WHAT WE BELIEVE
Our Vision Statement
To invite with open arms, the seeking, the displaced, and the unchurched to grow in a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ and so become a new creation in Him through participation in distinctive contemporary worship and diverse small group ministries.
The vision is a sharpened and more focused statement of what we believe God is specifically calling New Creation Lutheran Church, Ottawa, Ohio to be about. In other words, the Vision Statement expresses the unique highlights of God’s call upon us. We want to be exceptional in our invitation to others to be part of New Creation (even expressed as having open arms). We want to be acutely sensitive to those in need among our communities (the seeking, displaced and those without a faith community to call home). We want to emphasize the fact that we are not a stand still congregation, but one that is intentional about a faith that is alive and on the move (growing). Critical to who we are and the faith we express is that we acknowledge whole-heartedly that God desires to be in relationship with us and the means of that relationship is His Son, Jesus Christ (a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ) is what we would highlight in our community.
Again, we speak about what it is that God brings about in us as we come to know Jesus (become a new creation). Finally, we believe that God has equipped us with two unique points of entry and vehicles for that transforming work in our lives that we are deeply and passionately committed to being involved in and supporting (distinctive contemporary worship and diverse small group ministries).
Finally, we get down to “brass tacks!” Below is our ACTIVE FAITH acronym which describes in detail what shapes our commitment to Christ and His Church. Our ACTIVE FAITH breaks down what a faith in Christ and a commitment to the mission and ministry of New Creation Lutheran Church looks like!
ACTIVE FAITH
A...………...………......………...... Attend Worship Regularly
C...…...………...…...…………...………....Communion Celebration
T...……...………...…...Telling Others of Christ In Your Life
I...……...…...………...……………….…...Invite Friends to Worship
V...……….....………...……... Volunteer Your Time & Talents
E...….. Encourage Growing as a Disciple of Christ
F...…...………...……...Fervent Prayer a Priority
A...….....Affirmation of Your Spiritual Gifts
I...……Investment in the Mission (Support)
T...……….…...Take Part in Covenant Renewal
H...………......…...Honor God In Your Daily Life
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OUR STORY
In mid-year 1988, Bishop James A. Rave of the Northwestern Ohio Synod (NWOS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) informally mentions noticing in his travels around the synod the nice community and county seat of Ottawa to NWOS Outreach Committee. He wondered if it might be an appropriate location to begin a mission development.
After extensive study, the gathering of demographic information and converstaions with many about the prospect of a Lutheran church in Ottawa, in June 1990, the Northwestern Ohio Synod Outreach Committee made a motion to possibly establish a new ministry in the Ottawa area, working in conjunction with a shared pastor from Trinity Lutheran, Findlay.
At a NWOS clergy conference, Pastor Ken Pollitz approached Marilyn Smith of the NWOS Outreach Committee asking for information about the mission site in Ottawa and indicating a possible interest in participating. Marilyn Smith reported this to Bishop Rave and things were set in motion for Pastor Pollitz to be considered for this Call.
Trinity Lutheran Church extends a Call to Pastor Pollitz to serve half-time as associate pastor of Trinity and the NWOS assigns him half-time as pastor-developer of the new ELCA mission in Ottawa. The Call was accepted by Pastor Pollitz, and he was introduced to the NWOS Assembly.
Pastor Pollitz and Linda Rae attended the Mission Developer Conference at the ELCA Offices in Chicago. There the name New Creation Lutheran Church was selected as the initial name prior to incorporation.
On July 21, 1991, Bishop James Rave installs Pastor Pollitz as part-time Associate Pastor of Trinity Lutheran. In August of 1991, the Pollitz Family moves to Ottawa, Ohio.
After much prayer and making himself known to the community government leaders, businesses, the school, and media, Pastor Ken began making house-to-house visits to the residents of Ottawa, distributing a brochure to introduce himself before planning the first worship.
The Ottawa-Glandorf school system graciously agreed to allow the worship services to be held in its high school auditorium each Sunday. Services began the first Sunday in April 1992 at the Ottawa-Glandorf High School. The church was chartered and incorporated on June 14, 1992.
After a number of years of growth and support from Covenant Members and numerous Mission Partner congregations, New Creation was placed in a position to consider purchasing property in or around the Ottawa area. After much deliberation and prayer, (not to mention some buying, selling, and buying, again) New Creation purchased eight acres of ground on the east side of town on State Route 224. Eventually, with architectural plans in place, on June 13, 1999, a team of seven retired couples, known as Mission Builders, rolled into Ottawa in their RVs and set up camp to serve as general contractors and help begin the construction of the new worship and ministry center. The couples came from Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia, California, and Ohio. The mission builders lived on site and began the construction of the 6,495 square-foot Worship and Ministry Center. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Psalms 127:1
After years of planning and prayer, ground breaking for New Creation Lutheran Church’s new Worship and Ministry Center took place on Sunday, June 20, 1999. The site of the ground breaking was at 8127 E. Main Street, Ottawa.
On Sunday, January 9, 2000, a large number of people attended the closing worship at OGHS auditorium. After a brief worship at the high school, an automobile procession led the way to the Worship and Ministry Center east of town for the first worship at the new location. Sunday, February 13, 2000, was the dedication Sunday for the NCLC Worship & Ministry Center. The service began at 4 p.m. followed by a catered meal at 5:30. Guest speaker was NWOS Bishop Marcus C. Lohrmann.
To the present, New Creation Church continues to strive to follow the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and reflect the vision of Pastor Ken and the Church leadership in reaching out into the community.
