Reflections on two recent visits to congregations with missional re-focus are in order.  On Sunday, September 20, I visited Walnut Hill Lutheran Church, about 8 miles from downtown Dallas, as they celebrated their 60th anniversary.  I first visited them in July 2000 on my first Sunday as bishop to help them celebrate their 50th.  The complexion of the congregation was remarkably different this year.

On that first celebratory visit, the congregation was mostly Anglo, reflecting the 50 years of congregational development, growth, and subsequent decline that is the pattern of so many of our formerly suburban Dallas congregations.  Walnut Hill grew quickly in the 1950s and 1960s as the neighborhoods developed; but soon folks began to move further and further north into the suburbs and the congregation declined as the neighborhood changed.  The 50th anniversary had a hint of the future as the congregation had agreed to open the doors to Hispanic/Latino ministry; but it was in its infancy.

Well, that ministry has blossomed in the intervening 10 years.  During that time, Violeta Erickson, a member of the congregation attended the Parish Lay Ministry Academy and began to offer worship leadership, eventually serving both the growing Spanish-language members as well as the English-speaking members.  PLM Violeta was supported by the membership of the congregation to enter the TEEM program in Austin and, having completed the program, will be ordained on October 18th.  She will be the first female Hispanic leader to be ordained in our synod, a real gift to the synod and to Luterana Iglesia Walnut Hill.

The complexion of the congregation changed considerably on their 60th anniversary.  The church was nicely filled with Spanish-speaking folks of several nationalities, along with Sierra Leoneans, Kenyans, Anglos and visitors from the past who came back to note and celebrate the change in direction that Walnut Hill has taken.  It was a great recognition of congregational renewal in the context of the community around the church.  The good folks at Walnut Hill, past and present, are to be commended!

St. Luke's in Richardson

This past Sunday I worshiped at St. Luke's in Richardson (Pr, Pete Sandager) as they recognized the 3rd anniversary of the Oromo Lutheran Mission of North Texas.  Tsenna Dinssa is the Evangelist who serves the young faith community.  The Oromo people have come to the United States from Ethiopia, east Africa, where many of their families have been Lutheran for generations, dating back 150 years to Lutheran missionaries from Sweden and Germany. The Oromos are among the most populous Lutherans in Africa.

On thier anniversary weekend every year, they hold an evangelism rally with worship, education, and feasting.  The blended worshiping community on Sunday, singing some Oromo songs along with some traditional Lutheran and contemporary Christian songs was a great expression of the renewal that is taking place at St. Luke's. 

The Future is Now

Other congregations are considering their future.  Our Chinese mission under the leadership of Evangelist Timothy Fong is growing at Resurrection,  Plano (Pr. Todd Bruning -- congratulations to them on the occasion of their 35th anniversary this past weekend!).  We have been especially successful at starting new Hispanic/Latino congregations with worship services in both Spanish and English and we are considering a Malaysian ministry in far north Dallas.

What does God have in mind for your congregation?  To whom is God calling you to reach out?  What will your mission look like 20 years from now?  How can you get started on that mission today?  More and more congregations are looking outward to welcome the people of the many cultures and ethnic backgrounds of people among us.  We continue to grow in sharing the Good News with those around us.

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.  you have set your glory above the heavens."

Thanks be to God!

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