Capitol Hill Lutheran Church

This congregation confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This congregation confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.

Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. The proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world. This congregation accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith and life.

This congregation accepts the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this congregation.

This congregation accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it in faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.

This congregation accepts the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.

This congregation confesses the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God's mission in the world.

All power in the Church belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ, its head. All actions of this congregation are to be carried out under his rule and authority.

The Church exists both as an inclusive fellowship and as local congregations gathered for worship and Christian service. Congregations find their fulfillment in the universal community of the Church, and the universal Church exists in and through congregations. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, therefore, derives its character and powers both from the sanction and representation of its congregations and from its inherent nature as an expression of the broader fellowship of the faithful. In length, it acknowledges itself to be in the historic continuity of the communion of saints; in breadth, it expresses the fellowship of believers and congregations in our day. The Church is a people created by God in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, called and sent to bear witness to God's creative, redeeming, and sanctifying activity in the world. To participate in God's mission, this congregation as a part of the Church shall:

• Worship God in proclamation of the Word and administration of the sacraments and through lives of prayer, praise, thanksgiving, witness, and service.
• Proclaim God's saving Gospel of justification by grace for Christ's sake through faith alone, according to the apostolic witness in the Holy Scripture, preserving and transmitting the Gospel faithfully to future generations.
• Carry out Christ's Great Commission by reaching out to all people to bring them to faith in Christ and by doing all ministry with a global awareness consistent with the understanding of God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier of all.
• Serve in response to God's love to meet human needs, caring for the sick and the aged, advocating dignity and justice for all people, working for peace and reconciliation among the nations, and standing with the poor and powerless, and committing itself to their needs.
• Nurture its members in the Word of God so as to grow in faith and hope and love, to see daily life as the primary setting for the exercise of their Christian calling, and to use the gifts of the Spirit for their life together and for their calling in the world.
• Manifest the unity given to the people of God by living together in the love of Christ and by joining with other Christians in prayer and action to express and preserve the unity, which the Spirit gives. To fulfill these purposes, this congregation shall:
  • Provide services of worship at which the Word of God is preached and the sacraments are administered.
  • Provide pastoral care and assist all members to participate in this ministry.
  • Challenge, equip and support all members in carrying out their calling in their daily lives and in their congregation.
  • Teach the Word of God.
  • Witness to the reconciling Word of God in Christ, reaching out to all people.
  • Respond to human need, work for justice and peace, care for the sick and the suffering, and participate responsibly in society.
  • Motivate its members to provide financial support for the congregation's ministry and the ministry of other parts of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  • Foster and participate in interdependent relationships with other congregations, the synod, and the church wide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  • Foster and participate in ecumenical relationships consistent with church wide policy.

The Luther Rose: While he was a professor at Wittenberg University, Martin Luther devised this seal which he declared was meant to be expressive of his theology. The following explanation comes from a letter written to his friend, Herr Spangler, town clerk of Nuremberg, Germany.

"The first thing expressed in my seal is a cross, black, within the heart, to put me in mind that faith in Christ crucified saves us. 'For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.' Now, although the cross is black, mortified, and intended to cause pain, yet it does nor change the color of the heart, does not destroy nature (i.e., does not kill, but keeps alive). 'For the just shall live by faith,' by faith in the Savior. But this heart is fixed upon the center of a white rose, to show that faith causes joy, consolation and peace. The rose is white, not red, because white is the ideal color of all angels and blessed spirits. This rose, moreover, is fixed in a sky-colored background, to denote that such joy of faith in the spirit is but an earnest beginning of heavenly joy to come, as anticipated and held by hope, though not yet revealed. And around this groundbase is a golden ring, to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless, and more precious than all joys and treasures, since gold is the best and most precious metal. Christ, our dear Lord, He will give grace unto eternal life."

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Baptism
Baptism is a means of God's grace (unconditional love) and a sign of regeneration or new birth. Baptism is offered for persons of all ages, infancy through adult.

Lord's Supper (Communion)
We believe the Body and Blood of Jesus is present in the meal as the story is told about bread and cup. People become the beneficiaries and bearers of the story through eating and drinking. All believers are invited and welcome to partake of the Lord's Supper. Home communion is available on request.

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The joy of Christian discipleship is most fully experienced and expressed through active membership in the church. Let the church know of your interest in membership by calling the church office at 244-8913. An orientation meeting for potential new members is held periodically. Members are formally welcomed at a church service following the orientation meeting.

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"I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

- Jeremiah 29: 11

God's words provided a sense of comfort as the nearly 500 members of Central Lutheran and First Lutheran churches in Des Moines considered their futures in 2000.

