what does it mean

Being 'Lutheran'

Christ Our King is a member of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS).  We are a community of Christians striving to grow in the knowledge and the love of Jesus, our Savior, and to spread the Good News of salvation to the world around us.

  • We believe in a truine God

    We believe in one God who created all things. He has revealed Himself as our Father, His Son Jesus Christ and as the Holy Spirit. He is love, full of mercy and grace, and is worthy of our worship and praise.  We teach and respond to the love of the Triune God:  the Father, creator of all that exists;  Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God’s Word and Sacraments.  The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.


    To learn more about The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) website:   https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs

  • lutheran confessions

    We are a confessional church,  which means we remain true to the formal statements of faith which were agreed upon in the sixteenth century, then gathered and published in a single volume in the year 1580, called the Book of Concord.   We accept the Lutheran Confessions as articulated in the Book of Concord and believe the following:

    • We believe in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
    • We believe that the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant Word from cover to cover.
    • We believe that Jesus bore the punishment of our sin and made us right with God and that those who ignore or reject Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from God, while those who believe and trust in Him will live forever in heaven. 
    • We believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, and that through faith in Him we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation.   
    • We believe that Christ's blood given and shed for you.  
    • We accept the Lutheran Confessions as articulated in the Book of Concord of 1580 because they are drawn from the Word of God. 
    • We believe that through the Word and Sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, the Holy Ghost is given and works faith for the forgiveness of sins.
    • We believe that a Christian demonstrates his faith by showing love toward God and others.  

    To learn about Who We Are and What We Believe from The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) website: https://www.lcms.org/about/beliefs

  • Our History

    In the fall of 1978, Pastor Dan Wurster began the Lord's work in Saline by accepting the call as a missionary-at-large. The first church service was conducted in February 1979, at the local U.A.W. hall.


    Christ Our King was chosen as the official name in March 1979. A 5.45-acre parcel of land was purchased in June of that year. This piece of property would become our current church site. In September 1981, Pastor Kenneth Huner was installed as Christ Our King's first pastor. 


    A milestone in the congregation's life was the ground-breaking ceremony for the church building in August 1984. The sanctuary was dedicated to the glory of God in April, 1985.  On Sunday, September 21, 1986, the congregation broke ground for the education wing addition.


    On January 31, 1993, the congregation called Thomas L. Schroeder of St. John’s Lutheran Church in New Boston, Michigan to be its pastor. The call documents were signed by then President Steve Mueller and Vice President Jim Heinold. Rev. Randall Shields was the interim pastor at the time, a professor at Concordia, Ann Arbor.


    On February 24, 1993 Pastor Tom accepted the call to Christ Our King, his installation took place on May 16, 1993. He was installed by Rev. Parke Frederick of St. Paul Ann Arbor and the proclamation that day was Rev. Barry Sommerfield from Trinity, Sturgis, Michigan.  


    In March 2001 we kicked off a major building addition entitled "A Hope and A Future" and on February 23, 2003 the congregation dedicated 8 classrooms, a gymnasium (FLC), offices, youth room, and expanded Sanctuary.


    Pastor Dean Wachholz (retired) and Pastor Don Kirchhoff have served as Associate Pastors under Pastor Tom.  Pastor Tom served faithfully as our Senior Pastor until his retirement in December 2020. 


    In February, 2021 the congregation called Joseph Polzin, who served in a dual-parish (Trinity Lutheran Church in Gaylord, MI and Mt. Hope Lutheran Church in Grayling, MI) to be our Senior Pastor. The call documents were signed by President Steve Frederick, Vice President Chris Chapin and Secretary Haley Buckmaster.


    In March 2021, Pastor Polzin accepted the call to Christ Our King and his installation took place on May 23, 2021.  He was installed by Pastor Thomas Schroeder of Christ Our King Lutheran Church in Saline and the sermon that day was given by his brother, Pastor Lewis Polzin from St. Peter–Immanuel Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI.


    When Christ Our King was established in 1979, it served 47 members with an average Sunday attendance of 44. Today, the total baptized membership is 544 with an average attendance of 265.