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“Over time it’s become known as ‘the little church that could,’” said Karen Leedahl, describing Christ the King Lutheran, a renewing congregation in Sebastian, Fla.
When Leedahl first arrived as part-time pastor in 2010, she found a small congregation of about 68 members with a big heart for serving their community. She also discovered a congregation that was “pretty distraught.”
“Their despair was so great that they just thought the next step was closing,” Leedahl said.
Bearing a large mortgage, the congregation was financially strapped with no money in the budget for a full-time pastor or to support their outreach. But that didn’t stop members from serving a community that was experiencing a challenging economy. Contri
butions to the local food pantry and preparing and delivering meals to homeless veterans were an integral part of the life of this congregation.
“They very much had it in their heart to be outward,” said Leedahl, who believes this is why Christ the King was chosen as an ELCA renewing congregation.
An ELCA renewing congregations grant made it possible for Leedahl to be called part time to encourage the congregation in their ministry and help move them toward hiring a full-time pastor.
Through Leedahl’s encouragement, members learned to share not only their gifts but also their faith with people they meet on a daily basis. The congregation even started a ministry of handing out bottles of water to people on a local walking path.
“Pastor Karen is helping everyone look for ways that they see God at work in their life. I think we’re growing in learning how we can serve God,” said member Doris Kilbane.
As their ministry grew, so did their numbers. By 2014 the average worship attendance had grown to 105 people. In July 2014 the renewing congregation was financially able to call Leedahl as their full-time pastor.
Two months later, on “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday, members of “the little church that could” gathered to continue the work they do every day—serving God and their neighbors.
Adapted from Stories of Faith in Action
© 2015 ELCA • ELCA.org • LivingLutheran.com
