ABOUT US
OUR VISION: Transforming lives through Christ-cent/files/Images/Church people picture.jpgered community!
English Lutheran Church is located in Ellsworth, Wisconsin, a small town situated amidst the hills and valleys of beautiful Pierce County, 45 minutes southeast of St. Paul Minnesota. We are a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and are part of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin ELCA.

Established by Norwegian immigrants in 1920 as an English speaking congregation, we have emerged from the past as an inviting and welcoming community of faith that attracts individuals and families from a wide variety of backgrounds. An average of 300 people worship here every week.

Through innovative styles of worship and outreach, our congregation seeks to bring hope, help and significance to people who hunger for God’s love. As an affirmation of its vitality, English Lutheran Church was one of 80 churches world wide to receive the 2005 International Church Health Award granted by Purpose Driven Ministries of Lake Forest, California.

We seek to be a "come-as-you-are" fellowship. Our guests consistently tell us they experience us as a warm and welcoming congregation. People who are new to the church environment will immediately feel relaxed and at home.

We have two styles of worship from which to choose, traditional and contemporary. Together with messages that address the everyday concerns of life from God’s perspective, we experience forgiveness, new life and salvation by sharing Holy Communion at every weekly worship service.

Our congregation is known locally for its exceptionally strong ministry with youth of middle school and high school age. Youth activities stress fun, friendship, learning, service and outreach.  The newly remodeled Youth House welcomes all community youth 6th through 12th grade.

Through our Christian Life Development Classes we encourage every individual to:

  • develop faith-supportive relationships,
  • grow in spiritual maturity,
  • engage in fruitful and fulfilling service to God,
  • reach out to share Christ's love with others.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT:
We, the members of English Lutheran Church, have been called together by God’s love in Jesus Christ and equipped by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel. Through the Word and the Sacraments, our mission is to invite and welcome people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. It is our intention to provide a nurturing environment for growth in faith, fellowship, witness and service.

WHAT WE BELIEVE
Our mission rests firmly on the Gospel of Jesus Christ as expressed in the creeds and confessions of the Church and in our Statement of Faith.

Triune God:  We believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge one God in these three persons.

Creation:  We believe that God the Father created the universe. God is loving, compassionate, just and kind. God’s deepest desire is to live in an intimate relationship with all people.

Jesus Christ: We believe that, because of God’s desire to live in a relationship with us, God became a human and was born on earth. Jesus Christ, born of his virgin mother, Mary, is fully God and fully human. Through His death and resurrection he paid the penalty for our sins and opened the door to everlasting life to all who believe. Jesus made it possible for all people to live in a relationship with God. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Through Him and Him alone can people enter into a relationship with God.

Holy Spirit:  We believe that the Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus Christ among us. Through the Holy Spirit, God ignites and fans the flames of faith in us, calls us to trust in Jesus, gathers us into his church, enlightens our minds and hearts with truth, loves us, empowers us and lives in us. The Spirit gives gifts to all believers that are to be used in building up the church.

Bible:  We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Through it, God is revealed to us. Written and transcribed by many authors over a period of many centuries, the Bible bears remarkable testimony to the mighty acts of God in the lives of people and nations. Throughout, the Bible is inspired by God. The Old and New Testaments are the authoritative norm and guide upon which we base our faith.

Church:  We believe that the church, be it a local congregation or the worldwide fellowship of believers, is the body of Christ. As Christ’s Body, we are called to worship Him, serve Him and be the vehicle through which the Good News of forgiveness, new life and salvation is shared with the world.

Lutheran:  We affirm and identify with the confessions of the Lutheran Church. We affirm the centrality of grace alone, faith alone, and Word alone.

Sacraments:  We believe in and practice the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

Baptism:  We believe that through the water and the Word, God comes to us to cleanse us from sin, adopt us as God's children and make us members of his family, the church. Through baptism, God gives the gift of new life. We affirm the baptism of infants.

Holy Communion:  We believe that, through the Lord's Supper, God comes to love us and forgive us and nourish our faith. We believe that in this meal, Jesus Christ is truly present, in, with and under forms of bread and wine. We believe that in the proclamation of the Word of God, together with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the people of God experience the fullest expression of God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

Human worth:  We believe in the worth and value of the human being. Created in God's image, humans have dignity. Their worth is dependent not on accomplishments, but on God's love. Because God sees humanity as worth dying for, we affirm and acknowledge the dignity of every person, no matter their circumstances.

Forgiveness:  At the same time we acknowledge that humanity is separated from God because of sin. We joyfully proclaim the Good News that forgiveness is received through faith in Jesus Christ. It is that forgiveness that restores fallen humanity's worth.

Return of Christ: We believe in and anticipate the return of Jesus Christ. Though we don't know the day or hour, we joyfully proclaim Christ’s approaching return is an inspiration to all people to make the most of life here and now.