Land Acknowledgement:  We acknowledge that our church is located on the traditional territories of the Neutral, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee people. Our ability to be living, working and worshipping here now comes as a direct benefit of policies of expulsion and assimilation of Indigenous peoples during the time of settlement, Confederation, and since. The harms of these policies are many and are still being felt in Indigenous communities today. Land acknowledgements are just one small expression of our commitment to forming alliances and solidarity with Indigenous peoples to help make the promise and challenge of Truth and Reconciliation more real in our communities.

National Church:  Faith Lutheran Church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), which itself is a member of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). LWF represents 75.5 million Lutheran Christians in 99 countries around the world. The ELCIC is also a member of the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. The ELCIC National Office is in Winnipeg, MB and is led by our National Bishop, the Rev. Dr. Susan C. Johnson.

Eastern Synod:  We are members of the Eastern Synod, which is one of five synods of the ELCIC, consisting of 182 member congregations with 50,000 baptized members. The territory of the Eastern Synod extends from Sault Ste. Marie, ON to Halifax, NS. The Eastern Synod office is located in Kitchener, ON. The Bishop of the Eastern Synod is Rev. Dr. Michael J. Pryse.

Ministry Area:  Eastern Synod is made up of seventeen Ministry Areas. Our church is a member of the Bay Ministry Area, a group of five Lutheran congregations: Holy Cross Burlington, Trinity Hamilton, (Trinity is a newly formed congregation arising out of the amalgamation of St John, Faith, Grace and Transfiguration churches in Hamilton), Christ Latvian Hamilton, Redeemer Fisherville and Faith Brantford, striving to work together In Mission for Others. The Dean of the Bay Ministry Area is Rev. Thomas F. Mertz.

Our History:  Planning for a Lutheran church in Brantford began as far back as 1868. Faith Church began as St Matthew’s Evangelical Congregation on February 7th, 1904 with a membership of 17 adults and 10 children. Services were held in German in the morning and in English in the evening. From 1940 to 1953, St Matthew’s was in a Parish relationship with Bethany Lutheran Church in Woodstock, sharing a pastor and other resources. In April 1952 a new building at 57 Brant Avenue was dedicated as the new home of St Matthew’s. In 1964, a mission congregation called St Peter’s was established on a property at King George Road and Oxford Street. In 1978 the two churches voted to reunite under the name Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in the former St. Matthew’s building at 57 Brant Ave. A number of additions to the building were made over the years to accommodate various needs and the congregation continues to meet in that building to this day. For more detailed history of our church please contact the church office.

Our Beliefs:  As true children of the Reformation, we proclaim that salvation is solely a gift of God’s grace, active through faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and not through our own doing. We practice a liturgical style of worship. The communion table is open to everyone, as it is the Lord’s table, not the Lutheran church’s table nor the congregation of Faith’s table. Since 2001 the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada has been in a full communion relationship with the Anglican Church of Canada.

Invitation:  All are welcome at Faith Church. We believe that our unity is found in our common faith in Jesus Christ, and our diversity is celebrated through the manifestation of the Spirit’s many gifts. Come, and be a part of God’s family with us!

Updated July 2021