Bishop Hutterer: Reformation Sunday and Living Hope's Legacy

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

— Isaiah 43:19

Traditionally, we view Reformation Sunday as both a time of remembrance as well as a renewed commitment to the transformative power of the Gospel. This year, however, Reformation Sunday carries an added weight, as Living Hope Lutheran Church in Las Vegas closes its doors after 75 years of faithful ministry.

As the Living Hope community gathers in their final worship service, we are reminded of the transient nature of earthly institutions, in contrast to the eternal promise of Christ's church.

Across the ELCA, and indeed across the country, many denominations are grappling with decline of the institutional church.

The stark reality of a closing church forces us to face many questions. What does it mean for us to be steeped in the tradition of a reforming church during such times? How does the Spirit call us to transform our very familiar structures and traditions in very unfamiliar and unprecedented challenges?

Living Hope's closure on Reformation Sunday underscores the poignancy of these questions. As people of the Reformation, we’ve never been strangers to change. In fact, our church is historically molded by change, and we can honor the saints that have gone before us by using these moments to ask what God is up to? The changes and challenges we face today offer us yet another opportunity to be on the lookout for how God is moving in these days.

In the spirit of Martin Luther and those who dared to reimagine the church in their time, I invite all members of our synod to engage deeply with these questions. How can we embody the principle of semper reformanda—always reforming—in our current context? How can we—in our local churches and ministries, in the Grand Canyon Synod, and in the ELCA at large—be the "new thing" God is doing, the way in the wilderness, the rivers in the desert?

Sunday, October 29, the people of Living Hope will gather in Las Vegas. With them, I invite you to give thanks for the ministry that has happened in that congregation, and for the people who have been fed and nurtured in the Christian faith in that location. May this not only be the end of era but a beginning of new opportunities for worship and service.

As we thank God for Living Hope and its 75 years of ministry, let us also remember that we are a people of the resurrection. Endings are always paired with new beginnings. Let us continue to embrace the reforming spirit of our heritage, and trust that God's promises remain sure even as the world shifts around us. I ask you to pray with me:

Eternal God, whose church is ever reforming, guide us in this season of change and uncertainty. Strengthen our faith. Renew our hope. Embolden our witness. As we face the challenge of closing doors, may we also see the open paths you lay before us. Help us be the bearers of your Good News in ever-new ways, and remind us always of your unfailing presence. In the name of the one who makes all things new, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.