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Before Adrian and I first stepped foot into Risen
Christ Lutheran Church last May (2007), we had
driven by there at least once a week for 5
years. We always commented on how cute the
church looked from the outside, and perhaps we
should check it out. We never dreamed God would
guide us to Risen Christ and that we would become members!
Adrian was raised a Lutheran. In my childhood, I
attended a little rural Presbyterian church in a
town of 300 people. I never could quite
understand when I would get "the" message from
God that I was saved and be baptized, because
children weren't baptized until they were over 12
years old. There was such a mystery to that
process, so I figured early on that I was not
worthy of being one of the chosen ones, and would
end up in hell. When my family moved to the big
town of Kansas City, we tried various other
church denominations, but nothing seemed to
"fit". I figured I still wasn't a good person
and was doomed to spend eternity in hell for all my sins and transgressions.
Over the next 30+ years, I drifted around, always
knowing that I needed to find a church that would
bring me closer to God and Jesus Christ, and
learn the real meaning of the Bible. I've
carried around so much guilt and baggage all
these years, and I literally hit rock bottom a
year ago. I needed help, and I needed it
fast. Literally, like a curtain covering a
window, the curtain was pulled back, and I knew
this was the time to start working on my spiritual life.
I was not interested at all in visiting any
churches I'd been exposed to in the past, so
Adrian and I agreed to check out the Lutheran
churches in the Arvada/Golden area. Through the
wonders of the Internet, we found the web site
for Risen Christ Lutheran Church! We read
everything we could about this church, and
decided this was the one for us, and it is. The
first Sunday we attended, two lovely ladies
welcomed us, and told us that the church
practiced the historic Christian liturgy, which
is exactly what we wanted to hear. We were hooked!
I am now really beginning to understand the Bible
because it is taught as it should be! I love the
Bible Study classes so much that I hate for the
hour to end. There is so much I want to learn
because I am truly re-learning the Bible all over
again, thanks to the Pastor's knowledge and
training. I am beginning to understand the true
meaning of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for me, a
wretched sinner, along with the meaning of
forgiveness of all that sin, guilt and burden
I've carried for years and years. And, in
October, I was thrilled to be baptized and become
a Lutheran! I feel like a child starting all over again, and I love it.
There are so many reasons to be a member of Risen
Christ Lutheran Church, and to be at church every
Sunday morning and every Wednesday evening. The
true meaning of the Bible is taught, the historic
Christian liturgy is practiced, sins are
confessed and forgiven, and the focus is on Jesus
Christ. I know that I'm at Risen Christ because
of God's doing, and I find great comfort I find
in that. I know that I had no choice in the
matter, because I am certain that God wanted my
spiritual life to begin again at Risen
Christ. If you haven't looked at Risen Christ's
web site, please do. I go to the web site every
day, and read all the materials over and
over. What a blessing this church is to me, as
well as the wonderful church members, and the Pastor and his wife.
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