Does it fall from skies above?
Is it underneath the Willow Creek tree
That I've been dreaming of?
Peace in Loves Park, Rev. Olson's former parish, the one that's trying to move now, has never really liked their location from the 1970s. Now, however, the synod probably made the relocation necessary due to their church growth program.
The WELS wanted to plant a church in S Rockford since there were none there. The nearest WELS churches were in Loves Park in N Rockford, which is a fairly large city, and Belvedere five miles to the E. The exploratory congregation started out at a college on E State Street near the center of the city.
To everyone's consternation, instead of building in S Rockford as planned, the synod insisted that the new Church Growthy-style church be built along the main N-S freeway (I-90/39) on the E side of Rockford. It was purposely built with a steeple with a lighted big glass windows so travelers would see it from the freeway day and night. Also, if you look at the New Life Website, it is all the relational, relevant CG-type stuff.
New Life was started around 1989 by Pastor Mark Paustian. Sometime in the early 90s
after building that new building off the freeway, he got a call to New Ulm to be a Communications professor. NPH published Paustian and Pastor Rick in Corona reads Paustian.
New Life is just 5 miles S of Peace in Loves Park which has been there since the 1970s. Also, it's just 5 miles W of the WELS Belvedere church which has been in existence since 1967 (see attached map). Needless to say, New Life wicked up about half the members of Peace and half the members of Hope, and continues to be a big draw. It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Love's Park probably wants to get away from the latest growthy WELS church. Perhaps that's why they have to raise their own money and the synod won't cough up the funds, because it makes CG look bad.
Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church 501 Bellwood Rd Belvidere 815-544-6606 New Life Evangelical Lutheran Church 1100 N Lyford Rd, Rockford, IL - (815) 227-0855 Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church 5183 Pebble Creek Tr Rockford 815-633-6197
Peace in Loves Park (S Rockford, IL)
http://www.peacelutheran-wels.org
New Life
http://www.newliferockford.org
Hope, Belvidere
http://www.hopebelvidere.org
***
GJ - The Church and Changers at The Love Shack want to teach WELS all about stewardship, but they are the biggest wastrels in Christendom. Those are WELS offering dollars at work, draining members from two established congregations to create a C and C parish - just in time for a split? Stay tuned.
