County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: Bieker Rd, one block East of Highway 47 and 2 lights South of 100 in Washington
Phone: (636) 239-0554
Pastor: Rev. James W. Rhiver
This stainless steel cross sits in the front yard of this small Lutheran church. It was paid for by the donated bricks at its base. There are 28 bricks, as this is a small congregation.
The cross itself is polished stainless steel, and stands about 10 feet tall.
"On July 25, 1985, a group of LCMS Lutherans met for worship in the basement of the Optometrist’s Birkmann & Sumner building to discuss forming another LCMS congregation in the town of Washington, MO. We met every Sunday following until we decided to purchase 10 acres of ground just south of the town city limits as the site of our future church. Faith would be our outlook and our new name.
"We were first served by Dr. Quentin Wesselschmitt, a professor at Concordia Seminary, and William Zastrow, a student at the Seminary at that time. Our first pastor was Rev. David Hilgert. In 1988, the Laborers for Christ volunteers built our small church on the hill overlooking the southern part of Washington, 4190 Bieker Road (later changed by the city to 1008 Bieker Road). The dedication of Faith Lutheran Church was held in May of 1989.
"Pastor Hilgert retired in 1993. After a vacancy of 17 months, Vicar Dennis Schmelzer, along with this wife, Trace, and son, John, served his year of vicarage at Faith. The following year, 1994, we tendered him a call which he accepted. Pastor Schmelzer is a graduate of a colloquy program at Concordia, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
"Our congregation is small with 110 communicants, but is family oriented. We sponsor a tuition program for our families with children who attend Immanuel Lutheran School in Washington. This program pays the difference between Immanuel’s member and non-member school tuition.
"Our worship service is held every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. with Holy Communion every second and fourth Sunday of each month. Sunday School and Adult Bible Study follow at 10:30 a.m. Special services are held for Lent and Advent on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. with soup suppers preceding some of these services. Other special Church services are held throughout the year, such as Ascension Day and Reformation Day.
"Faith Lutheran Church is a congregation of friendly, loving members and our pastor preaches and teaches the true Word of God as told in the Holy Bible." ~ History of Faith