Our Church

A Message from the Pastor

"I cordially welcome all visitors and guests. If I can help you in any way, do not hesitate to call (225-752-5503) or email me. If you have no church home, I invite you to consider ours. A ‘Basic Bible Teachings’ course is offered if you would like to study the Bible and our Lutheran faith. It is an educational class and there is no obligation to join or attend the church. Please contact me for a class schedule or for any other special needs."

About Our Church

Cross of Glory Lutheran Church is dedicated to the only true and triune God, and is committed to teaching the pure Word of God with its gospel of Jesus Christ as the only Savior of all people. We believe that Jesus’ life and death paid for the sins of all, and thus we warmly welcome everyone regardless of race or nationality. We are members of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a fellowship of congregations throughout the United States and Canada, which also enjoys fellowship with many conservative Lutheran church bodies world-wide. Cross of Glory is vitally concerned about growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and therefore offers a variety of classes and organizations for teaching and fellowship. We encourage you to explore our site and find out more about our beliefs.

Church and Worship Q&A

What Religion/Denomination are you?

We are Christians, we are Lutherans, and we are members of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod). Find out more of our beliefs here.

What are your services like?

They are great! The Bible does not tell us how to worship except to say that we should worship with a pure heart in an orderly way. The majority of our services are "liturgical," or traditional, meaning we follow an established order of service often consisting of prayers, hymns, psalms, readings and a sermon. We do have less formal or more contemporary services on occasion. All our services offer an opportunity to learn God's word and praise his name.

What should I wear?

Since the Bible presents no dress code, aside from simple modesty, we don't make any rules either. On any given Sunday you may see running shoes and high heels, jeans and suits, t-shirts and ties. When a person dresses out of love for God, the choice of dress (casual or more formal) is acceptable to God . . . and to us.

What if my kids are too noisy?

In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." We do not mind a fussy child or an instructing parent. But if you feel uncomfortable you can step out for a few minutes. Our previous family room was converted into a serving area until the new chapel is built, but you are welcome to take your child into the hall or the converted serving area (you probably won’t be alone in there!) We have the service amplified into the serving area and there is a basket of toys in the closet.

Will I be asked to stand up or to say anything?

No indeed! We don’t want you to feel uncomfortable; we are glad to have you come and listen. You may be asked to sign the guestbook at the front door so we can know you visited and we can send you a thank you card.

What if I don’t know that much about the Bible?

All the more reason to come! We are all looking to learn. Worship and Bible study are opportunities to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and faith in Jesus. You won't have to answer any questions you don't want to answer. You won't be called on to answer anything. We simply hope to be a place where you can grow.

Is your church filled with 'hypocrites?"

Sometimes visitors expect to enter a church and find "perfect people" there. We make no such claims about ourselves. People who would make statements like the above one need to realize that the church is a spiritual hospital. It's not for healthy people; it's for sick people. Jesus himself said: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (Mt 9:12). Jesus is the Great Physician of our souls. So don't come to Cross of Glory Church expecting to find perfect people. We're far from perfect! As the bumper sticker says: "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven."

What about the offering?

We appreciate your visit and certainly do not want you to feel obligated to make an offering to our church! We are happy to have you simply come and enjoy our service. Scripture teaches that our offerings to God should reflect our belief that everything we have is a gift of God. The Bible tells us that "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). We want all offerings to be made freely and with joy, out of thanks to God for what he has done for us. Like most Christians, our members bring offerings to God through their church. Since offerings are gifts of love for God, no one dictates what each person is to give. We pass an offering plate after the sermon so that our worship may include bringing gifts to God.

What are your communion practices?

We practice communion or the Lord's Supper often during our worship services. We understand that there are three communions in the Lord's Supper: the union or communion of the bread and wine with Christ's body and blood, the communion or fellowship with God for the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, and the communion or fellowship of all those who partake together. "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" (1 Corinthians 10:17). Since we recognize the Lord's Supper as the highest expression of fellowship and unity, we ask that only those who have publicly confesses a common faith with our church (church fellowship) commune with us. "A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28). In other words, the Lord's Supper is only for those who realize and confessd all their sins before God. Secondly, St. Paul writes: "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27). So we also recognize that God wants us to come to commune with him with a repentant and forgiving heart so we ask that only those who have received the necessary instruction that enables them to examine his or her spiritual life commune with us. Both of these (public confession and instruction) are available; please talk to the pastor if you have questions.

Should I or my child be baptized?

As Christians and members in God’s eternal kingdom we have the great opportunity and responsibility to administer the sacrament of Baptism, which washes away sin (Acts 22:16) and gives eternal salvation (1 Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5). We encourage all willing adults and all children to be baptized. Please talk to the pastor about your concerns and circumstances. We have instructional courses and informative booklets available.

Church History

The first worship service was held in a member’s house in January, 1979 with 13 people in attendance. In August, 1979, Pastor Gregory Gibbons was installed as an exploratory missionary pastor to serve the new preaching station. He remained with Cross of Glory until February, 1981. During the ensuing vacancy, pastors from Crown of Life in New Orleans and laymen conducted the services. In February, 1983 Cross of Glory was granted exploratory status by the Synod. Pastor Peter Kiecker was installed as pastor in May, 1983 and remained at Cross of Glory until October, 1987. On September 20th, 1987 the present church building was dedicated. In May, 1988 Pastor William Greenlee was installed and continues as the church’s current pastor.

In September, 2000, Cross of Glory Lutheran Learning Center opened its doors to serve the area as a beginning total education program. It is our goal to give to our Lord’s little lambs their first school experience and to begin the total development of a well-rounded, well-adjusted Christian personality. Find out more on our Learning Center Page.

Over the many years at the church's current location several remodelings and renovations have been done to accommodate both our growing Learning Center and Church. In May, 2007, we unveiled blueprints to officially begin moving forward with our New Building Project. This exciting project will include a new worship sanctuary/chapel, new offices and additional classrooms and bathrooms.

Church Mission