Who We Are
In the broad sense, we're a Christian congregation. In the narrower sense, a Lutheran one. If you're not familiar with Lutheranism, or Christianity for that matter, this can seem rather confusing. Let's see if we can clear it up for you.
Christianity centers around Jesus Christ. Please check out "Who is Jesus?" on the LCMS website for an excellent answer to this question.
Lutheranism began during the 16th century in the small university town of Wittenberg, Germany. A professor at the University of Wittenberg, Martin Luther, had some disputes with the Roman Catholic Church concerning salvation. Luther's points of debate were posted on the church door in town. This list became known as the Ninety-Five Theses. The posting of the Theses is known as the starting point of the German Reformation. It eventually led to several churches breaking away from Roman Catholicism. Those who followed the teachings started in Wittenberg were called "Lutherans" by their detractors. What was intended as an insult became an accepted label. The first president of the LCMS, C.F.W. Walther, wrote an excellent article about the name Lutheran back in the 1840's. Others who broke away in Germany and other European countries became known as the Reformed.
German-speaking settlers came to America and brought their faith with them. The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod is only one of many Lutheran groups in the United States. You may wish to check out an article on the history of the LCMS.
With all of the denominations in the United States there is still much confusion today regarding what the differences are between the various church bodies. As alluded to on our What We Believe page, much of American Christianity is in a state of confusion. Most Christians don't know the differences between themselves and their Christian neighbors. A recent article explored this with a specific focus on Lutheranism.