Welcome to Immanuel Lutheran Church. We welcome you and invite you to worship with us. We have a diversity of ages, backgrounds and talents... all unified by our common faith in one Lord, Jesus Christ. There is a place for you here! Come share God's gifts!
God’s Mission Is Our Mission
It’s God’s mission, isn’t it? The church … it belongs to God, doesn’t it? Our lives, we are His too aren’t we?! All of it … God’s! For me, this is very good news and completely freeing when I think about the work we are called to do together as the beloved people called Immanuel. Knowing who we are and whose we are … well … I can’t say enough about that. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”
Once we were nobodies. Now we are somebodies. Once merciless. Now, people of mercy. And we “somebodies” for some reason that I’m not really 100% clear on is that God invites you and me to partner with Him in His mission to love and save the world. Don’t get me wrong… the mission is all His. He does the loving and the saving. We get to share in it. We get to participate. Those who were first to rub shoulders with the living resurrected Lord in the early days after conquering death and the grave… they heard Jesus invite them into His mission … “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 You and I, when you think about, ended up sharing in Jesus’ love because someone shared His Good News of sins forgiven and life eternal with with us!
Our newly minted Immanuel mission statement reads, “Sharing the love of Jesus with all!” Nice. I like it. Not because I was part of the Dream Team that help craft it (using your input by the way)… but because I continue to be reminded again and again that it’s all God’s in the first place. We are but His witnesses, His servants, His forgiven family. Now this is a mission I can get behind. It’s Clear! Concise! Action oriented! Memorable! Inclusive! It’s got me thinking deeply about what God wants for my life and the life of Immanuel. It’s got me praying daily for those I love and for Immanuel’s efforts to share the love of Jesus with all.
Sincerely, Pastor Lee
Once we were nobodies. Now we are somebodies. Once merciless. Now, people of mercy. And we “somebodies” for some reason that I’m not really 100% clear on is that God invites you and me to partner with Him in His mission to love and save the world. Don’t get me wrong… the mission is all His. He does the loving and the saving. We get to share in it. We get to participate. Those who were first to rub shoulders with the living resurrected Lord in the early days after conquering death and the grave… they heard Jesus invite them into His mission … “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 You and I, when you think about, ended up sharing in Jesus’ love because someone shared His Good News of sins forgiven and life eternal with with us!
Our newly minted Immanuel mission statement reads, “Sharing the love of Jesus with all!” Nice. I like it. Not because I was part of the Dream Team that help craft it (using your input by the way)… but because I continue to be reminded again and again that it’s all God’s in the first place. We are but His witnesses, His servants, His forgiven family. Now this is a mission I can get behind. It’s Clear! Concise! Action oriented! Memorable! Inclusive! It’s got me thinking deeply about what God wants for my life and the life of Immanuel. It’s got me praying daily for those I love and for Immanuel’s efforts to share the love of Jesus with all.
Sincerely, Pastor Lee
