Almost 500 years ago, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the cathedral door in Wittenberg, forever changing world history. On October 30, 2016, the Village Lutheran Church officially marked its 100th anniversary. Today, as in Luther’s time, we also face many challenges. The 2008 economic downturn has made it harder for Americans to make ends meet. The stay-at-home parent is becoming an anomaly. Most children no longer play in the streets, and parents transport their children from one activity to another. Family structures are diverse and complex, and all are in need of the support of a Christian community. The most serious problem that America faces today is a problem of the soul. There is a growing secularization in American society. In 2009, the late critic Christopher Hitchings published the best selling book, God Is Not Great, arguing how religion poisons everything. More and more people are moving away from their churches and temples. Some use the tepid excuse, “I am spiritual but not religious.” When Howard Halter became our pastor in 1941, the United States had just entered World War II, an armed conflict that threatened our very existence as a nation. When James Zwernemann became our pastor in 1974, our community and country were reeling from anti-war protests, the Watergate Scandal, the resignation of the President, heightened racial tensions, and a polarized electorate. Although the challenges are different today, Pastor Hartwell and his ministry team face a similarly turbulent world, a world that needs the love of Christ. In the midst of all this, our once-small church, started in 1916 on the campus of Concordia College, continues to provide a spiritual anchor for people who want TO KNOW, LIVE, AND SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
