Tri-Church consists mainly of Council members and Pastors from Immanuel, St. John’s and St. Paul’s. At the request of the three churches and with the assistance of Pastor Christine Stienstra and Pastor Gary Erickson from the Northern Illinois Synod, we have been meeting since March of this year to share and discuss our church life in Sterling and Rock Falls.
You may recall that in 2012, similar meetings of Council members and Pastors from the three churches were held. While these meetings were productive, it became apparent that the timing wasn’t right and the group disbanded in 2013.
Now, with the guidance of Pastor Erickson and Pastor Stienstra, we are exploring our commonalities, strengths, anxieties and frustrations as Lutherans in the world today. Through scripture, lessons, and discussions, we have learned that we share a lot of the same ideas and concerns. We realize that even though we can come together for worship or special events, we want to retain our individuality as Immanuel, St. John’s and St. Paul’s Lutheran churches.
Where will these meetings lead? We don’t really know yet. It is a process that cannot be hurried or shortcuts taken. We are taking small steps and looking to God for guidance along the way.
The one important thing we all agree on is that each congregation needs to be kept informed of our meetings to keep rumors or concerns from occurring. So stay tuned! We’ll continue to provide you with updates as we work through this process of Tri-Church.
Respectfully submitted by:
Nancy Breed, St. John’s
Debra Keaschall, Immanuel
Greg Zeigler, St. Paul’s