New Member Information

Hi. I’m Pastor Jill. Thank you for considering joining our faith community.

Before you get too deep into the process, you might be wondering if your values align with ours.
I’m going to share with you some of the key values we hold at First Lutheran Church as Christians, members of the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), and residents of the Twin Cities in MN. It is a good thing to ask if the congregation you are attending fits your own values. It is also good to ask God whether the congregation could benefit from your unique perspective. Ultimately, finding a church home is less about finding something comfortable and more about going where Jesus is sending us.

First and foremost, as Christians we believe that we are saved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Nothing else in our lives compares to the depth, width, and power of Jesus’ love for us. Through Jesus, we have experienced grace and we are sent into the world to share Jesus’ love and grace.

Our approach to expressing our faith is Lutheran.
We are members of the ELCA. We place a lot of value on the multitude of ways God speaks to us: through Scripture, through the faithful witness of others, through divine conversations like prayer, and directly to our hearts. Each of us hears God’s word in a particular context and we value the diverse expressions of faith we encounter, yes, even when we disagree with each other!

Our congregation has a heart for populations who feel overlooked by society.
We try not to be limited by our own comfort zones but to constantly push ourselves to share the abundant blessings which we have found through Jesus.

What is the difference between worshiping with First Lutheran Church and becoming a member?
When you become a member of our congregation, you are making a commitment to support our God-given mission in this world. At the same time, we are making a commitment to you and the work God has entrusted to you. We agree to walk together in faith, supporting each other and seeking God together. 

First Lutheran is a deeply democratic church, meaning we make decisions as a group.
While all people are welcome to participate in our ministries, we look to members for leadership. Our members are asked to vote on important matters and decisions we must make together and our members are trusted to take on leadership roles.

If you feel God encouraging you to become a member at First Lutheran Church, please contact anyone on our staff.
We will inform you of the next time we will receive new members during worship which will be followed by a brief orientation after worship. We don’t require anything of you except a commitment to follow Jesus. We have a diversity of backgrounds and religious experiences among our members and we welcome you!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of our staff, call the church 763-788-9653, or email us at info@flcch.org with questions. God bless your journey!

In Christ,

Pastor Jill Bergman