Beautiful Savior began as a mission church when in 1957 Pastor Herman Kuhlmann traveled to Bloomfield Hills from his church, Grace Lutheran Detroit, weekly to preach, baptize, and grow the new church. Last November the congregation celebrated its fiftieth anniversary with a special offering dedicated to one of its mission partners, Christ the King Lapeer.
BSBH has been a Mission Partner since Pastor MacClean in 1969 accepted the call from the fledgling congregation. The congregants were well aware they were a mission church that accepted help from other congregations, and they are eager to return the favor ever since. Partnering has been a tradition, a part of sharing what they learn from the gospel in the Great Commission to go forth and teach all nations, and love thy neighbor as thyself.
BSBH has partnered with at least eighteen congregations according to available records, and the amount of participation has varied. As an example, in 1982, they partnered with Truth Lutheran while in 1988 they partnered with Divinity Lutheran, Holy Savior, Zion, St. Martin, St. Olaf, and Faith Memorial. They also helped to fund ELCA ASOP (a summer program) and Lutheran Social Services.
A committee of the church members meets regularly to review requests received directly or from the synod office. The committee, as good stewards, monitors all the programs they are funding and in rare cases has fund it necessary to discontinue funding a particular program due to non performance. Recently a member of the church came to the committee and told of a church his mother attended that was having difficulty in paying current operating expenses and the Pastor's salary. His appeal eventually resulted in a new partnership with a church in the northern part of the Synod.
BSBH currently partners with four local congregations and one in West Africa. Due to BSBH support, a high percentage of their partners over the years were able to continue to do God's work, and a few are thriving. The congregation benefits because they know they are working in a local mission effort. They feel involved because they know who they are working with and can rejoice in the successes and work hard to prevent failures; BSBH participates in exchange of pulpits with their partners which gives a new perspective and understanding. A parishioner told this writer that the Partnership Program is hands on. It is real, the benefits are measurable and recognizable, not theoretical. They highly recommend that any congregation that is considering a partnership do so. The experience is enriching and joyful.
In 2008, BSBH is partnering with Christ the King Lapeer, Mother of the Savior Arabic Lutheran Church Dearborn, Peace Southfield, Salem Flint, and Gendabi Mbulu, Tanzania. BSBH also supports with volunteers and funds through The Matthew 25 Group which is dedicated to feeding the hungry (soup kitchen), healing the sick (drug and alcohol abuse) visiting those in prison (ex-convict support) and clothing donations (the naked). BSBH further supports the Emergency Assistance Ministry of Birmingham, Southfield, and Troy.
Bill Swasey
Special thanks to David and Marie Nordstrom
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