You're invited...
We are excited for what God is doing at First Lutheran, and we look forward to how God will open doors into the future as we live and serve together. Our ministry and mission over the next three years will be focused in the areas of Connection, Worship, and Impact. We have a plan, a passion, and a purpose as we seek to be a Connecting Church. Our mission is to connect people to God and to each other.
We invite you to reflect, pray, and consider how God is inviting you to be connected and engaged. We welcome you to the future of First Lutheran as together we open the door to what God is doing and wants to do in and through our Church.
We thank you for your partnership. We will do this together.
Welcome forward!
Pr. Steph and Pr. Marty
CONNECT
We warmly welcome and invite everyone to participate and engage in ministry, with a special focus on hospitality, small group ministry, and service.
WORSHIP
We strive for worship to be invitational, contagious, and relational. We want more people to hear the message of Jesus, and we will do anything to erase any barrier that prohibits people from a spirit of worship.
IMPACT
We will make a difference in this world as Jesus-followers. We will engage in impactful acts of service, encourage generosity, and strive to leave a long-lasting impact on the next generation.
ABOUT OUR LOGO
At First Lutheran Fargo, you can feel the impact of worship and fellowship. How do you see connections symbolized in our new logo?
We believe God is opening a door to a promising future.
In the words of John, in the book of Revelation, “Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut” (Rev. 3:8).
God is inviting us to be a part of what God is doing and what God wants to do. Our mission is to connect people to God and to each other. It is all about relationship and connection! The vertical dimension of the cross reminds us of the relationship that God gives to us in the person of Jesus.
We want people to know Jesus. Every time Jesus encountered someone, life was transformed. He died, and rose again. He multiplied his efforts with his twelve disciples. He sent them forth to all people, everywhere. The horizontal dimension of the cross reminds us that we live that Jesus relationship out, with, and through others.
The church was his idea to invite, reach out, and connect with all people, everywhere. The Apostle Paul writes, “For as in one body, we have many members and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another” (Rom. 12). This image underscores that we are connected and related to each other. Our lives are graciously not our own. We belong to each other!
Now you are the body of Christ
and individually members of it.
1 Corinthians 12
God has set an open door before us. Our mission is to connect people to God and to each other. This mission and ministry will be focused in three areas: Connect, Worship, and Impact
Connect
We will be a church of Small Groups.
It’s easy to get lost in a big church. We want, as a Connecting Church, to connect people to each other in Small Groups. This is where connections are made and relationships are deepened. This is where community happens. A small group might be a bible study, confirmation group, a choir, or a group of people who clean the church. These small groups will be cross-generational and based upon interest. Our goal is to double the number of people we have in small groups.
Small Groups have provided a rich opportunity to dive deeper into scripture and develop relationships while discussing aspects of faith. -Kim Forness
We will practice Impactful Acts of Service within our church, community, and the larger world.
One of the best ways of connecting is when we roll up our sleeves and begin to work with others around a common purpose. As Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” We will work God’s love into the world through acts of service. This happens through the gift of hospitality, packing meals for those who are food insecure, serving one of our mission partners, and serving through a missional experience with one of our global partners.Our goal is to have 1200 people serving within our church, community, and the larger world.
Worship
We want more people in the metro area to hear the message of Jesus.
We are relationally-focused
and Christ-centered.
Impact
We will model Generosity to others.
Our God is generous! In God’s economy there is always more than enough. Jesus talked a lot about generosity – everything we have comes to us simply as a gift. We have been blessed. We have been given much and much is expected. Jesus invites us to participate and engage in a life of generosity. Because of Jesus, generosity is a spiritual value. Our goal is to increase our financial donors and live as a tithing community with our mission
partners.
We will give our best to the Next Generation.
We know that it is important, in matters of faith, to connect with the next generation early and often. Relational ministry for our children and youth remains a top priority at First Lutheran. We will be there in those early years of Sunday/Wednesday school, VBS, and Bible Camp. We will be there for confirmation, retreats, outdoor ministry, mission trips, and Sr. High youth group. Our goal is to ensure that 75% of our young people will be connected and engaged in these life-giving opportunities.
I decided that faith was
something I wanted for myself.
-Emily Gorder
Another goal is that every young person will have no less than five adults on their team. A team of parents, youth director, mentor, confirmation guide, an elder, and a pastor. Everybody needs a team of support. We want our kids to know that they do not have to navigate this world alone. We want to give our best to the next generation!
Finally, it takes a team to have impact. We will raise up more Adult Leaders in the areas of children, youth, and family ministry. It takes multiple generations to raise one generation.
PLAN A VISIT
Connect. Worship. Impact.
Visit First Lutheran to find your next steps!
Sanctuary
Celebration Center
Our contemporary style of worship is offered at 9 and 10:30 a.m. on Sundays or Wednesdays at 6 p.m. A worship band (which includes singers, guitar players, pianists, and drummers) will guide you through newer Christian songs. You’ll also enjoy a message from one of our pastors.
Chapel
Every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. we have something called Wednesday Fellowship offered here. This is a shorter traditional worship service where you’ll sing hymns and enjoy a sermon from one of our pastors. There’s also an opportunity for fellowship (time together for coffee and a light lunch or dessert) in the Great Hall following the service.
