A Place to Belong on South Arlington Heights Road
Faith Lutheran Church sits at 431 South Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The congregation is part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and describes itself in this way: "Faith Lutheran is a church that partners with Christ in the building of His Kingdom. We invite you to be part of a church that builds faith, hope, and love in the lives of people." The vision is to bring children and families to the love and care of Christ, and four values shape life at the church: Scripture, service, compassion, and God's family.
Scripture is the Divinely inspired Word of God, providing hope, inspiration, and guidance through continuous study and engagement. Service means fulfilling the needs of people by loving them the way Jesus loves. Compassion means showing the love of Jesus through sharing God's grace with others. God's family reflects Jesus' sacrifice for the entirety of humanity and the welcome the church extends to all people, just as He welcomes them.
Sunday Mornings at 10:15 AM
Worship is held Sunday mornings at 10:15 AM in person at the church. Services are also livestreamed on Facebook, where the congregation shares notifications when services go live. Past services are saved to the church's Facebook page under the videos tab, allowing those who could not attend to watch on demand later in the week.
The Sunday service follows the historic LCMS liturgy, with the pastor preaching the Word and guiding the service. Music is a defining feature of every gathering. Music ranges from traditional hymns to more contemporary Christian songs of today, with the Word of God messages given by the pastor as guides for spiritual growth and faith sharing. Before the sermon, children are invited forward for a special "Children's Good News" message, a children's sermon designed to help young hearts engage with the Gospel.
Worship typically runs about 45 minutes and concludes around 11:00 AM. Members and visitors often linger for fellowship after the service.
Music Ministry: Choir, Bells, and Blended Worship
Music carries a central role at Faith Lutheran. The chancel choir is an adult vocal ensemble that sings regularly as part of the 10:15 AM Sunday worship and is integral to the special music of festival services. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and meets briefly before Sunday services to warm up and prepare. The King's Ringers bell choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:00 PM and plays about twice a month at Sunday services. No prior ringing experience is required to join the bell choir.
The music team is led by Music Director Jim Vyhanek. Rachel Petersen also serves as a musician. Soloists frequently offer special music at festival services throughout the year, and the choir and bell choir combine for special events. Inquiries about joining or supporting the music ministry can be sent to music@faithlutheran-ah.org.
Wednesday Bible Study and Ladies Bible Class
Bible Study gathers on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM. The hour-long study is open to anyone in the church or the wider Arlington Heights community who wants to engage more deeply with Scripture. A separate Ladies Bible Class meets on Monday evenings at 6:30 PM, giving women of the congregation a regular time to study, share, and pray together. Both studies are free and open to newcomers.
Lutheran Women's Missionary League
The Lutheran Women's Missionary League is a long-standing women's organization at Faith Lutheran, open to new members year-round. The local LWML group meets on the second Saturday of every month at 9:00 AM. Through LWML, women of the congregation bring the love of Christ to the wider community and organize service events for the church, ranging from salad festivals and Christmas luncheons to mission-focused planning meetings. Barbara Quinn chairs the LWML ministry.
The Women's Missionary League supports mission grants and outreach projects both close to home and around the world, giving the women of Faith Lutheran a structured way to put their faith into action through fellowship and service.
Men's Bowling Ministry
Men of Faith Lutheran gather around a sport they love. The men's bowling ministry invites men of the congregation to share in the love of Jesus and the sport of bowling through a regular bowling league. Ray Gross leads the ministry. The bowling schedule is communicated to members through the church office, offering a casual way for men to build friendships outside the Sunday service.
Rainbows: Walking With Children and Adults Through Grief
Rainbows is an international grief-support program that meets at Faith Lutheran for children and adults who are experiencing loss. There is no cost to attend. The local group is facilitated by a team of caring adults, including Joan Ahr, April Gibson, Gilda Karu, Anna Marie Yates, Eva Mullinax, and Joan Henning, and is coordinated by Anna Marie Yates. Meetings take place on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM during the program season.
Rainbows gives children, teens, and adults a safe place to share their stories, process their feelings, and find hope in the company of others who understand. The program is open to anyone in the area who is grieving, whether they are members of the church or not.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls for people in need of comfort, blessing each one with the prayer: "Through the power of prayer in the warmth of this shawl, may you feel God's comfort and love from us all." Members of the congregation gather periodically to work on shawls together, then deliver the finished shawls to people who are grieving, ill, or otherwise in need of encouragement. The ministry is a quiet but steady presence at Faith Lutheran, providing a tangible reminder of God's love and the congregation's care.
Summer Community Supper
During the summer months, Faith Lutheran opens its doors for a weekly Summer Community Supper on Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM. The supper brings neighbors and church members together around the table for a shared meal and fellowship. The Summer Community Supper has become a regular rhythm of hospitality at the church, drawing people from across Arlington Heights together for an evening of food and conversation.
Becoming a Member of Faith Lutheran
Becoming a member of Faith Lutheran begins with baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, followed by attendance at a membership exploration class. The congregation expects its members to learn by studying God's Word as individuals and as a community, to live out a faith that shows others how to follow Jesus, and to love others by sharing how Jesus transforms their lives through service and personal story.
Members are invited to hear the preached Word, join the community of fellowship, mature as Christians through Christian education, and share their spiritual gifts to the glory of God and the edification of humankind. The four core values of Faith Lutheran, Scripture, service, compassion, and God's family, shape what members can expect and what they are invited to grow into as part of the congregation.
Anyone interested in learning more about membership can contact the church office. Visitors who would like the pastor to reach out personally can complete a "Pastor to Call" request online.
Staff and Lay Leadership
Pastor Travis Schmidt serves as the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church. Jim Vyhanek is the Music Director and Rachel Petersen serves as a musician.
The congregation is led by a Board of Directors made up of elected officers. John Schnittker serves as Congregation President, Bob Hameetman as Vice President, Joe Pegoraro as Treasurer, and Rich Poppert as Secretary. Board Directors include Sue Poppert, Lynn Zahour, and Diane Bakker. Ministry leaders include Tom Molitor and Cindi Swanson for the Trustees, Judy Otis for the Altar Guild, Ruth Schnittker for the Women of Faith ministry, and Anna Marie Yates for Rainbows.
Faith Lutheran also operates a preschool in conjunction with the church, serving families in the Arlington Heights community. Inquiries about the preschool can be directed to the church office.
Voice of Faith Newsletter and Staying Connected
Voice of Faith is the congregation's monthly newsletter. Members and friends of Faith Lutheran can request a copy by contacting the church office. The newsletter carries news, announcements, and stories from the ministries of the church.
The church's events calendar is updated regularly with worship services, Bible studies, fellowship opportunities, and seasonal events. The calendar can be subscribed to through Google Calendar or exported as an .ics file, putting worship services and other gatherings on a phone or computer automatically. The church's Facebook page carries live stream notifications and event updates, and the church also maintains a YouTube channel.
Life Events at Faith Lutheran
Faith Lutheran hosts baptisms, weddings, and funerals for members and their families. Those interested in hosting one of these life events at the church are invited to call the church office at (847) 253-4839 to discuss the details and schedule a date.