Who We Are

What’s Our Saviour Lutheran Church All About?


Our congregation’s primary occupation is the preparing of sinners for the Last Day when Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. Preparing for that day is ultimately what the Christian faith is all about. Jesus died on the cross of Calvary 2,000 years ago to save this world of sinners from an eternity in hell. The everlasting benefit of His sacrifice is received by individuals through faith.

What is faith?

Martin Luther defined faith as “a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it.” Furthermore, he writes that “faith is God’s work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God (Saint John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers.” We believe that God works through the ministry of our congregation to bring sinners to faith, nurture them in that faith, and keep them in that faith unto life everlasting. That’s what Our Saviour Lutheran Church is all about.

Our Difference Is the Difference!

Perhaps what is first noticed by the visitor to Our Saviour is that the “style” of worship is much different than that which is found in many other churches these days. As a church of the Lutheran Confession of the Christian faith, we follow the worship philosophy of Martin Luther, who firmly believed in a conservative approach to liturgical revision. At the time of the Reformation, he made no radical changes in the worship life of the people, but rather retained as much as possible from the historic forms. His basis for evaluating liturgy was always the Gospel. If something in the liturgy obscured the Gospel or confused its meaning, it was eliminated or revised in such a way that it directed people to Christ and the forgiveness of sins.

In keeping with this way of thinking, we at Our Saviour have retained the historic form of the Divine Service as the main Sunday service. Modern innovations which may appeal greatly to our emotions or reason or “the spirit of the age,” but which misdirect hearts away from Christ, have no place in the worship of Our Saviour Lutheran Church. Externally, what this means is that there are no emotionally charged “praise choruses” sung at Our Saviour, no sermon series designed to meet “felt needs,” no new liturgy every week—nothing, in fact, to keep worshippers entertained. In comparison to other churches where these things and others like them are the weekly fare, Our Saviour may, at first glance, seem to be stuck in the past, or even stodgy and dull. That assessment, however, is about as far from the truth as possible.

Substantive and Serious?

Rather than being dull, stodgy or stuck in the past, the worship at Our Saviour is substantive and serious. It is substantive in that it is filled from beginning to end with the real meat and potatoes of Christianity. There is no fluff or filler. Everything is directed toward Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. The worship at Our Saviour is serious because eternity, sin and grace, heaven and hell are serious matters. We take it very seriously that we sin against God in thought, word, and deed and that, on our own and because of our sins, we would be headed for an eternity in hell. We take it very seriously that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, suffered and died on the cross to forgive us our sins so that we would not be damned, but have everlasting life. We take it very seriously that Jesus Christ comes to be present among us in the worship of our church so that He might forgive us. Frivolity has no place in our serious worship, but joy does, as do peace and contentment and hope.

The Three Solas

Key to understanding the Lutheran difference, as expressed at Our Saviour, is what is known as the principle of the three solas: Sola Gratia, Sola Fides, and Sola Scriptura—or, in Englsh: Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Word Alone. The first two of the solas come from Ephesians 2:8-9: “for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We believe that salvation and eternal life come to us solely as a gift from God because of His grace or love for us. It is totally undeserved by us. It is all God’s doing. Faith, which enables us to receive this gift and trust in it, is also a gift from God. To this, “Word Alone” is added, for it is through the revelation of God to us through His Word that we are made wise unto salvation. Human wisdom or knowledge apart from God’s revelation may serve the purposes of God, but must never be the basis for our lives. God’s Word is the infallible, never-changing norm for all doctrine and practice.

Word and Sacrament?

