In the Spirit

Address: 2900 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar

Phone: (949) 759-1031

E-mail: [email protected]

Denomination: One of 11,000 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

congregations.

Year established: The church is celebrating its 40th year as a

congregation.

Sunday schedule: Worship service is at 9:30 a.m.; children are dismissed

after the children’s sermon for Learning for Kids classes, which meet

concurrently with the worship service; Learning for Adults, the pastor’s

class for adults, meets at 10:45 a.m.; Singles Group meets at 10:45 a.m.;

the Sunday evening coffeehouse, with live music, opens at 7 p.m.

Before- and after-school program: (949) 759-1146

Senior pastor: Mark Anderson

Size of congregation: 150

Makeup of congregation: All ages, primarily from the Corona del Mar and

Newport Beach communities.

Child care: Provided for children under 5.

Type of worship: The worship life of the church is characterized by both

traditional and contemporary elements. A strong and varied musical

tradition emphasizes the joy experienced in a life with God. The pastor

includes a special time for children during the worship service. The

Lutheran church is a sacramental church stressing baptism and the Lord’s

Supper as a means through which the power of God’s Holy Spirit touches

lives. Holy Communion is celebrated the first and third Sunday of the

month.

Teaching: Anderson’s preaching is grounded in Scripture and reflects the

central teaching of the church, justification by faith. This teaching is

summed up in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans where he writes, “We

believe that a person is justified by faith apart from works of law.” The

church teaches that we do not have to “earn” God’s grace. Instead, the

Gospel, which is the message of reconciliation between God and people, is

a free gift given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ,

God accepts us. The faith and life of the Lutheran church is grounded in

Holy Scripture and is expressed in the historic creeds and the historic

confessions of the church, a faith that provides stability in often

chaotic times. The Lutheran church places a strong emphasis on learning

for all ages, believing that the nature of the Christian life is growth.

The church stresses lifelong education for people of all ages.

Welcome cart: Visitors are greeted before entering for worship. They are

offered information about the church and are asked to register. Those who

register are visited early in the week by someone from the church who

brings them cookies and information about the church. Anderson also calls

or visits them during the week.

Outreach programs: Church of the Master supports ministries and programs

that give concrete expression to God’s love for all people. The

congregation runs a before- and after-school program, serves as board of

directors for Seaview Lutheran Plaza (a low-income housing facility

located next to the church campus) and assists various church and

community groups. Every third Sunday of the month the congregation

collects food and clothing for the Lutheran Social Service Food

Ingathering, which helps the Lutheran Social Services to provide for as

many as 2,000 families each month. Most important, members carry their

Christian faith into their daily lives and look for ways to share their

faith in Jesus Christ through witness and service to others.

-- Compiled by Michele M. Marr