On the west side of Madison, just off Whitney Way on North Gammon Road, Lutheran Church of the Living Christ (LCLC) has shaped its identity around a single phrase: reaching out. From a sanctuary whose pipe organ anchors Sunday worship, to a thirty-five-year-old early learning center next door, to a sewing ministry that sends hundreds of quilts around the world, the congregation has built its reputation by taking its faith beyond the front doors of the building at 110 North Gammon Road. The church's own vision sums up the work in three lines: "reaching up to God in worship, reaching in to each other in love, reaching out to the world in witness."
Today the congregation is between pastors. Visiting preachers fill the pulpit, and Tom Konz serves as Pastor of Visitation, while LifeLight Bible Studies, Sunday School, the bell choirs, the early learning center, and the missions programs all continue on their regular rhythm. The work of the parish, in short, has never paused - and a first-time visitor stepping in on a Sunday morning will find a busy, multi-generational Lutheran congregation that is committed to Word and Sacrament, family, and service.
Worship Rooted in Word and Sacrament
Worship at Living Christ is liturgical and sacramental, reflecting the strong musical tradition of the Lutheran Church. The historic liturgy is rotated through a variety of musical settings, blending ancient forms with contemporary expressions, pipe organ with piano and other instruments. The practice is rooted in a conviction that Christ's presence meets the church in Word and Sacrament, and that the gathered people - young and old - meet him in one another.
Two Sunday services anchor the week. At 8:00 a.m., the 23-rank tracker-action pipe organ leads a more traditional liturgy for early risers. At 9:15 a.m., the larger and more musically varied service adds choir, acoustic instruments, a children's message, and personal prayer ministry offered during the distribution of Holy Communion. Both services celebrate the Lord's Supper, which the church confesses as a "means of grace" - an act of God that delivers forgiveness, life, and salvation won at the cross, and that depends on Christ's promise, not on the worthiness of the one receiving it.
The theology of the congregation is summarized in a single prayer: the Apostles' Creed. Living Christ confesses belief in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ, his only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, buried, descended into hell, raised the third day, ascended into heaven, and seated at the Father's right hand, whence he will come to judge. The creed also confesses the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. From these truths, the church says, the rest follows: that God loves his creation and so should we; that God loved us enough to send his Son to die for us and his Spirit to live in us; and that God has both a purpose for this life and a promise of better things to come.
The Music Program at the Heart of Worship
Music is described as "the heartbeat of worship" at Living Christ, and the program reflects both the Lutheran heritage and a willingness to learn from Christians around the world today. The Adult Choir rehearses Sunday mornings at 8:00 a.m. during the school year, then leads the singing at the 9:15 service and presents anthems drawn from the classical and modern repertoire. A bell choir rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. and rings on select Sundays; a second bell choir has been added and now meets on Fridays at 1:00 p.m.
The instrumentation is unusually varied. A Young String Ensemble, mixing younger players with experienced ones, contributes once a month. A brass ensemble rehearses and performs for special occasions. Proficient musicians are regularly invited to enhance worship, so the 9:15 service normally features instrumental, piano, and organ music together, while the 8:00 service remains anchored by the pipe organ alone. Many Sundays include a "Music Meditation" offered during the communion distribution - videos of which are collected on a dedicated page so those who miss a Sunday can still hear the music later.
Two Sunday Mornings, One Family
From the moment worshippers step inside, the building is built for hospitality. Greeters meet newcomers in the Fireside Room, the church's central gathering space, and point out the coat area, restrooms, and sanctuary. Ushers hand each visitor a worship folder and the "green sheet" that highlights what is coming up. Because the sanctuary is on one level and the Fireside Room looks directly into it, families with small children can step out and still follow the service.
The Sunday schedule looks like this during the school year:
- 8:00 a.m. - Traditional worship with the pipe organ.
- 8:00 a.m. - Adult Bible Study during the school year.
- 9:15 a.m. - Blended worship, the main service, with Holy Communion.
- 10:30 a.m. - Sunday School for children, youth, and confirmation students.
- 10:45 a.m. - Adult Bible Study, held in the upstairs meeting room.
- 4:00-5:30 p.m. - Youth Group meeting for grades 6-12, with a snack, an evening topic, and fellowship.
After either service, the fellowship continues in the Fireside Room over coffee, doughnuts, and conversation. Visitors regularly note that the congregation is "not a quiet group" - people catch up, laugh, and greet one another by name. The church offers assistive listening devices and large-print hymnals, and the building is fully ADA compliant; an elevator connects the worship level with the lower-level classrooms and gym.
Growing in Faith From the Nursery Through Confirmation
Family Ministry at Living Christ spans from birth through high school, and Sunday mornings are built to involve every age. The nursery is open but unstaffed during both services, and the worship service can be viewed on a screen in the Fireside Room and the nursery, so families can step out without missing the sermon. "All God's Children Sing," a music program for two- to five-year-olds, runs during the 9:15 service.