Often times the phrase, “Word and Sacrament” are used to describe the kind of ministry that takes place within the Lutheran Church. The Word, as previously noted, is the Word of God by which He reveals His grace, mercy and love for us poor sinners. This Word is no mere book or dead letters printed upon a page, but the living Lord Himself, Jesus Christ. Saint John 1:1&14 states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Through the preaching of the Word, the Incarnate Word, Jesus, comes to us to speak peace and forgiveness to our hearts. In addition to the Word that is preached, there is the “Visible Word” or the Sacraments. The Sacraments are the very special and holy means, instituted by Jesus for His Church, by which He is present among His people for the purpose of giving us forgiveness, life and salvation. In Holy Baptism, Jesus works to free sinners from their bondage to the devil, cleanse them of their sins, and make them a part of His kingdom of grace. In Holy Absolution, the Lord Jesus responds to the sincere confession of the believer and through the pastor, declares the believer to be forgiven. And speaking through the pastor in Holy Communion, Jesus declares that the bread and wine used in the Sacrament are His true Body and Blood. He gives us Himself to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins.

The Divine Mystery

No one can understand how mere bread and wine can be the Body and Blood of Jesus. Likewise no one can understand how simple water and the speaking of a few words in Baptism can do such great things or how it is that Jesus speaks His life-giving word to us through the voice of a pastor. This is why these things are called Divine Mysteries. However, while these things are beyond our understanding, they are not beyond our believing. We believe that when Jesus says of the bread, “This is My Body,” that it really is His true Body, the same body that was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died, rose again and ascended into heaven.

How can we believe this?

Because Jesus says it. In the beginning He said, “Let there be light,” and it was so. Now He says, “This is My Body…this is My Blood,” and it is so. Faith believes because it is Jesus Who says it. The primary purpose that Jesus comes into our midst and speaks His Word is to give us the forgiveness of our sins. We come to church to receive His gracious forgiveness, for it is this and this alone which will preserve us in the true faith as we strive toward the Christian goal of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. If you want a place for socializing, join a club. If you want a place to voice your social concerns or political ideas, join a political party. If you want to go someplace where someone will make you feel good about yourself, go to a spa or join a support group. If you want to experience heaven, that is, the resurrection of your body and the life everlasting, then Our Saviour is the place for you.

We welcome you to come and have the blessings that we have.

We Are In Fellowship with: 

Our Savour Lutheran Church is a congregation of Lutheran Church-Canada and as such, are in altar and pulpit fellowship with every congregation in LCC and also with other congregations that belong to church bodies that are in fellowship with Lutheran Church-Canada. Most significantly, we are in fellowship with congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Prior to 1988, Lutheran Church-Canada congregations were congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The formation of LCC was based primarily on the need to underscore our Canadian identity to better be able to deal with agencies of the Canadian government.

To be in fellowship with another congregation or church body is a formal relationship based on agreement of all matters of Lutheran doctrine and practice. There are other church bodies and congregations that identify with the name “Lutheran” who take a differing approach to understanding God’s Word and putting it into practice that places them outside of fellowship with us.

Members of other congregations in fellowship may, upon speaking with the pastor, receive Holy Communion at Our Saviour.

We Are Confessional

Our Saviour Lutheran Church is a confessional Lutheran congregation. What this means is that we hold to a “quia” (Latin for “because”) rather than a “quatenus” (Latin for “insofar as”) subscription to the Book of Concord. We believe that the confessional statements comprising the Book of Concord are a true exposition of the Word of God that present the teachings or doctrines given in God’s Word in an ordered, systematic fashion. Those who maintain a “quatenus” subscription believe that not everything in our Lutheran Confessions is in accord with Scripture, leaving everything up to subjective personal opinion.

Being a confessional Lutheran comprises not merely an agreement in principle with all that is stated in the Book of Concord, but also an agreement in practice. It is a “walking the walk” as well as a “talking the talk.” We, therefore, embrace the historic liturgical practices of the Lutheran Church and promote a full sacramental life within our congregation.

Being a confessional Lutheran is, at a most fundamental level of understanding, keeping Christ at the centre of everything. Just as all of Scripture points to Christ, so does the worship at Our Saviour. It is not about the things that we do, but all about what Jesus has done and continues to do for us.

