember your loved ones. Come with your side dish to share at the luncheon to follow. And come with your renewed pledge card for The Master's Plan as we celebrate what God is doing at Christ Lutheran.
See you on November 6! 10:00 am!
Pastor Scott
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