Growing In Faith
All of God’s children are provided with the opportunity to grow in faith, beginning at the age of three. Children aged three years through sixth grade are invited to attend Children’s Church during the regular Sunday Service. In addition, JAM (Jesus and Me) is offered on Wednesday afternoons from 2:30-3:30 p.m. The non-denominational outreach program helps introduce elementary-aged children to Jesus’ love and provides a safe and nurturing environment after school. In the summer, a week-long Bible School is offered to the elementary-aged members of the congregation. The theme of Bible School varies from year-to-year and students who participate come away with a new understanding of Jesus’ love for them.
Seventh-and eighth-grade members take on a new chapter in their faith journey when they attend confirmation classes. The two-year curriculum helps these students to grow and become more confident in their faith as they become voting members of the congregation. The Senior High Youtherans are ALC kids in grades 9-12. They meet Wednesday evenings and participate in service projects and fundraisers as well as regular fellowship activities. They serve breakfast to the confirmands on Confirmation Sunday, provide the Lenten messages by performing the lesson and actively participate in the Sunday services. All ninth-through-twelfth grade students are encouraged to attend the ELCA National Youth Gathering that takes place once every three years. Through fundraisers over the course of the year, the Youtherans work to pay their way to the gathering as well as a number of other service trips the students chose to take. Pizza and taco dips for Super Bowl Sunday, bake sales and casserole sales are just a few of the fundraisers they have held. Parents of ALC Youth hold a meal on Wednesday night before the Confirmation and Youtheran meetings. All are welcome to join the youth of the congregation for the meal and fellowship, paving the way for life-long mentorships and friendships.
Our Mission
The congregation at American Lutheran enthusiastically supports the many missions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Through special offerings, fund raising events and by donating a portion of all money given to the church through offering to the ELCA, ALC supports mission projects around the world. Our support of ELCA Missions is a way that we put our faith into action.
Our Faith In Action
• Financing the construction of Nebraska House at the Wa Neema Orphanage in Tanzania
• Financing the building of multiple wells for the Water for Life project in Haiti, including both the monetary gifts and the manpower involved
• ELCA World Hunger
• Grace 4 Haiti
• L2 for Kids
• Lutheran Disaster Relief
• Lutheran Campus Ministry
• Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministry
• Lutheran Family Services
• Followers of Christ at the Nebraska State Penitentiary
• Maintaining a food pantry for the residents of Gothenburg and the surrounding area
• Operating a backpack program that provides school aged children and their families meals for weekends during the school year
• Running a non-denominational “Jesus is Alive in Me” (JAM) program for elementary students, serving approximately 60 children each Wednesday
• Financing the “Good Samaritan Fund” which helps people in need • Regularly volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels
• Supporting sons and daughters of American Lutheran Church who attend seminary with finances and prayers
• Creating quilts for Lutheran World Relief and other local relief agencies.