Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, September 06, 2008
Joe Orso: Move brings LSS, synod’s mission and ministry even closer
Do you know where Lutheran Social Services in La Crosse is?
Even if you have its current address, 2350 South Ave., you’d likely miss it as you drive down the traffic-laden road looking for its tiny sign jammed between the names of other businesses in the Alexander Grant Center.
“We serve over 100,000 people in the two-state area, yet most people in La Crosse would probably have no idea that we’re here,” said the
Rev. Gary Grindeland, vice president of church and community relations for Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
That’s about to change.
This fall, the social service organization that aims to serve all people, not just Lutherans, will move into a new building that shares a parking lot with the La Crosse Area Synod office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The synod office, former home to Roth Flor-Mart, is next door at 2301 South Ave.
LSS will rent the space from the synod, which owns the building and is still renovating it.
With Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center down the road, the move creates a Lutheran corridor on South Avenue.
Bishop April Ulring Larson, whose staff moved into the synod office last December, hopes the move reflects to people the presence of Lutherans in the area.
“One out of every four Christians is ELCA Lutheran in this 10-county area,” said Larson, whose last day as bishop is Sept. 30. “I don’t think people, including Lutherans, have often been aware of what a large presence we are.”
When I asked what standing in a church on Sunday had to do with the work Lutheran Social Services does in the field, say, helping people with flood recovery, Larson began with the Gospel of Matthew.
“Probably the first text for us is that Matthew text,” she said. “Whenever you visit the sick, whenever you visit those in prison, you have visited me … You aren’t bringing Christ to that person. They are Christ to you.”
While the two organizations are incorporated with the government as separate entities, Larson said their action is one action. They plan to share a large sign outside their offices near West Avenue.
“God’s word is never simply speech,” she said. “Our understanding of the word is when God speaks, something happens. God doesn’t just stand out there and say ‘light’ and wish it into being. But when God speaks, light happens.”
Joe Orso works part time for the La Crosse Tribune and the Franciscan Spirituality Center. Opinions in this column are his own.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.