On a quiet stretch of Sunset Lake Road on the eastern edge of Fuquay-Varina, Abiding Presence Lutheran Church has been a steady presence since 1990. The congregation describes its life together with a single phrase: "Living God's love." That motto shows up in the way members plan worship, the way they walk beside grieving neighbors, the way they hammer nails alongside families moving into new homes, and the way the church has opened its building to a preschool that now enrolls children in five classrooms.

A Sunday Morning at Abiding Presence

Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. and is described by the congregation as "welcoming, casual, rooted in meaning, and grounded in grace." The single Sunday service blends contemporary and traditional elements. A volunteer Praise Band leads with acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums, keyboard, and additional instruments, weaving together older favorites such as "Sanctuary," "Thy Word," and "Shout to the Lord" with newer songs from Christian radio. The Chancel Choir and Chime Choir also serve in worship throughout the year. Words to prayers, hymns, and the liturgy appear on large screens on either side of the altar so the whole room can follow along.

Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday. The table, the church teaches, is God's, not theirs, and all are welcome to receive, including children. Ushers guide the congregation forward, and a gluten-free option is always available, along with red wine and white grape juice. The service includes prayers, Scripture readings, a children's sermon, and a sermon. Congregants typically stand for prayers and singing and sit for the announcements, children's sermon, and sermon.

Children are visible from the start. Activity bags with crayons and coloring books hang in the Fellowship Hall for small hands, and a "prayer-ground" at the back of the sanctuary offers a children's table and quiet toys. A Children's Sermon invites kids forward every Sunday, and Children's Church is offered for Pre-K through 2nd grade after the children's message. The service closes with the children leading the dismissal: "Go in Peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God." Afterward, the congregation gathers in the Narthex for coffee, goodies, and fellowship.

Sunday School follows worship at 11:00 a.m. and runs from September through May. Once a quarter, the regular classroom format gives way to Sunday Fun Day, a cross-generational hour designed for the entire church to learn together through hands-on activities and conversation.

From Living Rooms to Sunset Lake Road

Abiding Presence began the way many Lutheran mission starts do, with a pastor and a Bible study. In November 1990, Pastor Craven Ford and his family moved to Fuquay-Varina to develop a new congregation. A first interest meeting at the Fuquay-Varina Woman's Club drew fifty-four people on March 21, 1991, and a weekly Bible Study began in the Ford home the next month. The first worship service was held at Fuquay-Varina High School on May 5, 1991, with 166 people attending.

The congregation's charter was opened for signatures on September 8, 1991, with 103 people signing on that day, and the congregation was officially organized on October 18, 1992. Pastor John Weinbach began his ministry in August 1994, and in July 1995 the congregation received approval from the Division for Outreach of the ELCA to build a church. Groundbreaking came in February 1997, and the building on Sunset Lake Road was completed and dedicated on April 18, 1999. The community has grown alongside the town over the past three decades. Appleseeds Preschool held its first class with six students in October 2000, God's House of Rock was dedicated as a youth building in December 2005, and a sanctuary and fellowship hall expansion was completed on November 11, 2008.

Rev. Dr. Keith Copeland served as intentional interim pastor beginning in October 2018. Pastor Kim Carlson was called in February 2020, and Pastor Emily Graff joined in a part-time role in August 2024.

A Lutheran Faith Centered on Grace

Abiding Presence is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), part of the North Carolina Synod. The church describes itself as rooted in a tradition that grew out of a sixteenth-century reforming movement within the Catholic Church and has always been focused on God's grace, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit in everyday life.

The congregation's own statement of values names four commitments. It is grace-centered, holding that "we are saved by grace through faith, not by our own efforts," and that questions and doubts are welcome along the way. It is an inclusive Christian community, "regardless of race, ethnicity, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, socioeconomic status, nationality, immigration status, political affiliation, and all the many identities and experiences that make us who we are." It practices participatory worship, believing that worship is something the whole assembly does together, not a performance to watch. And it pursues generous service, choosing to be "God's hands and feet" through time, talents, and resources. The mission is summed up in three words: to Live God's Love through Engagement, Growth, and Generosity.

Growing Faith for Children and Youth

Children and youth are described as "a vital part of life at Abiding Presence," and the church has built a layered ministry around them. The Mustard Seeds ministry serves children from Pre-K through 5th grade. Children's Church gathers Pre-K through 2nd graders after the children's message for an age-appropriate lesson, and they return to their families at the Sharing of the Peace. Older elementary children meet after worship from 11:00 to 12:00 for Bible stories, activities, and games.

Middle and high schoolers belong to Compass Point, a ministry that meets in God's House of Rock after worship from 11:00 to 12:00. Compass Point blends faith formation, fellowship, and what was previously the Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation) program. Students preparing for confirmation walk through WayPoints, Lutheran-specific classes and experiences that are usually completed over two years. The Journey youth group gathers a couple of Sunday evenings each month for dinner, devotions, service projects, local outings, and ELCA and Synod youth retreats. The congregation is also beginning preparation for the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering, "Imagine More," in Minneapolis.

