From the Pastor – March 2024
Congregations always have an ebb and flow to them. It may be difficult to see this for those of us who are here on a regular basis, but it is true. A good and healthy church rides the waves, not having a great deal of change in the day to day operation of things. Years and even decades can go by without any major conflict or schisms occurring (which is a good thing). … It would be fair to say that Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church is one of those congregations. Recent history (ever since the turn of the century) has shown that not many major things have changed within these walls. Bible Study is taught. The Divine Service is preached. People get together in church and outside of church for the mutual consolation of the saints. All of this is good and all of this is the way in which it should be.
Throughout the years some faces change, others are as constant as the North Star, but this is the way of things as well. People move away, people move here. People get older and find themselves on the shut-in list. Some people die, and then babies are born. All of this is natural for a congregation. And so while the population of our congregation may look different from what it was 20 years ago, or even 10, the things that are done here, the doctrine that is confessed, the way in which our congregation cares for each other and for her pastor, all of those things have been a constant. … I have said it a hundred times or more, but let me say it again: I am so very blessed to be your pastor!
And so it is that sometimes it is good for a congregation to take the time and assess their current situation with a fresh set of eyes. As you are all well aware our community in Wheat Ridge proper is going to look a little bit different over the next ten years. A stalwart hospital that has always been part of our landscape is going to be gone, to be replaced with… well, no one knows exactly what yet. All that is known is that new places of residences will surely be built within a half mile of our little church and those residences will be fill with new people and new faces to our community.
It would be good for those new faces to know that there is a loving Missouri Synod Lutheran congregation in their midst, strong in a doctrine that speaks the truth against our ever increasingly goddess society. Those moving near us should know that they have a place to attend that will hold to the Word of God, speak for the sanctity of life and marriage, declare the proclamation of sins forgive, and offer a place of community and family (for I dare say that WRELC is as much of a family as any congregation I have ever seen).
You may be aware, or perhaps you aren’t, that our congregational Executive Director has established a “Futures Committee”. While this committee is still in its infancy, its purpose is to look at the near and not-so-near future to see how WRELC can extend her hand into the neighborhood surrounding us. We have nothing set in stone as of yet, but it is good for us to begin thinking about how we can better reach out to the community outside of our walls, even while we still serve those of us within (which we do tremendously well).
This is going to be a joyous and exciting next couple of years. I look forward to seeing the way in which our Lord can use us to be a blessing to our neighbors and a blessing to ourselves in the coming years. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas regarding this committee and the future of our neighborhood and congregation, please do not hesitate to reach out to Brian DeLaet or Kirk Duchow. In the mean time, let’s not let the present go idle as we wait for the future to arrive. Invite that friend, family member, or co-worker of yours to the Divine Service on Sunday or Bible Study during the week. Believe it or not, there is always room for one more in our pews!
Rev. Eli