Sunday School gathers from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. during the school year, with classes for every stage. Little Lambs (ages 2 and under) introduces family faith practices, sensory play, and weekly Bible stories. Pre-K through fourth grade meets together for an opening, lesson, and rotating activities. Fifth and sixth grade do deeper dives into Bible content and begin early conversations about doctrine. Seventh through eighth grade follow a full curriculum, and high school students (grades 9-12) gather weekly for discussion of biblical and doctrinal topics with life and faith application.
The Confirmation program runs two to three years, beginning in seventh grade, and grounds students in Luther's Small Catechism. Fifth graders are invited to a four-week First Communion class on Wednesdays in October (6:30-7:30 p.m.), with First Communion itself celebrated on All Saints Day, the first Sunday in November. Each year, ninth graders meet three times (in September, January, and April) to talk about living out their faith and to prepare for the Rite of Confirmation, held the third week in May.
Vacation Bible School is a week-long summer outreach, with dinner at 5:00 p.m. and programming from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. for children preschool age 3 through fifth grade. Confirmation and youth students serve together with younger children during the week. Throughout the year, Sunday evenings also bring lock-ins with Concordia University Wisconsin, servant events at Camp Luther, retreats, service projects, movie nights, and outings like Slick City's slides, mini-golf, bowling, and Nerf wars.
The Living Christ Early Learning Center
Sharing the property with the church is the Living Christ Early Learning Center, a Christian preschool and daycare that has served West Madison, Middleton, and Verona for more than thirty-five years. The center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., accepting children from six weeks through five years of age. It is rated a Four Star Provider under Wisconsin's YoungStar program.
The mission of the center is to meet children's spiritual, social, academic, and physical needs through the sharing of God's Word each day in a loving, nurturing, and stimulating environment. All classrooms follow a Bible-based curriculum that mixes age-appropriate activities and free play. Small class sizes meet in large classrooms with degreed, experienced teachers; large outdoor and indoor play areas give children room to move; and each student leaves with a growth portfolio documenting their years at the center. Part-time and full-time schedules are available, including half days and full days, with a minimum of two full days or three half days per week. Limited scholarship funds are available, and the center accepts Wisconsin Shares Childcare Subsidy.
Field trips - including walks to nearby Walnut Grove Park - happen during the summer, and tours can be arranged by contacting Preschool Director Phaedra Serbus.
Bible Studies and Small Groups
Living Christ treats ongoing Bible study as a central part of the Christian life, and the schedule is rich:
- Sunday morning Adult Bible Study meets year-round at 10:45 a.m., with a second class added at 8:00 a.m. during the school year.
- A Men's Bible Study meets every Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. at Yola's Café, 494 Commerce Drive, Madison; the men are currently working through the Book of Romans.
- A Women's Bible Study meets Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. in the Fireside Room during the school year; both members and non-members are welcome.
- LifeLight Bible Study runs on Wednesday evenings, 6:30-8:15 p.m., for a nine-week intensive each fall and again in winter/spring. The format pairs short daily studies at home with a group discussion and a brief lecture by the pastor; the current study is the book of Hebrews.
- Small groups and short-term special studies arise as interest dictates.
Confirmation classes for seventh and eighth graders also meet Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. between September and April, and the LifeLight and confirmation ministries sometimes share the same Wednesday evening.
Quilts That Wrap People in Love
One of the most distinctive lay ministries at Living Christ is its Quilting and Sewing Ministry. The group gathers for fellowship on the second Sunday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in the family room and welcomes new helpers anytime. There are many tasks to fill, from cutting and ironing to sewing, and finished quilt-kits are available in the cabinets to the left of the Fireside Room fireplace for people who would like to sew at home.
In one recent year alone, the ministry produced 278 quilts. All fabric has been donated by members of the congregation and friends. Quilts are blessed, blessed again by the prayers stitched into each one, and distributed through an extraordinary range of partners: Living Christ Preschool welcome bags, Lutheran World Relief, Orphan Grain Train, graduates of the congregation, the Family Support and Resource Center of Dane County, Badger Children's Cancer Network, Agrace, Salvation Army, The Road Home, WayForward Resources, the Pregnancy Helpline, LAMP/Canada, River Food Pantry, Ronald McDonald House, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace in West Virginia. A quilt is always kept in the Fireside Room for anyone who knows of someone who would benefit from being wrapped in one.
"Reaching Out" Locally, Regionally, and Around the World
The vision of "reaching out" is the organizing principle for the mission work of the congregation. On the local level, Living Christ gives volunteer time, financial support, and donated quilts through a wide network:
- Triangle Ministry, an ecumenical ministry of presence that supports residents of the Triangle Community in body, soul, and spirit.
