Andover's Faith Lutheran to celebrate 75th
Mar. 18—ANDOVER — Faith Lutheran Church at 1364 Washington St. in Andover will later this year celebrate its 75th anniversary, and the planning of celebrations for the occasion are well underway.
"I was reading some notes from one of the very first pastors that he wrote in a newsletter," Interim minister Anthony Windau said. "The sanctuary, the church should be absolutely quiet before worship, because it's supposed to be a meditative time. Which is so interesting, because just that previous Sunday, I had spoken and I said, do you guys know what I love is all of this laughter, all of this noise before the bell rings to start church. I want the noise, I want it to be loud, because it means this place is alive."
Beginning in September and October, former members of the church who went on to attend seminary, Pastors Kristin Rod and Lynn Erickson, have been invited back to lead worship services.
Then, on Nov. 24, a reunion will be held of the church's seven living former pastors and six living former interim pastors.
The biggest celebration is to take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, when Rev. Amy Current, bishop of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the ELCA, is to lead worship services followed by a catered reception.
A committee is working on a book chronicling the history of the congregation that is to be available for viewing during that time.
"It's a young church in comparison to some," Windau said.
On Dec. 20, 1949, 13 people representing nine families had met to consider the organization of a church in Andover. Two of those founding members were the parents of Glorianne Greves who still is a member of the church today.
The April 1951 groundbreaking on 3.5 acres of land donated to the congregation started the construction of the $26,856.17 church dedicated on Sept. 14, 1952.
By the next year, the church would set an Iowa District of the American Lutheran Church record by becoming self-supporting in just three years.
"In decades past, the average worship attendance was 150 to 200," Windau said, "and members fondly recall a time when hundreds of kids were in Sunday School."
Like most other churches throughout the U.S. though, Faith Lutheran Church draws smaller numbers of worshipers than it once did. There are currently 326 baptized members and 191 members confirmed. Sunday morning worship service attendance averages 56 with 13 more online.
Though the congregation is small, its tendency to welcome everyone who walks through its doors sometimes overwhelmingly, Windau says, and its focus on the youth is what sets it apart.
"They do the 'noisy offering.' So we give little buckets to the kids, and they run up and down the aisle getting coins," he said. "It's not a place where your kid will be shushed or glared at but where we enjoy the noises of kids in worship."
Windau came to Faith Lutheran Church in August 2023 after the previous pastor had left nearly a year before. It's likely he will be called to his next assignment within the next few months.
"What I admire about Faith Lutheran is their willingness to try new things," he said. "The ELCA, like practically every other Christian denomination, is facing a clergy shortage. This means churches will go longer and longer without a called pastor or even an interim to fill in. While this is scary to many, I have no doubt that Faith will rise to meet the challenge."
Worship services at Faith Lutheran Church are held at 10 a.m. on Sundays, following Sunday School which begins at 8:45 a.m.
