A Congregation on Johnson Avenue
Concordia Lutheran Church sits on Johnson Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids, a long-standing Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod parish shaped by a clear rhythm of Word and Sacrament. Its mission statement hangs over everything the congregation does: "Empowered by Christ's forgiveness, we worship Him, praise Him, and study His word. We nurture community members, and serve mission fields." The church is part of the Iowa District East of the LCMS, and it leans into that heritage with confidence.
Sunday Worship in Word and Sacrament
Sunday morning begins at 8:30 am with the principal service, broadcast live each week through Concordia's streaming channel. The style is liturgical, drawn from the Lutheran Service Book, and follows the historic pattern Christians have used since the time of the Apostles. The order centers on the Good News of forgiveness in Jesus, with readings, prayer, a sermon, and a creed recited each Sunday - usually the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed, with the Athanasian Creed joining the rotation on festival occasions.
Holy Communion is celebrated on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. Concordia teaches that in, with, and under the bread and wine the true body and blood of Christ are truly present, and that the sacrament is both a gift of forgiveness and a public confession of shared belief. Visitors who want to commune are invited to speak with the pastor before the service. On the 3rd Sunday of the month the service takes a more relaxed, contemporary turn, led by the Praise Team.
Learning at Every Age
At 10:00 am on Sundays, the Education Hour gathers adults for Bible study during the academic year, running from September into May.
Midweek formation happens through S.T.E.P.P. Up, Concordia's Christian education program for PreK through 5th graders, held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, September through May. The same Wednesday slot serves confirmation instruction for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, walking students through the catechism and into a public affirmation of their baptismal faith. Parents can enroll children by contacting Pastor Brown.
Music and the K.F.C. Puppeteers
Music carries a lot of weight at Concordia. The Jubilate Ringers, the church's handbell choir, rehearse on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the balcony, and the Praise Team - a drummer, guitarist, and singers - leads the monthly contemporary service and rehearses the Wednesday before each one. The music director welcomes new instrumentalists and singers who want to serve.
The congregation also keeps a beloved puppet ministry called the K.F.C. Puppeteers, whose videos - including "Sing Gloria," "We Are One (J-E-S-U-S)," "One Way Jesus," and "A Story Telling Book" - appear on the church's YouTube channel.
What Concordia Believes
Concordia confesses the historic Christian faith as Lutherans have handed it down. Members affirm the three ecumenical creeds and the truth of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons in the one God. The Bible is held to be the inerrant Word of God, the sole rule and norm for life.
Salvation is taught in the classic Reformation phrases: grace alone, faith alone, Scripture alone. Faith itself is a gift, created by the Holy Spirit through Word, Baptism, and Holy Supper. The congregation holds to the LCMS confession that God loves the sinful and rebellious people of the world and sent Jesus to suffer and die as the substitute for all, purchasing forgiveness and life for all who hear the Gospel and believe it.
Youth, Women, and the Weekday Calendar
Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm during the school year, giving middle and high school students a regular place to gather around the Scriptures and one another. Women's Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 7:00 pm, and a lighter weekly thread runs through the rest of the building: Holy Chair Yoga on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 am, an Irish class on Monday afternoons, and the Church Council meeting on Tuesday evenings. A monthly can and bottle drop-off turns recyclables into mission dollars, and Family Game Nights draw the wider parish together on occasional Saturday evenings.
Share and Care Preschool
Sharing the building and the church's life with the neighborhood is Share and Care Preschool, a developmentally appropriate Christian program for young children that treats each child as a gift and nurtures the whole child in a safe and loving atmosphere.
Staying Connected from Far Away
For members at home and anyone curious, the Sunday service is livestreamed each week, and recent worship videos are posted on Concordia's YouTube channel. Bulletins and monthly newsletters are archived online, including the current bulletin and the September newsletter, so visitors and members can read along at any time. The church's Facebook page and YouTube channel share announcements, music, and updates from the Puppeteers and Praise Team throughout the week.