Lutheran Church of the Cross &
Christian Preschool
(949) 837-4673, fax 829-0215
24231 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637
Lutheran Church of the Cross &
Aliso Viejo Christian School K-8
(949) 389-0300, fax (949) 389-0383
1 Orion, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Click here to download Lutheran Church of the Cross Constitution as a pdf file.
What is a Lutheran?
Lutherans share a common faith with other Christians. They accept the Bible as the true source of Christian love, guidance, and doctrine. They accept the same ancient creeds. But they also proclaim God's message by emphasizing justification by faith, teaching that a person is not to live according to a formula of do's and don'ts, but in the freedom of Christian love, and not confusing law and gospel.
What is a Lutheran church?
A Lutheran church is a confessional church that acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the Bible as revealing God's will. A Lutheran church is an ecumenical church (in most cases) that works for the unity of ALL Christians. A Lutheran church is a visible church where Christians gather together to hear God's Word. And a Lutheran church is an invisible church made up of all those people together who are saved by faith in Christ as Savior.
What are the teachings of a the Lutheran Church?
The Lutheran church teaches that:
The Bible is the Word of God-absolute truth and shows God in action.
The Savior, Jesus, died to save the world from sin.
The Church is all those people who sincerely accept and believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The Creeds are statements of belief, not additions to the Bible and summarize the Bible's teachings.
God is one God in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
A person is justified (saved), not through merit but only by God's grace, through faith.
Baptism, a sacrament, establishes new life in a person and remakes him or her in God's spirit.
Religion and Science are not in conflict. Religion talks about the "who," the creator; science talks about the "how."
Man and Woman were created by God in holiness, but sinned (rebelled). We cannot by our own powers come back to God.
Repenting means sincerely regretting one's sins and asking for Christ's forgiveness and guidance.
The Lord's Supper, a sacrament, is the Body and Blood of Christ borne by bread and wine in Holy Communion.
A Christian's unity with fellow Christians is rooted in Christ as God and Savior.
God's law demands perfection of heart, through, word and deed. Whoever disobeys is a sinner.
Faith is a confessed sinner's acceptance of Christ as Savior.
Prayer is a Christian's sharing of thought with God--communication with God.
Religious education of the young is the responsibility of home and church.
Sins are the failures of people to live their lives in trust toward God. They are evidenced in thoughts, words, and deeds.
Conversion (spiritual rebirth) is the bestowal of faith in Christ as Savior.
The Spirit of Evil has many names in the Bible and is the enemy of God and the church.
Separation of church and State is ordained by God and provides two arenas of work for Christians.
The Gospel, the teachings of Jesus, offers grace to everyone and will save those who believe in its promises.
Sanctification (holiness of life) follows conversion, but total holiness is possible only after entering eternal life.
Death does not sever a believer's relationship with Christ.
Marriage is intended for life.
Basically, Lutheranism teaches that a person is saved only by the grace of God through faith in Christ.
What are the three ancient "CREEDS" of Christianity Lutherans adhere to?
The Apostles' Creed: This is the oldest summary of Christian belief. It tells the basic principles of the Bible. It's used for general confession and religious teachings.
The Nicene Creed: It states basic beliefs about God; God is Triune--three persons in one. It also tells about God's works in the world.
The Athanasian Creed: It summarizes the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It emphasizes the importance of Christ, who is true God and true human in one person.
How do Lutherans worship ?
The Bible is the basis of Lutheran worship. Generally services retain the traditional order: liturgy, candles, cross, altar, vestments, hymns, psalms, sins confessed (private or public), and the Lord's Supper celebrated. But renewed stress is placed on the preaching of God's Word reminding us of God's truths and kind works among people.
Attending church services regularly helps strengthen one's faith in community.
What two sacraments do Lutheran churches celebrate?
The two sacraments the Lutheran church celebrates are Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Baptism is the death of sin in us and our rebirth into a holy life--Christ's life. The Lord's Supper is a Christian's DIRECT encounter with God. Christ's body and blood are truly present and received "in, with, under" bread and wine. Christ again comes among us to forgive our sins and help us to live truly Christian lives.
How can one become a member of a Lutheran Congregation?
One can become a member of a Lutheran Congregation by one of the following ways:
Transfer--from one Lutheran congregation to another. Instruction in a pastor's class or a confession of faith is sometimes necessary.
Baptism--for adults who, after instruction in the faith, publicly state faith in Christ, loyalty to Christ's church, and promise to lead a Christian life. Baptism is also for persons not previously baptized in the name of the triune God.
Affirmation of Faith--for a person already baptized and confirmed in a Christian church, who publicly promises faith and loyalty to Christ and to live a Christian life. Instruction is usually required.
What happens at Confirmation?
Confirmation affirms and strengthens baptismal promises. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we knowingly choose to be disciples of Jesus and confirmed MEMBERS of His church.
Christian Church, Christian Preschool, & Christian K-8 School in Orange County, CA
The Christian churches, preschool and K-8 school of Lutheran Church of the Cross and Aliso Viejo Church of the Cross serve the communities of Aliso Viejo (AV), Laguna Woods (LW), Laguna Hills (LH), Lake Forest (LF), Laguna Beach (LB), Laguna Niguel (LN), Irvine, East Irvine, Tustin, Tustin Ranch, Newport Beach (NB), Corona Del Mar, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo (MV), Ladera Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita (RSM), Coto De Caza, Dove Canyon, Trabuco Canyon, Portola Hills, Foothill Ranch, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, San Joaquin Hills, San Juan Capistrano (SJC), Capistrano Beach, Dana Point (DP), San Clemente (SC), and the Surrounding Areas of beautiful South Orange County (OC), California.