- Madison Community Garden, whose plots include space on Living Christ's own property for lower-income families to grow food.
- International Friendship Center, a ministry at UW - Madison that reaches international students through English as a Second Language classes, social events, and Bible study.
- Dane County Jail Ministry, in which the Madison Area Lutheran Council provides chaplains for the jail.
- WayForward Resources (formerly Middleton Outreach Ministries), a member church partnership that hosts one of the largest food pantries in the county and provides housing stabilization, emergency funds, and senior assistance.
- Living Christ Preschool, which welcomes many non-member families and is supported by a scholarship fund so that lower-income children from the neighborhood can attend.
- CareNet Pregnancy Center and The Elizabeth House, providing free counseling and a safe living environment for women facing unplanned pregnancies.
- Lussier Community Food Pantry, the most immediate local food resource for the surrounding neighborhood.
- Oakwood Foundation, a Lutheran-sponsored organization that serves older adults through faith-based, caring communities.
Regionally and internationally, the congregation keeps a small portfolio of long-term partnerships:
- A sister-congregation relationship with Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Borisoglebsk, Russia.
- Mission Central - Mongolia, supporting the Baker family as they minister to the Kazakh people.
- Mission Central - Uganda, supporting the Schempf family at the Lutheran Theological Seminary near Jinja.
- Camp LUWISOMO, a Christian camp and retreat center featuring youth, special-needs, and outdoor education ministries.
- Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots (LAMP), which takes the gospel to remote northern Canada through sports camps and Vacation Bible Schools.
- Lutheran Deaf Ministry, in which the church supports two men serving deaf communities in Madison and Milwaukee.
- Lutheran Hour Ministry (LHM), which produces the long-running Lutheran Hour radio broadcast, daily devotions, and evangelism resources.
- Lutheran Heritage Foundation (LHF), which translates and publishes catechisms and children's Bibles in languages people can understand.
- Operation Christmas Child, through which members pack shoebox gifts that are distributed by churches in more than one hundred countries.
All of this work flows from a shared conviction that Christians are witnesses to Christ's love - in word and deed - in their own Jerusalem, in their own Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Caring for One Another
Congregational life at Living Christ is sustained by an unusually intentional Care Team Ministry, part of the church's wider Health Ministry under Parish Nurse Coordinator Carol Zimmermann. Care Team Friends are trained members who share faith and encouragement with shut-ins and others who can't easily get to church, often bringing a little of Christ and his Church right into the home. Living Christ members also support one another with practical help: meals for those recovering from childbirth or a hospital stay, transportation when getting to a medical appointment is hard, and prayers offered privately during the 9:15 communion. A prayer team meets at the window overlooking the columbarium during communion; visitors and members alike can submit requests to be prayed for, either in person or through the prayer request form.
Sacred Seasons: Advent, Lent, and the Festivals
Advent and Lent shape the church year at Living Christ with special midweek services on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m., preceded by a fellowship supper at 5:30 p.m. in the family room. The Advent services use the Holden Evening Prayer; Lenten services often follow Jesus' words from the cross and include a Kids' Talk.
Other seasons bring their own traditions. Ash Wednesday includes an early afternoon senior service and an evening service with the Imposition of Ashes. Maundy Thursday is celebrated with the music and mood of a Jewish Passover and the Lord's Supper. Good Friday brings a Tenebrae service with the entrance of the cross, the Seven Last Words, and gradual extinguishing of light. Easter Sunday brings festival services at 8:00 and 9:15, preceded by an Easter Breakfast from 8:45 to 11:30 a.m. Advent closes with the Blue Christmas service, a brief time of readings, silence, and candlelight that ministers to anyone grieving a loss in the holiday season. Christmas Eve candlelight services at 4:00 and 5:30 p.m. are among the most well-attended services of the year, and a Christmas Day communion service is held at 9:15 a.m.
Planning Your First Visit
Visitors are warmly expected. Casual dress is the norm, and the coffee hour after either service is a good place to be greeted, sign the guest register, and meet a few faces. The upper-level guest parking closest to the main entrance is the easiest place to leave the car. Services last roughly an hour; the Fireside Room coffee hour afterward is often as long as the service itself. Anyone who would like to be contacted by the church can simply sign the guest register or send a note through the contact page; with a current pastoral vacancy, the Membership Coordinator in the Church Office (open Tuesday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., phone 608-829-2136) is the first point of contact for most inquiries about weddings, baptisms, funerals, or membership.
Whoever you are - whether you've worshipped in a Lutheran church your whole life or have never set foot in one - you will find here a congregation that takes seriously its calling to reach up, reach in, and reach out, and that means you when it does.