Making Melody
On a Theme
by God
On Easter Sunday 1980 Family of Christ Lutheran Church was born, somewhat in controversy, to be honest.
Pastor Nate Castens and about 30 families had, until then, been members of Living Christ, a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church congregation in Chanhassen. Controversy erupted when Nate proposed that the church consider granting permission for women to take part fully in all levels of responsibility in the congregation - including service on the "Board of Elders" (the Spiritual Care Committee). Missouri Synod tradition had never allowed women to serve in that role. Nate's suggestion brought heated disagreement from some members of the congregation and after three months of turbulence and a vote of "no confidence," Nate resigned.
Simultaneously an informal Living Christ group began to arrange for their worship independent of that congregation. The historic old building of St. Hubert's Catholic Church was vacant, and the new "Lutheran Mission in Chanhassen" rented the facility for $25 a week. On April 6, 1980, 212 people attended the first worship service.
For two months, weekly meetings were held on Thursday evenings to test the feasibility of a new Lutheran congregation - and then to organize. Pastor Nate served part-time for six months. By then, financial support and membership had solidified enough for him to return to full-time work. For about two weeks, our church carried the name Lutheran Church of St. Thomas the Believer - but that was reconsidered and our present name adopted. After three months of independence, Family of Christ affiliated with one of the national Lutheran groups which eventually formed the ELCA.
Our church Family grew slowly from 1980-1985. Since then, as residential housing developed in Chanhassen and its neighboring communities, we have grown quickly. In the late 1980s we built our own first church facility, the building on Lake Drive East just west of McDonalds in Chanhassen. Discovery United Methodist now owns and worships in that church.
In 1995 the first of our many ministry-staff expansions began with a second pastor focused on youth and family ministry. When our current facility was complete (move-in was January 2002), a long-term dream became reality with the opening of our preschool.
Our facilities are used without cost by 4H and scouting groups, and other community groups, and we serve as a precinct polling place. We take an active part in Chanhassen's annual ecumenical Thanksgiving worship service; Pastor Nate helped organize the event 20-some years ago.
We're members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the national church body formed in the 1980's by the American Lutheran Church (ALC), the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) and AELC. Our local Minneapolis Area Synod is headed by Bishop Craig Johnson.
Some elements of our history which have helped shape our church life and identity:
- Remembering our roots as a small congregation as we developed into a larger growing and hospitable church family.
- Valuing Lutheran history, traditions in worship, and theology while inviting, including, and respecting people from many church backgrounds (and many individuals who had no previous church at all) - and using a variety of worship formats and ideas. We think of ourselves as innovative, liturgical, and sacramental and pride ourselves on the quality of our music, including the three contemporary bands which lead worship.
- A history of respecting differing opinions on issues. We deliberately call ourselves an "umbrella church," careful not to politicize our worship life and fellowship.
- Dealing straightforwardly and constructively with conflict and personnel issues.
- Ecumenical relationships with other churches.
- From the beginning, a strong support for "benevolence/mission" Family of Christ designates a tithe (currently 11.5%) of its own budgeted income for donation to local social service agencies and our Synod / ELCA.
- A pretty good system to include and introduce new members into our Family life. (Some of that depends on the individual, of course.) Often newcomers find a niche for themselves even before attending a new member orientation. And every committee/group (including the church council) is a mixture of recent newcomers and long-term members.
We're delighted that you are becoming part of our church household and contributing your own unique personality, talents, and perspective to our developing congregation.
We can promise good pastoral care, thoughtful and engaging worship, opportunities to serve at your level of time, interest, and skill, plus hospitality, spiritual support, and the steady reminder of the Christian promise
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