The Association of Downtown Lutheran Churches

SPOTLIGHT ON ALBANY, NY

Like so many of our downtown churches, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran in downtown Albany owns and operates a historic parish cemetery.  Their cemetery, though, is much more than just a repository for the physical remains of saints transferred to the Church Triumphant.

On Saturday 25 May, St. John’s will hold its Second Annual “Mass on the Grass.”  Worship will be held out-of-doors in St. John’s cemetery, followed by a picnic at the chapel.  What a unique idea!

A member of the ELCA, more information about St. John Evangelical Lutheran’s outreach to downtown Albany can be found at www.stjohnsalbany.org .

SPOTLIGHT ON AKRON, OH

The day before Ash Wednesday many public servants with uniforms went to the gym of Zion Lutheran in downtown Akron to receive a big “Thank You” in the form of a large variety of food.  Many smiling volunteers were present to offer thanks and encouragement along with the main dishes, salads, desserts and drinks that made up the fare for the day.

The Chief of Police, issuing words of thanks, commented “the Police Officers are reminded from time to time of the real kindness in the community and this is one fine example.”

A member of the LCMS, more information about Zion Lutheran’s outreach to downtown Akron can be found at www.ziononthehill.org .

SPOTLIGHT ON MEMPHIS, TN

Trinity Lutheran in downtown Memphis participated in “Prayer for the City” on Palm Sunday.  Members of all downtown churches were invited to walk together from their respective house of worship to City Hall for a brief service of prayer, with intercessions offered for all who love and serve the community and city.

A member of the LCMS, more information about Trinity Lutheran’s outreach to downtown Memphis can be found at www.trinitymemphis.org .

SPOTLIGHT ON TULSA, OK

So many churches today – including too many downtown churches – simply stand as monuments to what used to be, reminders of a time when the church was the center of a neighborhood and community.  So many downtown churches see people weekly travel into the city for one hour of worship, largely abandoning the church neighborhood the other 167 hours per week.

For several years now, Grace Lutheran in downtown Tulsa has been building “Bridges of Connectivity” with some of the disenfranchised of Tulsa by offering a weekly Bible study at the Yale Apartments and also by serving on the board of an organization called “Abba’s Family,” which is connected to the Mental Health Association of Tulsa.  Grace’s Upper Room and Thrivent are cooperating with these two organizations as well.  The primary goal is to reconnect people – most of whom are to various degrees mentally ill and formerly homeless – with society by helping them back into the church.  A survey has shown that 82% are interested in spiritual matters and most of them grew up Christian yet are afraid to return to the church because they feel like outcasts.

Grace is also working with these organizations to further reintegrate people into society by helping them secure part-time jobs, such as at Altamont Bakery.  These “societal outcasts” have learned to bake cookies so tasty and so popular that they are popping up all over Oklahoma and were recently requested as snacks at the National Governor’s Conference in Washington, D.C.

How is your church building “Bridges of Connectivity?”  We can all probably learn a lot from Grace Lutheran!

A member of the LCMS, more information about Grace Lutheran’s outreach to downtown Tulsa can be found at www.gracelutherantulsa.org .

SPOTLIGHT ON SACRAMENTO, CA