OUR PEOPLE

We are a warm and overall happy group of people who enjoy a traditional style of worship setting.  We’re not fancy, and have a “come as you are comfortable” approach.  We very much enjoy the hymns of our heritage and have a small but committed choir which sings in worship generally twice a month.  We seek to worship in relevant ways and tune our ears to the comfort level of those worshiping so that we do not distract from our focus on God, simply in order to be innovative.  Yet, we so enjoy a meaningful creative approach to worship.

Our average Sunday attendance is 30-37 which fluctuates seasonally.  We joyously celebrate a new baby in our midst as of 2006.  Yet we acknowledge we are painfully lacking of other children or teens.  Such is a reflection of our surrounding community.  We come from many walks of life: some retired; some career couples; some working parents with children in college; some single; some widowed;  and some just starting their family.

We care for people.  We respect privacy but are quick to pick up the phone, send a card, supply a need, lend a helping hand when we are able.  We are also good cooks and enjoy the occasions we host dinners for the community. We celebrate individual birthdays with the birthday song - both the English version and the Swedish. We also take to heart our call to be engaged in ministry and mission.  We acknowledge our limited resource of people, and therefore do not have the ability to promote much “programming”.  We focus instead on improving our interpersonal communication, being nurturing on personal levels, offering much prayer support to each other, and as a church family supporting and engaging in a few all-church annual events and traditions.

We celebrate our Swedish heritage.  But also, many among us do not share that heritage. The “we” of us includes all.  Therefore, our worship to embraces all who come through our doors.  We also admit that every once in a while, we need to be reminded that we ARE more about sharing Christ than about sharing our Swedishness.  Most Sundays indeed reflect our inclusiveness.  Special Sundays and events are set aside to celebrate that heritage.

We honor our ancestors that came before us and the foundation work they did to build the church of people we enjoy.  While the building is just a building, we acknowledge its historicity and that within these walls our generations of the past worshiped and prayed.  Our building is an original from 1885, erected by our founding immigrants to this area from our Covenant Denomination roots, back then known as “Mission Friends.”  A new wing was added in 2000 to make it more accessible an usable, accommodating a fellowship room, kitchen, office and handicapped bathroom, and ramp-accessed entrance.

Welcome to this corner of the Kingdom’s family!