At Christ the Vine Lutheran Church, we do some things differently.

Grace:  Jesus didn’t come to make good people better; he came to forgive struggling, sinful people like us, to redeem us from the eternal consequences of our sin, and to reconcile us to God. We’re called to be honest with ourselves, to see ourselves as we really are; to recognize that we are all afflicted with the condition called sin.  Our focus at Christ the Vine is on what God has done for us through Jesus Christ – purchased our forgiveness and imputed His own perfect righteousness to us.  Our appropriate response is overwhelming gratitude toward God and sincere humility before all people.

Holy Communion: Christ gave his body and blood as a tangible way for us to receive the forgiveness of sins. We celebrate this sacrament every Sunday. A group of our members makes Concord wine from the vineyard in front of the church, which we then use for communion. (Visitors are also welcome to a jar of grape jelly made from these same grapes.)

Liturgy:  Aspects of the liturgy are adjusted weekly, in order to reflect the changing of the church seasons and of each particular Sunday.  This keeps things fresh, that they may remain uplifting and meaningful. An important part involves our joining with the saints of the early church in the confession and absolution of our sins.

Music:  Martin Luther made it clear that in worship, music should proceed from the congregation rather than become a performance for the congregation. Christ the Vine is a singing congregation. We treasure our musical heritage, singing the great hymns of the faith, (all the verses!). We have cantors and singers who lead the congregation, accompanied by piano, organ, strings, and a variety of other instruments.>

Atmosphere:  We endeavor to maintain a meditative, reverent atmosphere in worship, as this best allows us to draw near to God. We also change our chancel art and decoration to reflect the changing of the church seasons. Doing so causes us to reflect on the many aspects of our faith and heritage.

Prayer & the Psalms:  Prayer is a significant part of the service at Christ the Vine. Our liturgy is designed to emphasize the Psalms of the Old Testament. We “pray the Psalms” because they possess the deepest, most eloquent expressions of the heart toward God.

Community:  Christ the Vine is committed to our community. Through Christ we endeavor to be an example of faith and a beacon of hope. To this end we maintain a community food pantry, participate in “Backpack Buddies” – a school food assistance program, and contribute to a street ministry called “Father’s Heart”.

Fellowship:  Every Sunday, following worship, we share breakfast in the grape room. This gives us all a chance to create lasting bonds and friendships with fellow members and guests.

There you have it. You are welcome to join us here at Christ the Vine Lutheran Church, as together we live Life abundant in the grace of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.