What is Rejoice Lutheran Church?

Rejoice! Lutheran Church is much more than a set of numbers on a parochial report, but the numbers do attest to successful efforts at being the church in this time and this place. God has blessed the congregation with good leaders, good stewardship, and effective worship. Located in suburban Omaha, Rejoice! sits on 3.7 acres of land with good access to traffic and a great reputation in the community.

THE PEOPLE:

As is the case everywhere this congregation is more than a pretty and functional building, it is a dedicated group of individuals seeking to do corporately what they cannot do individually. While membership spans the full spectrum of ages, Rejoice! members are on average a decade younger than its counterparts in other Lutheran congregations. In keeping with that statistic, Rejoice! has a youth and family ministry that is a model for others. There are numerous opportunities for worship, service, education, and fellowship.

Rejoice! members are more likely to have come from other denominations than your typical Lutheran congregation. This rich diversity helps make Rejoice! a welcoming place.

THE WORSHIP:

Rejoice! worship services might best be described as “blended.” The typical worship service fits somewhere on the spectrum between “traditional” and “praise.” There are numerous vocal and instrumental groups that add to the richness of the experience. Sermons are carefully timed due to the back to back schedule. The Eucharist is celebrated each week at every service.

THE STAFF:

We have two tenured pastors who share worship leadership and who give guidance to the various areas of ministry found in the congregation. Both have been at Rejoice! for some time, and have been instrumental in the congregation’s growth in membership, worship attendance, and stewardship. We also have a called Associate in Ministry who directs our youth and family ministries.

Presently we are in the process of calling another Associate in Ministry to direct our Educational Ministries.

THE STEWARDSHIP:

Rejoice! is a generous congregation. In addition to meeting its annual benevolence commitment, Rejoice! separately funds benevolent activities at the local, state, national, and international levels. Members feed hundreds of families Thanksgiving meals, actively participate in Habitat for Humanity, work camps for youth and adults, Christmas gifts for the less fortunate, labor for meal services at homeless shelters, clothing and quilts for those in need. The list goes on and on.

THE VISION:

Rejoice! began as a transplanted “mission congregation” and continues to value the need to be a congregation in mission. Rejoice! is seeking to expand the mission of the church by developing a West Omaha ministry site. The congregation seeks to honor its tradition while innovatively addressing the needs of the present and of the future.