WELCOME to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Known as the “A-frame” church at one of Virginia’s busiest corners, Our Savior’s Lutheran church has been a community cornerstone for more than a century. In fact, we celebrated 125 years as a congregation in June, 2022.
We are a church community that offers a traditional church service, youth and adult educational opportunities, and various ministry outreaches you can take part of that impact people locally and across the globe. For detailed information, take a look at our “Ministries” and “Outreach” menus on the main page!
*You are invited to join us in a Christian community that is Rooted in Faith, Growing in Christ, and Reaching to Serve.
Worship: Sunday, 9:30am
Livestreaming on YouTube “Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Virginia, MN.”
TV Broadcast on Local Cable Channel 5: Monday @ 10am, Tues. @ 1:30pm, Wed. @ 12pm, Thurs. @ 6pm, Fri. @ 8am, Sat. @ 7:30pm. Changes to the schedule are sometimes made by the local station.
Ministries: Our Savior’s is committed to “Reaching to Serve” the needs of its members and neighbors. Through our various ministries and outreach projects, Our Savior’s serves as Jesus’ “hands and feet” in this world. We offer a Community Closet every Wednesday at 12pm – 3pm with clothes, gently used household items and pantry items. Every 2nd Saturday of the month we host a Community Breakfast from 9am – 11:30am.
Our worship services are at 9:30am Sundays and our Livestream can be found on YouTube under “Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Virginia, MN,” at the same time. Sunday worship will also air on public access TV starting the following Thursday (see the schedule listed above under “TV Broadcast..”).
*The latest Sunday bulletin with announcements can be found on our home page-just scroll down and you’ll be able to download it as a pdf to follow along with a televised or streamed service.
ROOTED IN FAITH
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, organized in 1897, has its roots in the Norwegian immigrant community on the Iron Range. Services were held in halls, vacant buildings and other churches until property was purchased in 1900 at the corner of 3rd Ave. and 3rd St. in Virginia. A church building was constructed and put into use in 1903. Local Finnish Lutherans also joined our Norwegian church family at this location in the early 1900’s.
In the late 1950s more space was needed, and ground was broken at our current site in 1960. In 1961, the congregation moved into the new building and used the social hall and educational wing for services until the sanctuary was built in 1968.
While some remnants of Norwegian culture still remain, Our Savior’s welcomes people of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds and enjoys exploring the richness that diversity brings. We wholeheartedly embrace a past ELCA Bishop, Mark Hanson’s statement, “We finally meet one another, not in our agreements or disagreements, but at the foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and where, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are one in Christ.” This statement holds important truths to this today.
WORSHIP: Worship is vital to the life of any Christian congregation.
At OSLC, members work closely together to provide a rich worship experience. Service teams assume responsibility for weekly tasks such as altar care, communion and ushering. Children and young people are welcomed participants in the worship services. Guest ministers and special dramatic readings provide other opportunities for member participation throughout the year. We also have an active worship choir that invites congregants who are interested in the ministry of music.
Our sanctuary is handicapped accessible. We invite families with babies and young children to worship and we have play items & larger pew areas toward the entrance of the sanctuary for kids to play or sit on the carpet during the worship service. Children are important to us and should be welcomed to worship along side of us! If you feel your child needs to take a break for a few minutes, we have a children’s area in our Fellowship Hall close to the sanctuary where you’ll be able to listen to the worship service as your child plays.
We welcome you to accompany us as we gather to worship Jesus Christ as Lord.
GROWING IN CHRIST
Our Savior’s has a long history of lifting up faith education for all ages.
For children and young people:
- Confirmation, Youth Group Wednesdays during the school year
- Sunday School for grade-school children
- First Communion classes during the school year
- Various holiday and summer activities
For adults:
- Adult forums and Bible studies are offered throughout the year
- We are also blessed to have a well stocked library in our Fireside room where you can sit and read, pray and unwind as you wish.
- You can participate in various events, dinners, activities & service opportunities held throughout the year
REACHING TO SERVE
In addition to the various ministries and outreach opportunities found above, our women’s group, WELCA, is involved in several community organizations locally, providing bedding, quilts, baby items, camp scholarships for children, funds to the local food shelf and other health & human service entities.
Regionally and globally we send quilts to every corner of the world through Lutheran World Relief – over 300 quilts a year come out of our church, as well as countless backpacks loaded with school supplies, personal hygiene kits and baby kits. You are invited to get involved with WELCA or our quilters on Wednesdays 9am-2pm through out the school year.
Our congregation also serves locally by giving time and gifts to Quad Cities Food Shelf, Salvation Army, two local shelter/transition homes, Lutheran Social Services, United Way, and Ruby’s Pantry, Caring Partners (for cancer patients). We also keep our doors open for several support groups to have a place to call “home” during the week – approximately 15 area groups currently meet here and we are happy to invite them in as family.
We welcome you to accompany us in this faith journey of Reaching to Serve!