Founded in 1877, Central Lutheran Church was the home to Des Moines' Norwegian language Lutherans.

Central Lutheran Church

Located at the corners of E. Ninth and Des Moines streets, Central grew with the city, boasting a membership of 1,200 in the 1970s. With the 1980s came suburbs and the exodus of members to churches closer to their homes. Still, a faithful 200 continued to minister to the city, adding a Vietnamese-language worship service to their Sunday morning offerings. With a pastoral vacancy in 2000, Central members once again contemplated their future. The membership was aging. The church's bank account was solid, and the church had no debt. Yet there was a concern that other resources - time and talents - were taxing the existing ministries and prohibiting growth.

Four blocks to the west, at E. Fifth and Des Moines streets, First Lutheran Church members were similarly considering their future. The 133-year-old church had been established to serve Swedish-speaking families in Des Moines. After World War II, Latvian language services were added. At the turn of the latest century, First had welcomed Sudanese refugees to worship with services in Nuer. Like Central, First's membership was on a slow decline from a 1960s high of 1,400. And, like Central, the church's financial picture was secure.

Individually, the two churches noticed other denominations moving out of the downtown area and building new in the suburbs. Individually, the two churches heard God's call to continue an important ministry to the unchurched in their downtown neighborhood. Lay leaders felt the Spirit call the churches to consider the energy, synergy and economies of scale that could result through consolidation.

The 18-month process began with joint council meetings at which a mission and vision, summed up in the phrase "To Know Christ and To Make Christ Known," was established.

Capitol Hill Lutheran Sanctuary

This was presented to, and approved by, the individual congregations before any additional work was done. Committees were established to research all aspects of the churches, from theology and programming to property and bank accounts. Congregations were kept informed through forums and newsletter articles. Throughout the process, the Southeast Iowa Synod and its staff provided prayers and support.

There were bumps along the way. But, since the churches had begun with an agreement on a mission "To Know Christ and To Make Christ Known," members were able to acknowledge the individual sadness and move beyond to focus on what God was calling the church to do.

Despite careful planning and education, the first vote on consolidation failed in one of the churches. Members of both congregations grieved, prayed and, within a month, another vote was taken and Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was born. The church filed papers of consolidation with the State of Iowa on March 4, 2002. As was noted, the date seemed significant in that it was a command for the new congregation: March Forth!

The first official service of Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was, symbolically, Easter Sunday 2002. The sanctuary was standing room only.

Capitol Hill Lutheran members know that the Lord has plans for us, and He has given us a future and a hope.

History of the Church's Building

The land at East Fifth and Des Moines streets was purchased by the former First Lutheran Swedish congregation -- one of the congregations that consolidated to form Capitol Hill Lutheran -- in 1885 for $5,000. The plans specified that the building was to be built in traditional Gothic style, was to seat 1,000 people and was to be 90 feet long with an extension of 18 feet at the east end for the organ and choir.

Mr. J.A. Carlson was elected superintendent of construction. Carlson had been a shipbuilder in Sweden before immigrating to the U.S., and he felt he could design an arched roof that would give all the necessary strength by reversing the principle used in laying the keel of a ship. This accounts for the high vaulted ceilings of the sanctuary. The cornerstone was laid July 4, 1886. Many members volunteered their time and professional skills to cut stone for the building. Artist Olaf Selindh, who was responsible for many of the windows in the Iowa State Capitol, designed the church's stained glass windows. The total cost of the church when completed was $35,000.

The building was used for the first time on Aug. 21, 1887. A new, all white altar, still in use to this day, was created and installed in 1909. A new organ, still in use today, was installed in 1908 and made possible by a gift from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. In 1949, a parish house was added and, in 1959, an education building extension, including a choir room, was completed.

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A Council of 12 members governs Capitol Hill Lutheran Church. Terms are three years in length, with three members being elected each January at the church's annual meeting. Years in parentheses indicate the end of each individual's term. Officers are elected from within the Council to serve a one-year term.

President: Lee Ann Bakros (2009)
Vice President: Tim Meline (2008)
Secretary: Sherry Wilkinson (2010)
Treasurer: Ed Cook (2008)
Financial Recording Secretary: Shirley Anderson (2008)
Bob Ackermann (2009)

Gerald Christiansen (2010)

Eldon Dirks (2010)

Julius Satre (2009)

Paul Tullis (2008)
Cindy Valin (2009)

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Evangelical Lutheran Church in America http://www.elca.org
Southeastern Iowa Synod http://www.seiasynod.org
Free service for reading and researching scripture http://www.biblegateway.com/

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