New Promise
Thriving Utah congregation is truly a home for members
The Promise of a New Home Fulfilled
About a millennium ago, all over the southwestern United States, Native Americans built simple, functional dwellings out of clay in the cliffs that surrounded the tributaries of the Rio Grande and the Colorado River. These communal habitations were built on ledges in the canyon walls, in areas now known as Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. They provided shelter and defense for the peaceful agricultural communities that lived inside. When the inhabitants weren’t working hard, becoming experts on irrigating the verdant river valleys below their structures, they worshipped together, in cavernous chambers that let in light, blending seamlessly with the natural beauty of their surroundings.
Flash-forward 1,000 years. In St. George, Utah, New Promise Lutheran Church stands tall and proud, an exquisitely crafted modern interpretation of these ancient Pueblo structures. Staying true to the tradition that inspired its architectural style, New Promise congregants gather here to worship, but also to roll up their sleeves and work together in ministry – from hosting quilting events for Lutheran World Relief, to providing comfort, support, and resources to people living with AIDS and HIV. Today, New Promise is much more than a building. For the members of this thriving new start congregation, it is truly a home.
For New Promise, the journey home began in the mid-1990s, when a small community of St. George Lutherans found their way to each other in an area that was predominantly Mormon. They began to gather each Sunday for worship just about anywhere in town that was available. With limited resources, the founding members of New Promise met in rented spaces around town: the basement of a Baptist church, the second floor of a popular restaurant in town, and even a storage unit. Their first pastor left after only 10 months, at which point, a pastor in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, named Luther Anderson received an unexpected call.
“When I first learned about New Promise,” recalls the now retired Rev. Anderson, “my first reaction was, ‘Where?’ followed quickly by, ‘No.’ I was very comfortable where I was. But God’s call comes from many different angles. After much reflection, I realized this was my path.” In November 1997, the pastor sold his house, packed up his family and made his way southwest to St. George.
At that point, the fledgling flock of New Promise numbered approximately 50. They were renting a two-sided storage space with a modular wall in between so that smaller groups could meet. It was spartan to say the least, and the pastor quickly realized that part of his call would include finding the community a home they could call their own. Thus began the first of two three-year capital campaigns, coupled with a customized outreach strategy to grow the numbers of the congregation.
Pastor Anderson led the congregation in the largely grassroots recruiting campaign. Enthusiastic members of New Promise worked overtime to take out small ads in the Yellow Pages, put up notices at coffee shops and grocery stores around town, and reach out with personal invitations to spread the word. Any initial contact was followed up several times. The outreach leaders came up with a novel concept: the “Four-Minute Cookie Visit.” Members of the congregation prepared folders of information about New Promise – not to mention dozens upon dozens of fresh-baked cookies. When people called to express interest they would engage them in dialogue, and then within hours or a day, follow up at their doorstep, dropping off materials and a package of cookies in person.
A strategy that appealed to what Pastor Anderson calls “the famous Lutheran sweet tooth” started to work. Soon, after raising enough interest and money on their own, they felt ready to contact the Mission Investment Fund for help with their new start. They got in touch with the Mission Investment Fund’s Building Consultant Carol Schneider, who worked with them to find and finance the purchase of land on which they could build.
While New Promise was growing throughout the late 1990s, so too was St. George. With spacious golf courses and Las Vegas just two hours away, it was quickly becoming a sought-after retirement destination. And with rising popularity comes higher-priced land. It took the expertise and experience of someone like Carol to navigate the high-growth market, helping New Promise to secure and finance the perfect piece of land for $170,000. When they found out at the time of closing that the land had appreciated in value to $600,000, they knew they had found the right spot.
But their efforts were just beginning. It would take eight years, two capital campaigns, the help and involvement of the surrounding community, and a Mission Investment Fund loan to fully grow what New Promise called “The Building Fund.” By 2001, they had raised enough money to begin planning the building. New Promise leaders visited other newer churches in the surrounding area for inspiration and ideas. They wanted a building that would be functional to serve their growing ministry while also integrating with the geographic landscape. As Pastor Anderson said, “We weren’t a typical small congregation, and we weren’t looking for the classic little white church in the valley.”
On one such scouting mission, the building committee stumbled upon a new church about 40 miles away designed by an architect named Ward Dawson. This church stood out from other modern churches they had seen. The unique style, evocative of the adobe dwellings of the Pueblo, seemed to reflect the values of a hardworking, peaceful people that used the structure. They hired Dawson to begin work on New Promise.
Carol helped lead the building committee through hiring engineers and contractors who had the experience and capabilities to work on the innovative design. And over the period of time that the church was being built, so too was its ministry. Even before they had their home, New Promise opened Dove Center, a women’s shelter that hosted events like the Lutheran World Relief quilting day. They reached out in fellowship to their Mormon neighbors and worked to build a sustainable ecumenical relationship for the benefit of the community. And they got actively involved in supporting the local population with HIV and AIDS, organizing an annual candlelight vigil in a nearby park in honor of World AIDS Day.
By the time the New Promise home was ready on May 11, 2007, New Promise was a strong congregation of over 200 members and very active in the community. Today, the growth has continued, and 350 members strong call the Pueblo-inspired church their “home.” Here, they use a main worship space that is reminiscent of Native American ceremonial chambers – yet equipped with state-of-the-art media and sound system. The building also features offices, a nursery, Sunday School classrooms, and a fellowship hall that seats 200 and provides a flexible space for multi-functional uses, from meetings to celebrations.
There is drama in the details as well. A local metal sculptor and son of an active member created a unique pulpit and lectern design, and later alter candleholders and an exquisite baptismal font to match. Those who enter the church walk past the font, whose flowing waters represent the life-giving waters of baptism. The building itself is surrounded today by classic Southwestern landscaping that complements its Pueblo style.
Before retiring in 2008, Pastor Anderson took a moment to reflect on his decade with the New Promise congregation, and how much the new start has accomplished in its first 10 years. “This incredible building came to be because of the hard work and unique spirit of the New Promise community. My role was one of encouragement and support. It was truly our congregation’s determination, vision, and faith that made it all come together.”