Christ in City was founded in the 1860's. It was called Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession back then, and you'd have to say it in German to get the name right. It was a traditional church of the time, the kind that you might see at the distance and say, "That's a Lutheran church. It has that 'look' about it." It has been an active congregation for almost all of that time.
That doesn't mean Christ in City hasn't struggled with change. The long German name gave way to the shorter, Christ Lutheran Church, and eventually to the current name Christ in the City. The membership changed, too. At one time it was a traditional family church. As the neighborhood changed, the families moved away. The building fell into disrepair. The sanctuary became unsafe. There were holes in the floor; plaster falling from the walls and ceiling. By the 1990's there were two members left.
That's right. Two.
These two loved their church. But what can two do?
As I understand it, what those two did was to offer a great sacrifice to LORD, in order to reach their community. Christ in the City is strategically located near St. Louis University, just off South Grand Boulevard. They gave up their tiny but traditional congregation and, with the help of others, transformed their church building into a coffee shop.
Stained glass windows still line the sides of the building. The form of the church is still there, with altar area and balcony. What was once white plaster on the walls has been painted in a modern combination of orange, red and purple; that is, where the plaster still clings to the walls. There are many spots where the century-old bricks show quite clearly, and ancient two-by-fours are exposed. It is an interesting and compelling combination of modern and antique. The image is almost poetic as Christ in the City seeks to give modern expression to our ancient faith.
The altar area is set apart. An artist took pieces of the the old organ and made a beautiful cross, with a plaque that says, roughly, "Kerusso: To preach or to pipe the good news." But where there were once pews, there are now tables. Instead of a pulpit, the pastor speaks from the floor in front of the altar. The sounds of baristas making cappuccinos, Americanos, and espresso can be heard, even occasionally during the service. (And the coffee is excellent, Fairly Traded Coffee: coffee with a conscience to appeal to the idealism of the clientele.) For most of the week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the building is a coffee shop, and the pastor works there, meeting students, starting conversations, building relationships, and sharing the Good News of God's love in Jesus.
The people gathered around us were a motley group. Preppy to punk. Well groomed to (perhaps) homeless. It was young. In fact, at 39 years old, I was in the oldest quarter of those gathered. There were tattoos and nose rings; the convinced and the questioning; all sorts of people gathered together to sip coffee, sing, hear the pastor's message, and to fellowship. Afterward we were invited to stay for sloppy joes and hot dogs. Many lingered, as my friends and I did, long after they were done eating, enjoying the conversation, talking about the sermon, the coffee, and the many things we discuss about life.
As the world changes and the Church becomes more and more marginalized, we need to find ways to continue to kerusso - to proclaim or pipe the Gospel. We need to look for sacred spaces where we meet the world as the presence of Christ to share the incredible message of God's love in Jesus. As Pastor John pointed out last night, the world is no longer looking to the church for answers, instead they are asking in all the wrong places and getting answers that do not have God's wisdom - the wisdom He displayed in the giving of His Son to redeem us. So where can that happen?
How about a coffee shop right next to a university campus? Indeed it is!
What about in our own communities?
That doesn't mean Christ in City hasn't struggled with change. The long German name gave way to the shorter, Christ Lutheran Church, and eventually to the current name Christ in the City. The membership changed, too. At one time it was a traditional family church. As the neighborhood changed, the families moved away. The building fell into disrepair. The sanctuary became unsafe. There were holes in the floor; plaster falling from the walls and ceiling. By the 1990's there were two members left.
That's right. Two.
These two loved their church. But what can two do?
As I understand it, what those two did was to offer a great sacrifice to LORD, in order to reach their community. Christ in the City is strategically located near St. Louis University, just off South Grand Boulevard. They gave up their tiny but traditional congregation and, with the help of others, transformed their church building into a coffee shop.
Stained glass windows still line the sides of the building. The form of the church is still there, with altar area and balcony. What was once white plaster on the walls has been painted in a modern combination of orange, red and purple; that is, where the plaster still clings to the walls. There are many spots where the century-old bricks show quite clearly, and ancient two-by-fours are exposed. It is an interesting and compelling combination of modern and antique. The image is almost poetic as Christ in the City seeks to give modern expression to our ancient faith.
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| This cross was made from pieces of the church's | old pipe organ. |
The people gathered around us were a motley group. Preppy to punk. Well groomed to (perhaps) homeless. It was young. In fact, at 39 years old, I was in the oldest quarter of those gathered. There were tattoos and nose rings; the convinced and the questioning; all sorts of people gathered together to sip coffee, sing, hear the pastor's message, and to fellowship. Afterward we were invited to stay for sloppy joes and hot dogs. Many lingered, as my friends and I did, long after they were done eating, enjoying the conversation, talking about the sermon, the coffee, and the many things we discuss about life.
As the world changes and the Church becomes more and more marginalized, we need to find ways to continue to kerusso - to proclaim or pipe the Gospel. We need to look for sacred spaces where we meet the world as the presence of Christ to share the incredible message of God's love in Jesus. As Pastor John pointed out last night, the world is no longer looking to the church for answers, instead they are asking in all the wrong places and getting answers that do not have God's wisdom - the wisdom He displayed in the giving of His Son to redeem us. So where can that happen?
How about a coffee shop right next to a university campus? Indeed it is!
What about in our own communities?
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