Adults in Faith and Fellowship

Adults at Abiding Presence have several ways to grow and connect. Adult Sunday School meets from 11:00 to 12:00 between September and May for discussions that rotate with the season and current events. The Fellowship (Inreach) Ministry plans game nights, movie nights, karaoke, talent shows, and other gatherings that build community. Men gather in two groups: Men's Mission, which meets once a month for a meal, fellowship, and service planning, and Breaking Liquid Bread (BLB), a monthly men's night out at a local restaurant. Women gather as M&Ms (Marys and Marthas) on the first Thursday of each month, also at a local restaurant. Older adults belong to the OWLS (Older, Wiser LutheranS), which meets the first three Wednesdays of the month at the church for coffee and dessert and heads to a restaurant for lunch together on the fourth Wednesday.

Caring for One Another

The church's caring ministries are organized around listening and presence. Stephen Ministers provide one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community who are going through difficult times, and they can be identified on Sundays by their name tags. A GriefShare support group, a thirteen-week video-and-discussion program, is hosted at Abiding Presence several times a year, and the church also coordinates Meal Trains for families in challenging seasons and Home Communion for members who cannot easily come to the sanctuary.

Hands Extended to the Wider Community

Outreach at Abiding Presence runs through a monthly Zoom meeting where new ideas and partnerships are shaped. Among the regular commitments are the Angel Tree at Christmas, Backpack Buddies that send food home with students at Ballentine Elementary School, Migrant Dinners prepared for farmworkers, the Ronald McDonald House pantry partnership that stocks refrigerators and shelves at the Durham house during Lent, an Adopt-a-Highway cleanup, the Trunk or Treat Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving Meals. The church also participates in the CROP Hunger Walk, supporting both international development and local food pantries.

Habitat for Humanity of Wake County is a major partner. Volunteers have built walls and worked on homes in the Hope Grove neighborhood in Garner, and additional build days are scheduled each year. The church also lists Camp Agapé (a local Lutheran camp and retreat center at Kure Beach), Family and Community Empowerment Services (FACES), Hope for the Triangle (a coalition of ELCA congregations in the region), and the ELCA Mission Investment Fund among its ongoing partnerships.

Music as Shared Ministry

Music is described as "a vital part of Lutheran worship" and is offered at Abiding Presence as a shared ministry. The Minister of Music directs both the Praise Band and the Chancel Choir and supports instrumental ensembles throughout the year. The Praise Band leads contemporary music in the Sunday service with guitars, drums, keyboard, singers, and additional instruments, rehearsing on Sunday mornings. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings during the school year, offering hymns and liturgy each week and choral anthems for special services. The Chime Choir also rehearses on Wednesday evenings and prepares hand chime offerings throughout the year. Volunteer musicians play violin, flute, guitar, bass, trumpet, and cornet, and the church is always eager to welcome new singers and instrumentalists.

Appleseeds Preschool

Appleseeds Preschool is a ministry of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, founded in 2000 to nurture young hearts and minds in a caring, faith-filled environment. The preschool describes itself as a Christian program emphasizing academic excellence, social development, and spiritual awareness. It currently offers five classes: Two-Year-Olds, Three-Year-Olds, Four-Year-Olds (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), Four-Year-Olds (Monday through Friday), and a Five-Year-Old Transition Program. All classes meet from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The preschool is led by Bria Barber, who came to early education after working in healthcare and fell in love with the classroom.

The Building, the Garden, and the Labyrinth

Abiding Presence's campus on Sunset Lake Road includes the main church building and God's House of Rock, a separate youth building. The church also maintains a Columbarium and Memorial Garden for the interment of cremated remains and for quiet remembrance. The garden includes a labyrinth for meditation, with instructions posted for anyone who wants to walk it.

Planning a First Visit

Parking is available at the back of the church, with reserved Visitor and Handicapped spaces in addition to general parking. The front doors are reachable by steps or a wheelchair ramp, and the building is fully accessible, with flexible seating in the sanctuary that can accommodate wheelchairs.

When you come through the front doors, you enter the Narthex, the casual gathering space at the entrance, with the sanctuary doors directly opposite. A greeter will welcome you, and you can sign a guest book near the door or fill out a Connect Card found in the chair pocket during worship. A bulletin of announcements is available as you approach the sanctuary, and first-time visitors can pick up a welcome gift on the way out.

There is no dress code. Most people wear casual to business casual attire, and on any given Sunday you may see suits, shorts, and flip-flops side by side. Ushers can help you find a place to sit; the sanctuary has flexible seating and can accommodate whatever configuration you need.

Worship is also livestreamed on YouTube and on Facebook, and an archive of past services is available for those who want to take a look before coming in person. Giving is available online through the church's secure Breeze giving platform at Give Online.

The Team

The congregation is led by Rev. Dr. Kim Carlson, who was called in February 2020 after serving as a redevelopment pastor in Elizabeth City, NC, and before that in Kendall Park, NJ. She came to ministry as a second career after years as an assistant research professor of biomedical engineering at Duke University and holds a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School, a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Washington, and a B.S.E. from the University of Michigan. Vicar Kirsten Beth Starr serves as Director of Youth and Family Ministries while completing a Master of Divinity at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University as a candidate for Word and Sacrament ordination. Amanda Klusman directs the congregation's music ministry, and Bria Barber leads Appleseeds Preschool. Donna Watkins serves as Church Administrator and is the first point of contact during office hours, Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.