Resurrection is a revitalized congregation that is a successor to Pilgrim Lutheran Church, which closed in 2006. Though the congregation closed, it was clear that God’s work was not finished. Through the efforts of local pastors, a mission congregation was planted in the spot of the old Pilgrim Lutheran Church. Resurrection became the name of this parish to symbolize the rising again of God’s work at Pilgrim Lutheran Church. The church was given new beginnings because of God’s hand at work. Thus, the restart name of the church was changed to Resurrection Lutheran Church. Soon after God blessed us with a Sudanese community, who not only showed us God’s mission for us, but gave them a new beginning in the faith of Christ. Through our efforts with Love the Hungry, God gives new beginnings to people who have fallen in life. This should cause us to also ponder deeply about what it means, that glorious word--resurrection. We confess as Christians in the one holy catholic (universal not Roman Catholic) church, that Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of God, and God made man rose from the dead. In His resurrection, He conquered death and showed to the world our own resurrection from the dead. In His resurrection, He trampled Satan underfoot. Not only did Christ rise but so does He raise us. St. Paul tells us in Romans 6 “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” How glorious! In this, our Holy Baptism, we are united to Christ in His very own resurrection. Here we have our new beginnings, here we rise our spiritual death, our death in sin and rise into spiritual life united with Christ. Our parish name is a symbol of our own real resurrection in Christ through the waters of Holy Baptism. Just as God raised Resurrection Lutheran Church so He does to each one of us who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ.