What We Believe

We are Lutherans, part of the ELCA. See below to learn more about who we are and what we hold most dear.

Our Mission

Immanuel Lutheran Church is a welcoming community rooted in Christ, growing in faith and serving with joy!

Our Core Values

Congregational Vitality
As a vital congregation Immanuel has dedicated members who communicate effectively, support decisions, support values, and invite participation in Immanuel’s mission. We believe that a vital congregation takes an active role in supporting God’s work both here at Immanuel and in the world by gratefully sharing our time, talents and treasures. We value respectful communication, support our common core values and our leadership, and we regard everyone as an important and valuable part of this community. We embrace our rich traditions by regular attendance and participation in worship while being watchful and open to new ways that God may be calling us to work in his mission.

Faith Formation, Children, Youth, Families, and Elders
We have a desire to be in a personal relationship with God and to make available numerous ways of increasing our faith through traditional and through new ways of growing closer to God. We value our children, youth, families, and elders and support each other in our spiritual journeys in whatever ways we can. We uphold Christian values and look for ways to share God’s love in our daily interactions with others. We believe in the power of prayer and that God hears and answers our prayers.

Mutual Love and Support
We believe that as Christians it is our honor and responsibility to show love and to build each other up in our daily lives. By acting justly with loving kindness as Jesus modeled for us, we become a welcoming and inviting community.

Worship
We believe that worshiping together is central to our lives as Christians. We value and hold close our traditions while at the same time we look for and are open to meaningful new ways to worship.

Community
We believe that being in fellowship with each other here at Immanuel creates a better opportunity to serve and support one another. The strength of this faith community extends God’s reach beyond our walls into the larger community. By working together we can share God’s love in different ways than we could by ourselves.

Service and Stewardship
We believe that we are personally called to be good stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted to our care and to continually strive toward being better stewards. We have a responsibility to actively participate, to use and share our time, talents and treasures to help and to serve others, to support God’s ministry and to do good in God’s world. We believe that good stewardship benefits ourselves by drawing us closer to God and models our Christian values to all people. We believe that we are also stewards of The Gospel and that we are to invite others to share in God’s good news.

Evangelism
We believe that we are called to reach out and to share God’s Gospel with all people. Evangelism has many shapes and forms but is an action word that requires energy on our part. We are to reach out, invite others in and to share our faith. “Go and make disciples of all nations!”

what is a Lutheran? 

Our Roots

The Lutheran Church has as its founder, Martin Luther, the 16th Century German reformer. Lutheran beliefs are addressed in detail in the Book of Concord and Augsburg Confession. Here’s a quick summary of a few key beliefs and practices. 

Lutherans believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and the source and norm of our faith. Education has always been important to Lutherans. We place priority on getting scripture into people’s hands in language that they understand and providing training on what it means.

Sacraments

We celebrate two sacraments – Holy Communion and Baptism. Both are instituted by Jesus for the purpose of forgiveness and both utilize physical elements – bread, wine and water. Communion is open to all baptized Christians. At Immanuel we provide First Communion training to fifth graders and students begin receiving Communion after they have completed this training. Baptism is open to people of all ages from infant through adult. For those who are baptized as infants, Lutherans provide training in scripture and the Catechism to young people, with the opportunity to affirm that baptismal faith through the Rite of Confirmation. At Immanuel we provide two years of confirmation training to young people who are confirmed in their early to mid-teens.

Beliefs

We believe that people are justified by grace through faith. This means we receive forgiveness not though any work or righteousness of our own but through Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin. Forgiveness is a free gift for all who believe. All people are a mixture of sinner and saint. All are in need of God’s forgiveness. All are beloved children of God.

Lutherans believe in the priesthood of all believers, meaning that all people are called to lives of love and service, and all have important roles to play in the church and in fulfilling God’s mission in the world. Lutherans place importance on putting faith into action through service to the neighbor in need.

Worship Style

The Lutheran Church has at its roots a liturgical style of worship. A wide range of worship styles are found in Lutheran churches today. Immanuel uses liturgy at some services but not all. We follow the church calendar, celebrating Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Reformation, All Saints Day, and other Christian holidays.

The Lutheran Church is known as the “singing church.” Hymns and music play an important part in worship. At Immanuel we use a variety of musical styles including classical, contemporary Christian, gospel, polka, folk and much more. On most Sundays there is a mix of old favorites and newer pieces, something for everybody

About the ELCA

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with about 3.5 million members in over 9,000 congregations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Immanuel is part of the St. Paul Are Synod of the ELCA, a geographical grouping of about 110 congregations in and around St. Paul and the East Twin Cities Metro, including congregations within about one hour’s drive north and an hour’s drive south of St. Paul.

We believe that through grace we are saved. Through Jesus we receive God’s free gift of love and salvation. That grace calls us to love and serve God and the neighbor.