This religious organization had been on a growth spurt under ELCA.org and the pastors Mary Ann &…read moreMark Moller-Gunderson's wonderful work, at which time it outgrew its' humble beginnings on Park Row in Lake Geneva (now Anchor church), and had to relocate in a new building (to which, I personally raised many thousands of dollars). As a child I attended the Park Row street's Sunday bible school (at which my mother instructed many of the neighborhood kids from my age 6 until age 10). I was confirmed there as well (see attached photo). In the mid-2000's attendance was increasing beyond capacity and the elders began seeking their new spot of unimproved, vacant land. Since building the new facilities on Bloomfield Road, it is a pleasant place to worship and has many events, fellowships and study groups (as is evidenced by their website's calendar). However, it is also fraught with lackluster community outreach, cookie-cutter pop-Christian-culture learning materials and study guides, nearly non-existent follow-up, personal care, communication, consulting, or in-depth counseling by pastor(s) beyond the micro post-Sunday service banter and small talk unless you're diagnosed, dying or being hospitalized. The services can be uninspired, devoid of universal human truths, science discoveries that affirm biblical truth, discussions of past doctrines from the HISTORY of the Lutheran church proper, or events OUTSIDE the church or WITHIN the church, not specifically pertaining to that Sunday's ratified and repurposed seminary-school's sermons. As well, their rather odd choice of both a "Classic" service (8:30am), and a "Contemporary" service (10:00am) --both of which simply bother only to have less standing, clapping, singing or modern vs. traditional hymnal song selections-- begs the question why the elder and younger congregation members are not more fully encouraged to openly share and mingle as was done in generations past? COVID-19 issues aside, the pasteurized, homogenized, often boring presentations, bible classes and services are not going to inspire, fulfill, resound in the soul, nor impassion future discourse by the younger adult or teen learners, as had been the case when this church had provided such things for myself in the heyday of its' past. Anyone that Jesus would have commanded that we serve FIRST and FOREMOST (the downtrodden, poor, wicked, the helpless around us, etc.), seems a lacking covenant at this church currently. For example: both their outreach and offerings LACK any of the following; (1). Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, (2). any food pantry, (3). any ecologically-friendly food/facility or gathering efforts to ELIMINATE PLASTIC utensils/cups/plates/containers/bags etc., and (4). any missionary out-reach program easily accomplished as "neighborhood goodwill efforts" instead or more wasteful and inane "global needs drives" or family/youth fellowship trips outside of Walworth County, WIsc., and (5). any co-connecting of gardening, hiking, arborism, litter collection, highway adoption, animal husbandry, 4-H with Christian events scheduled by this church.