We Are Liturgical

Our Saviour makes use of a hymnal called Lutheran Service Book that contains liturgies or orders of worship, hymns, psalms, and prayers.

“Liturgy”, derived from the Greek, leitourgia (literally, service), defined as service given freely or obligatory, on behalf of the state, the private sector, or a divinity.” In the New Testament the word is applied to the service of Christ (Heb. 8:6) and of Christians for other people (Phil. 2:30). Gradually the word was applied to the worship prescribed by Mosaic Law and eventually to the Christian celebration of the Eucharist (Holy Communion). Today the word refers to any official form of public worship, although the use of The Service or Divine Service as a designation for the Eucharistic celebration is a more appropriate translation of liturgy.

Lutherans still understand liturgy as the “service of God” (Gottesdienst). God serves His people through Word and Sacrament and in this divine service they receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation from God. The liturgy keeps God’s people centred on the truth that in worship God is the One Who “does”—the One Who acts—while the people are the ones who receive. In thanksgiving for what God has done for them and continues to do for them through our Saviour, God’s people respond with their words and acts of praise and adoration.

Within the liturgy, the Pastor serves as more than just a “worship leader” or a “representative of God.” God has chosen him to be the means through which He speaks to His people and the means by which His grace is administered. In a very real way, the Pastor, according to his office, is an extension of God. The Early Church called the Pastor an “icon” or image of God.

While the Pastor has a unique part to play within the liturgy, so does the congregation. Members of the congregation actually have a dual role to perform. As true receivers of God’s grace, they must be totally passive, allowing God to be the Servant. But then as responders to God’s grace, the congregation is most certainly to be active in their participation. In their singing, confessing, and praying there is no room for anything but fully active and involved participation. For example, the Prayer of the Church matters nothing without the assembly’s “Amen” at its conclusion. It is their prayer!

The hymns that we use in our services of worship serve a very important part in our lives of faith—probably a more important part than many of us may think. Luther said that “next to theology, music is the highest art.” The hymns that we sing in worship serve to educate us and focus our thoughts primarily upon our Saviour and the way of salvation. Their use is not intended for the purpose of entertainment, although, our Lutheran hymnody, when properly sung, is a source of great enjoyment.

When we contrast the hymns contained in our Lutheran Service Book with many of the “snappy” hymns being sung in other churches, we find some major differences in the areas of doctrinal content and music.

Our hymns may be described as “heavy” or “meaty” because of their high doctrinal content. Our hymns teach the faith of our Lutheran Church. They give us a great deal of substance in the beautiful poetry of their texts.

Many hymns from other denominations are either lacking in this doctrinal substance or contain teachings that are in conflict with the Word of God. Many of the “old favourite” Gospel songs were written from a theological perspective in which key truths of our faith are denied or confused. For example, the song, “In the Garden,” may appeal to our sentimental side, but the message it gives is that Jesus communicates or deals with us apart from His Word or the Sacraments—not to mention the fact that the song nowhere really teaches the Gospel message. Other songs that are classified as “Praise Songs” contain little or no theological substance at all. These songs are designed for the sake of entertainment, not education or real spiritual development.

The music of Lutheran hymnody is, musically speaking, of the highest quality. In addition, the composers of our hymn music were careful to write the music so that it would serve the text and not distract the worshippers from the message being communicated. Lutheran hymns are sometimes criticized for only reflecting a narrow northern European background, but the reality is that the hymns of our hymnal, both words and music, come from a wide-ranging background. As well as originating in Germany and Scandinavia, some of our hymns come from the early Church in Italy, Greece, France or North Africa and some come from England and North America.

Rather than act as servant to the text of the hymn, the music of Gospel songs and “praise songs/choruses” used in other church bodies acts as master, overshadowing and obscuring what the hymn text attempts to communicate. The music of Gospel songs is very sentimental, appealing to the emotions of people. “Praise song/chorus” music is often much like pop music playing on a top 40 radio station.