History of Faith
Faith Lutheran Church was founded in 1954 as the Fairlawn Lutheran Mission. The first worship service was on October 10, 1954 and the congregation was officially organized in September, 1955. The congregation's first property purchase was a parsonage, in 1956. The first unit of the building, which is now the Fellowship Hall and kitchen, was completed in 1960; the second education unit in 1963 and the third unit comprising the sanctuary in 1969. There have been no building additions since that date, although remodeling of the Fellowship Hall and kitchen area was completed in 1997. In that same year a contemporary service was begun.
Faith Lutheran Church's current Pastor, the Rev. Jean M. Hansen, came to serve the congregation in May 2002. Since then, focus has been on "risk" and "change" as the people of God consider what it means to be a 21st century church... following the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2005. Emphasis has been placed on:
-
programming for all ages that fits into people's busy lives (for example: Adult Retreats, Outings for Tweens, Summer Pastor's Studies, Monthly High School Forums, Summer Connection Gatherings, Family Fun Days)
-
on outreach that will bring hope to those who are facing challenges (for example, the Guatemala Mission Trip, Ohio Mission Trips, ELCA Youth Gathering, Stephen Ministry, More Than Enough Emphasis)
-
on worship that encompasses a variety of styles and
-
on how the physical building can become a better tool for ministry (for example, 2b Transformed Capital Emphasis, a new sound system for the sanctuary and a replaced flat roof)….
Beginning in June 2011, the congregation is entering a 4-6 month period of discernment, the purpose of which is to seek God’s guidance so that the congregation may reach a place of clarity concerning the direction God is leading and develop a sense of unity. This is a vital and exciting time of spiritual growth for Faith Lutheran Church that will impact ministry in the months and weeks to come.
