WHO WE ARE
Friendly and fun, we are a joyous mix of generations, family formations, and faith backgrounds and experience. We are faithful (and flawed) people who come together to be in the presence of the God we know in Christ Jesus, to be in space that allows us to be who we are, to try to make sense of our lives and the world around us, and to share the ways we see God in the people and world around us.
Faith Lutheran Church is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Lutherans are Christians, which means we believe we know God best through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We believe in the God we know in three ways: God, Creator of all that is, God among us, Jesus Christ; God, Holy Spirit. We are centered in our faith and belief through worship around Word and Sacrament, the ways God meets us through Scripture, Communion (a Holy Meal), Baptism, and the faithful people with whom we live and serve. Follow these links to know more about Luther and Lutherans or about our beliefs.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Faith Lutheran Church had its first worship service on October 27, 2024. The ministry is new, but it is forming as three other congregations complete their mission in Bristol and Plainville. Two years ago, the congregations of Grace Lutheran Church in Plainville, Zion Lutheran Church in Bristol, and St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Bristol found themselves facing transition. While they felt a strong sense of continued mission, they wondered what they could do better together. Each congregation did its own discernment, then came together and formed a joint committee. That group led a series of conversations together and separately that led to the opportunity to reform into something new. “It has been one of the greatest joys of my ministry to see new ideas and energy bubble up in this process,” said the Rev. Steven Wilco, Former Associate to the Bishop in the New England Synod. “This isn’t just the folding together of three smaller congregations, but new life rising from congregations that have reached the end of their faithful ministries.”
A big part of the new ministry will be the continuation of Zion Lutheran’s longtime ministry Meals for Neighbors. They will continue to operate out of their location at 27 Judd Street, now as a ministry of Faith Lutheran Church.
From the outset Faith Lutheran Church seeks to be a multi-generational ministry that cares deeply for the surrounding community and welcomes all people in a caring and supportive way, a community which recognizes both the risks and challenges of following Jesus and trusts in God’s steadfast love. The leaders are looking forward to continuing a long-standing shared Vacation Bible School in the summer with Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Bristol as well as their joint Confirmation program for young people. Part of the commitment in starting this new congregation was to engage an intentional process of welcome for all people, especially people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and all abilities.
Please come be a part of our future!
NEW HERE? COME AS YOU ARE, AND WELCOME!
Our Sunday service is at 9:30am. If you’re joining us for Sunday worship for the first time, you may want to arrive a few minutes early to find your seat. A greeter and usually a few members of our congregation will be in the Narthex (main entrance), side entrance, or kitchen setting up for coffee hour to greet you, hand you a bulletin for the service, and point you to our sanctuary. As for dress code, it’s come as you are. We’ve seen shorts in winter next to gentlemen in suits! You’ll be handed a bulletin and are welcome to sit where you like. No assigned seats here, unless you see a pew or two blocked off for the choir. Take a moment to peruse our bulletin. You’ll find the service order for the day, complete with page and hymn numbers if you’d like to follow along in our hymnals. Most, if not all, of what you need is in the bulletin.
All people are invited to come forward for communion or blessing if so moved. If you need to receive communion in your seat, please let an usher or greeter know on your way in, and our Pastor or communion assistant will be happy to accommodate you. We also offer a gluten free wafer option and your choice of wine or grape juice.
After the blessing and final hymn, we hope you’ll stay a moment to say hello. Our exits are informal, and we do like to chat with each other on our way out the door and/or during our weekly post-service coffee/fellowship hour. There’s nothing like some baked goods to sweeten conversation with our neighbors!
If you have any other questions on what to expect at a Faith Lutheran service, please do not hesitate to contact the church office at churchoffice@faithlutheranbristol.org or by phone at (860) 583-5809. You can also view past services on our Facebook and YouTube pages.
(Please note – our Christmas Eve Service is at 4pm and our Holy Week services are at 7pm.)