Ministry of Fellowship

FELLOWSHIP  Perhaps there is no clear line between any of our ministries. Worship and Discipleship often blend together. Sometimes we learn more of Christ’s love as we serve others than we do when we are engaged in intentional study. And as we enjoy our fellowship together, we are learning, worshipping, and serving.

We believe that the time that we spend together “just for the fun of it” is very important in its own right. It is through our Fellowship that we grow together. It is this social time that helps us form deep bonds with one another and learn that we are all people with gifts and weaknesses. It is here that we build up the trust in one another that sometimes allows us to be vulnerable enough to ask for help and share our help when that is needed.

At Faith we provide many different opportunities for Fellowship, and we’re always looking for more excuses to gather and eat and laugh and chat together.

Youth Groups—Our young people are a very important part of our life at Faith Lutheran Church. Our young people participate in social activities (barbecues, campfires, overnights, parties, etc.), service projects (preparing food baskets, clean-up projects, etc.), ministry (Christmas Pageants, Youth Sunday leadership, Vacation Bible School leadership), and fund-raisers (special meals for the congregation, craft and bake sales, etc.). As our young people grow and mature, we are challenged to grow with them and provide appropriate activities that will continue to inspire their faith, offer them opportunities to share their faith with others, and encourage them to maintain strong friendships with one another and bonds with Christ and the church.

Community Meals—I suppose it is a stereotype to say that if you set out good food and thick coffee, Lutherans are bound to show up. Well, we do gather for meals, such as our Pancake Breakfast, Breakfast with St. Nick (for the younger members), Thank You Dinners, Volunteer Recognition Dinner, Senior Catered Meals, Barbecues and Picnics. We love to gather to share a meal, and we’d love to share a meal with you.

Community-wide activities (these activities are intentionally designed to be open and welcoming to our community neighbors):

Sunday School Kick-Off—After a long summer break, we think the beginning of our Sunday School season is something to celebrate. So we invite our congregation and our neighborhood to come and celebrate. Games, bounce-houses, barbecues, and Popsicles are often a part of these celebrations that take place following our regular morning worship.

Chili Cook-Off—The past several years we’ve hosted a Chili Cook-Off for our community. Crock-pots show up, and so do the judges, as we gather to eat, laugh, and enjoy the company. Everyone gets to vote on their favorite chili, and prizes are given (the pastor is so proud of his four “honorable mention” ribbons, that we don’t have the heart to tell him what they imply).

Pizza and a Movie Nights—We offer a series of Pizza and Movie Nights during the winter each year. Once a month (usually December through March) we set aside a Friday Night when we invite members and our neighbors to gather for an informal evening of fun. Popcorn, pizza, and pop are provided. Just call the church office to reserve a seat (and a slice).

Ice Cream Socials—When the weather gets hot, we long for something to cool us down. Each summer we host an ice cream social for the community. Each year our Praise Band does a concert that features some of the best-loved songs that we sing during worship, along with a wide variety of great popular tunes that you won’t find in the Lutheran Book of Worship. We have a wonderful turnout for this event and look forward to more like it.

Egg Hunt—Why wait until Easter? For some reason, our tradition has been to offer the kids of our congregation and community an Egg Hunt following worship on Palm Sunday. Members of our congregation enjoy filling the eggs with candy and prizes. The kids love collecting the eggs from around our grounds. We’re always excited to meet new people at these events!