Minister
Rev. Brenda Ulrich
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What We Believe
At Grace Lutheran, we believe and study through the classic, historic teachings of the Christian church, as clarified by the Lutheran reformers of the 16th century. Yet we do not simply copy the past. We take the unchanging Good News of Jesus Christ, and seek to present it in fresh ways that communicate to today's people, meeting today's needs.
You are welcome at Grace Lutheran no matter who you are or where you have been. Because we believe that we are all sinners in need of God's grace, we know that there is no place for arrogance or self-righteousness among God's people.
Lutheran Emphasis
Grace Alone: "Grace" is "God's undeserved saving love." We teach that God is a merciful God who forgives us purely because of grace. "There is no distinction. Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:22-24)
Faith Alone: We teach that there is nothing we can do to earn or deserve God's favor. It is never a reward; it is always a gift. "By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) Without faith, that is, without trusting in God's grace, God's gift remains "unopened." When we do trust the grace of God in Jesus Christ, that is all we need.
Scripture Alone: The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source a norm of our proclamation, faith, and life. The biblical message is summed up in the words "law" and "Gospel." The law is the Word of God that serves as the guide for human behavior in the government and society. The Ten Commandments are part of God's law. The gospel, on the other hand, is God's Word of reconciliation and forgiveness to sinners. The starting point for Lutheran interpretation of the Bible is a careful distinction between law and gospel in the Bible. The distinction between law and gospel is important because salvation comes through the gospel (i.e., through what God freely does for us) and not through the law (i.e., through what we are supposed to do for God and for other people).
Membership
A person becomes a member of Christ's church through Baptism. At Grace Lutheran, we baptize infants, children, and adults into the church, which the Bible also calls "the body of Christ." When a person is baptized at Grace Lutheran, that person also becomes a member of our congregation. Infants and young children are baptized if their parents or guardians are members of the congregation and/or promise faithfully the following: to bring the child to worship in God's house, to teach the child the Lord's prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, to give the child the Holy Scriptures, and to provide for the child's instruction in the Christian faith. Older children and adults are baptized after a period of instruction by the pastor.
Adults who have already received Christian baptism join our congregation after participation in the Information Class. There are three significant reasons why we encourage every incoming member, regardless of their background or current church membership, to participate in the Information Class.
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The Information Class is also for people who are interested in Lutheranism in general, but who might not join our congregation. Attending the class does not obligate a person to become a member of our church, and there is no pressure to join.
