About St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Established in 1925
Member of the English District, one of 35 districts of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
Pastor David A. Rutter, MDiv, Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, 1993.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is a caring congregation which seeks to remain faithful to the Word of God. Our message may be summarized in the words of the Apostle Paul, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2.) You are always welcome to the weekly Services or any of our Bible classes and programs.
Beliefs
- We believe the Bible (sixty-six books) to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God, which makes man wise unto salvation in Jesus Christ.
- We believe in one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one Divine essence in Three Persons. God created everything from nothing in six twenty-four hour days, and He sustains His creation.
- We believe Jesus Christ to be True God and True Man, two natures in one Person, the Son of God Who received His human nature from the Virgin Mary, Who lived a sinless life, and Who died on a cross to pay for the sins and guilt of all people. He rose from the dead on the third day and lives eternally at the Right Hand of God, filling all things in Heaven and on earth. He will return on the Last Day to judge all people.
- We believe in the doctrine of original sin, in which human nature has been totally corrupted by sin, such that each person upon entering this life is spiritually blind, dead, and an enemy of God. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit can a person be converted and therefore become a child of God and an heir of Eternal Life.
- We believe God the Holy Spirit is present in and works through Holy Baptism to bring a person to faith in Jesus Christ, thereby granting forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life. We baptize all nations, which includes infants and adults.
- We believe Holy Communion is the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, in, with, and under the bread and wine (Real Presence). He has graciously given and preserved this meal for His Church for the purpose of the assurance of forgiveness and the strengthening of faith.
- We believe that faith alone in the merits of Jesus Christ, and not human works, justifies a sinner in the sight of God, and therefore grants Eternal Life.
- We believe that faith without works is a dead faith, and therefore, is no faith. A heart in which Jesus Christ lives will be about good works.
- We believe in an eternal Hell, prepared for the devil and his angels and for all who know not Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
- We believe the Holy Christian Church consists of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- We believe God creates each person as male or female, in the Image of God He created them (Genesis 1:27). To reject one’s gender is to reject the Creator’s work.
- We believe marriage to be an institution of God, and is defined by uniting one man with one woman unto one flesh.
- We believe that every person, born or unborn, must be afforded dignity and respect, kindness, compassion, and love, since every person is created by God.
- We believe any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, bestiality, incest, and the use of pornography, is sinful.
- We believe God is merciful to all sinners, and that He offers forgiveness and Eternal Life to all who confess and forsake their sins, seeking His mercy through Jesus Christ.
History of the Congregation
In June 1925, several eastside-Detroit congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod English District, led by the Reverend A. H. Loeber, Messiah Lutheran Church, formulated plans to begin a mission in St Clair Shores, a township northeast of Detroit known as “the frontier.” On October 11, 1925, the first Service of many was held at “The Shores Inn,” a local roadside tavern. By late July 1926, lumber was delivered to several parcels of donated land, which comprise the current location, and the first building was erected just in time for the installation Service of St. Paul’s first Pastor, the Reverend Edward Kroencke, September 5, 1926. One month later — October 10, 1926, the congregation dedicated the new church building in a series of three Services. Within weeks of the dedication Service, the congregation established a Sunday School and a Ladies Aid auxiliary.
On November 1, 1929, St. Paul’s second Pastor, the Reverend Herbert Mueller, was installed, and served for 10½ years. During Pastor Mueller’s service a parsonage was built (1931) and a basement placed under the church building (1937.) On October 6, 1940, the congregation’s third pastor, the Reverend Norman Rieck was installed, and served for nearly 12 years. During Pastor Rieck’s service a school was formed (1942 -1962) and a four-classroom school building was built (1946), the lower level of which also served as the congregation’s new place of worship. In 1947 the original church building was purchased by the Redeemer Methodist Church in Harper Woods and moved to their parcel of land — a distance of 3 miles. They repurposed the building in the 1960’s to serve as their thrift shop. Sadly, the thrift shop — St. Paul’s first church building, was destroyed by arsonists in 2014.
On October 5, 1953, the congregation installed her fourth pastor, the Reverend Erwin Beyer, who served for over 20½ years. During Pastor Beyer’s service the congregation erected a new church building (1956) and installed on May 7, 1972, an associate pastor, the Reverend Kenneth Rosche, who served until July 7, 1979. On June 10, 1980, the congregation installed her sixth pastor, the Reverend Roger Reckling, who served for 16½ years. During Pastor Recking’s service the congregation received a local award (1986) for “The Church of the Year,” due in large part to an intense evangelism effort. On September 14, 1997, the congregation called her seventh pastor, the Reverend David Rutter, who is presently serving. During Pastor Rutter’s service the congregation razed the 1946 school building and erected a new multi-purpose building (May 2006), a portion of which is being used for the congregation’s new Preschool mission, under the faithful direction of Heather Thomason (January 2007.)
Throughout the decades, some tumultuous and challenging, the Lord Jesus has blessed the St. Paul’s Lutheran congregation in St. Clair Shores with faithful pastors who preached and taught the Word of God, and faithful members who served in His Kingdom to the glory of His Name.
Staff
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Gallery
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Opportunities for Members & Non-Members
- Sunday Divine Service – 9:30 am
- Sunday Adult Bible Class – 10:45 am
- Sunday Bible School (ages 3-17) – 10:45 am
- Weekday Preschool – TBD
- Adult Catechesis (God’s Word and Your Religion) – typically October – March
- Junior Confirmation class – Mondays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Junior Bible History class – two Tuesdays per month, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Men’s Bible Study and Breakfast – third Saturday of the month, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
- Wednesday Noon Prayer Service
- Wednesday Bible Class – 10:30 am – 11:30 am
- Baptism
- Holy Matrimony
- Funeral Services
- Youth Group – Sundays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, some Wednesday evenings
- Adult Lifelight Bible Class – Wednesdays 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
- Children’s Choir – Saturdays 11:00 am – 11:45 am
- Adult Choir – Thursdays 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
- Puppet Evangelism Troupe – Periodic Presentations
- Women’s Guild/Lutheran Women’s Missionary League – second Wednesdays, 12:30 pm
- Fun Night, children and adults – Periodic Fridays,
- Prime Time, adults
- Annual Easter Egg Hunt (8 days before Easter)
- Annual Pumkin Party
- Vacation Bible School
- Food Pantry – Thursdays 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
New Guests FAQs
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