First Lutheran Church of Detroit Lakes

The building of First Lutheran Church is one of our greatest assets and tools for participating in God's work in the world. Just take a moment to see why:

Our diverse and intergenerational ministries take place here: our space enables the faith formation of hundreds of kids in our Youth and Family Ministry programs every week, as well as the myriad of Adult Faith Formation opportunities.  Our spaces house four different types of worship services from Sunday services to Wednesday worship, to summer outdoors.  Our spaces provide for small group bible studies, quilting, parish health events, meal making ministries, social assistance, Creation Care, and SO MUCH MORE!

Not only that, our building also empowers us to be active community partners for our neighbors: we host local functions from public elections to Sons of Norway. We host and have hosted everything from low-income dental health services to community blood drives. We also regularly host a whole range of support groups from LSS Respite Care to grief support. Our building houses community music events, private lessons, Tae Kwon Do classes, and even provides kitchen space to multiple small businesses amid a commercial kitchen shortage. We also host five-day-a-week childcare amid a massive childcare deficit in our community. Our parking lot provides space not only for all the above, but community partners and community events from the Street Faire to Crazy Days!

Again, our building is one of our greatest assets for forming and nourishing our vibrant congregation, and also for impactfully serving our neighbor - and it is YOUR generosity that sustains all of this. Non of the above exists without your gifts.

For part of November, and especially on November 16th (Give to the Max Day in Minnesota) we are inviting you all into a campaign that will help us service the recent and crucial investments we've made in our building and property - investments that help us be and serve community.

These investments include critical repairs to our patio on the south lawn that provides shelter to our offices, but also provides for outdoor worship; we've also invested in new, safer, and more serviceable parking lot; finally, we've overhauled our HVAC system for the sanctuary. These projects have required $225k loan which we hope to tackle with our general fund, but also with campaigns like Give to the Max.

With that, my friends, on or before Give to the Max Day, we invite you into considering a gift to this campaign, to these investments to one of our greatest tools for being community with one another, and serving the community around us, to helping us open doors into life in Christ.

Thank you so very much!!

-Pastor Joe Skogmo