Founded in 1945, Faith Lutheran Church now has two campuses (one in Oakville and one in Columbia, Illinois) with total weekly worship attendance at approximately 1,100 through both in-person and live-streamed services. The church also operates a preschool that serves the broader community and as well as an annual Vacation Bible School. The vast majority of the work that Faith Lutheran does in the community is done through its approximately 50 Life Groups (a.k.a. small groups) who are each encouraged to adopt a need in the St. Louis community and partner with local organizations to care for people in the community.
Partnership #1 (2020)
As schools shifted to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many children experienced interruptions to mental health supports that they received in their school settings. Faith Lutheran sought to respond to this unmet need by expanding its ministry provide free children’s mental health services. Faith Lutheran reached out to the Brown Sisters Foundation for support in hiring a licensed social worker to work with children, as well as to support family wellness through quarterly educational events for families on a variety of topics (e.g., child-development, grief, healthy coping skills). The Brown Sisters Foundation provided a challenge grant to attract new and increased donations in support of this new role for the church in its community.