God's Grace at Risen Savior

Abstract

Thad Bitter’s essay chronicles the first 20 years of Risen Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, highlighting the congregation’s growth, challenges, and enduring reliance on God’s grace. Founded in 1969 as a daughter congregation of Salem Lutheran Church, Risen Savior began with high hopes for rapid expansion in a developing residential area. However, demographic shifts, financial struggles, and fluctuating membership tested the young church’s resilience. Bitter details key milestones, including the construction of the church and parsonage, the installation of full-time pastors and teachers, the founding of a preschool, and the implementation of stewardship and evangelism programs. The essay emphasizes how God provided through unexpected blessings—such as the establishment of Luther Haven—and how the congregation matured spiritually and organizationally. The 1993 mortgage burning ceremony marked not just financial freedom but a celebration of two decades of divine provision and mission work. Abstract generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).