Two downtown Joliet Lutheran churches building a vibrant ministry

JOLIET – Some churches today share a pastor. Other churches share a single space.

But First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Joliet also share a name and some ministries, in addition to the space and the pastor, the Rev. Keith Forni.

This is despite the fact that the church is two completely separate congregations.

“At one site we have the historic First Lutheran Church and the younger Santa Cruz Lutheran Church,” Forni said. “We have two congregations growing ever closer under one roof.”

First and Santa Cruz also is growing in its ministry. It is one of the last survivors in Joliet’s downtown that once boasted flourishing congregations.

“The Methodist church is the museum; the once gorgeous Christ Church is a parking lot, the Unitarian church is now condos, and St. Mary Carmelite has been vacant as long as I’ve been here,” Forni said.

Forni doesn’t foresee First and Santa Cruz succumbing to a similar fate anytime soon.

“There’s a lot of vibrancy,” Forni said. “That has to do with the young Latino families that are coming into their own realization that it’s time for them to step up in leadership and deeper involvement to sustain ministry in the heart of Joliet.”

An enduring presence

First and Santa Cruz celebrated the 25th anniversary of its first Santa Cruz liturgy in March, but celebration events were scheduled throughout the year, culminating in a dinner in December, Forni said.

However, First Lutheran Church also embraced the anniversary year. That church has an even longer presence in Joliet. The church began in 1870 with German- and English-speaking members.

“I tell them [the congregation] they have a multilingual past to build on,” Forni said.

In its early years, First and Santa Cruz used space at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Joliet, Forni said. It moved to First Lutheran Church in 2005, he added.

“I think, when we moved in, they had two teachers left and three students,” Forni said. “We had two teachers and 30 students. So it was a happy marriage.”

As single congregations, First and Santa Cruz each maintain separate budgets. In addition to sharing a Sunday school, the two churches will host mutual potlucks for certain feast days, some bilingual liturgies and ministry through its Blessing Bench Food Pantry.

On Sunday mornings, the church offers two Holy Communion liturgies. Although the 9 a.m. English service carries the tradition of First Lutheran, an increasing number of English-speaking Hispanics and African-American people also attend this liturgy, Forni said. The 11 a.m. liturgy is bilingual.

Between the services at 10 a.m., First and Santa Cruz offers an all-age Sunday school. This includes the new Spanish-language Bible class, Forni said. For the most part, the collaboration runs smoothly.

“That’s not to say there aren’t some tweaks and tensions that can arise. Both congregations have their traditions and patterns of doing things, and we’ve had to be mindful of each other,” Forni said. “Ephesians puts it this way: ‘Keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ ”

First and Santa Cruz’s outlook for future ministry is based on planning that began in February 1991, when Forni came to Santa Cruz Lutheran Church as a mission developer.

During the mid-1990s, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America looked at five Lutheran churches in Joliet to examine the possibility of partnerships or mergers, Forni said.

“The upshot after a couple of years was that everyone wanted to stay where they were,” Forni said, “with the exception of First and Santa Cruz.”

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IF YOU GO

WHAT: Sunday liturgy

WHEN: 9 a.m. English Communion service, 10 a.m. all-age Bible study, 11 a.m. bilingual Communion service

WHERE: First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church, 55 W. Benton St., Joliet

INFORMATION: Call the church office at 815-722-4800 or visit the First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church Facebook page.

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KNOW MORE

According to Rev. Keith Forni, First and Santa Cruz Lutheran Church.

• Currently has 20 students in its Communion/Confirmation classes.

• Weekly serve 50-plus households through its Blessing Bench Food Pantry.

• Will receive a visit from the newly elected Bishop Jeffrey Clement of the Northern Illinois Synod/Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on April 23.

• Hosts the Bilingual Ministry Resource Center, which supports Hispanic/Latino/bilingual congregations around the United States.

• Through the resource center, promoted the publication of a Spanish/English editor of Martin Luther’s “Small Catechism.”

• Again through the resource center, sponsors an annual parish ministry – Encuentro” – with participants and presenters from across the United States.

• Is a mission partner of in Lutheran Latino ministry initiatives in DeKalb and Chicago.

• Is a community service site for non-criminal, court-ordered workers and high school required volunteer service.

• Will offer an all-parish vesper service at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2 in honor of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple.

• Will offer an Ash Wednesday/Miercoles de Ceniza service at 7 p.m. March 1.

• Will offer a Lenten Soup & Service series at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning March 1 and continuing through Holy Week.

This article has been updated to correct the founding date of First Lutheran Church.