History
The Central Lutheran faith community was founded in 1919 with the vision to pass along “the faith of the parents in the language of the children.” Many immigrant Lutherans in 1919 sought to worship in the language of their home country. There were many battles within congregations as they moved from worship in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, and German into English. The Central faith community was founded to worship in English, specifically in the growing downtown of Minneapolis.
There is a tension in starting an English-speaking and worshipping congregation with Lutheran immigrants. Language often carries history, tradition, and story. How will those nuances be passed on if not in the language of the home country?
With the founding in 1919, the intention was to build a new sanctuary, a Lutheran cathedral, as a gathering place in the upper Midwest. In July of 1926, the ground was broken to begin building the sanctuary. It would be completed for Christmas worship in 1927 and dedicated on Palm Sunday, 1928.
Going Forward
This weekend, one hundred years after the groundbreaking, we are the recipients of the gift of this worship space. As we look toward a celebration of the sanctuary’s 100th anniversary, we live in a time of change. One hundred years ago, the founding members had to release their own expectations and assumptions for how church should be and listen to the wisdom of the children, in their language and unique callings from God. One hundred years later, we know that expectations and assumptions need to be tended and wisdom sought.
Jesus offers a parable that may help frame the celebration and conversations over the next 18 months. In the parable of the wheat and weeds, Jesus invites a balance. What does it mean to let the complexities grow and even welcome a deeper understanding of wheat and weed? What are the blessings that have grown over these 100 years? What are the wounds and harm caused, the weeds that have grown over these many decades?
An anniversary is a moment to pause and reflect on the past, to ponder the wheat and weeds. In the present, we can seek to discern what is “wheat” and what is “weed.” As we look to the future, we can renew the vision and celebrate how God is calling us to grow in faith and care for all, no exceptions.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Peter
Read more about this milestone: Celebrating 100 Years: the Groundbreaking of the Central Sanctuary