Indian village christ lutheran church

Vision and Mission
* Vision: To be a vibrant center of spirituality where diverse people gather together in the name of Christ to share life abundantly.
* Mission: To follow the example of Christ to reach out and empower all people through worship, education, fellowship and service.
History
The congregation was organized in April of 1911, and worshiped in a rented church on Canton and Kercheval in Detroit, Michigan. One of the first actions taken was to purchase for $1,000 the corner lots of Iroquois Avenue and Waterloo (now East Vernor) as a site for the future church home. That same year the parsonage (pastor's house) was built. Consisting of ten rooms plus a library-study separated from the rest of the house. The congregation was fortunate in having both a fine architect and a skilled builder as members. Louis Keil designed the house and Henry C. Malow built it. It was completed at a cost of less than $5,000. In 1979, it was used as a movie set for the CBS film "Jimmie B and Andre" starring Alex Karas and Susan Clark.
In 1913, Mr. Keil and Mr. Malow teamed up once again to design and build the church sanctuary. In one of his traels abroad, Mr. Keil had seen a European church that caught his fancy, and used it as a model for his design. The cost of the church building unfurnished and without the organ came to $25,000.
In 1928, the congregation purchased the lot adjoining the parsonage, moved the parsonage to the new lot next door, and added the parish house to the church building. Beckett and Akitt designed the parish house, and Clarence Figel was the builder. This unit consists of Classrooms in the basement; offices, lounge, and fellowship hall on the first floor; a full gymnasium and a large kitchen on the second floor; and locker rooms on the third. the parish house was built as a cost of $98,000.
During 1986, as part of its 75th anniversary celebration, the congregation implemented a program of refurbishment, including interior and exterior painting, new carpeting, and the rebuilding of the 1921 Austin pipe organ. Just prior to the anniversary festivities in May of 1986, ten of the stained glass window panels were stolen. Two days later they were returned intact and reinstalled in time for the Jubilee Worship.
The congregation established the Indian Village Childcare Center in 1990. It serves children 2½ to 5 years of age. In 1992, the congregation entered into partnership with Cornerstone School. The basement was remodeled as a cost of $310,000 to accommodate classes for grades K-5.
In 1995, the congregation undertook a restoration program at a cost of $200,000. The sanctuary tower, roof, windows exterior were restored along with improvement to the parking lot.
In 2011, the congregation celebrated its centennial of continued service to the community.
In 2012 the church was apart of the movie "Sparkle".
Church Design
In Keeping with medieval architectural tradition the floor plan of the nave is cruciform (in the form of a cross), reminding the worshiper that the sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus Christ, for the sins of the world is central to the faith.
Stained glass windows came into vogue about the 12th century with the advent of buttresses in church construction. This transferred the weight of the roof onto the buttress, making the wall weight-free and providing a "screen" for depicting events and symbols of the Christian Gospel. In an age when few people could read, the pictures in the windows of their churches became the "Bible of the Faithful".
Symbols used in the Church
* Alpha & Omega (Christ, Beginning & End)
* Angel (God's Messenger)
* Book (The Holy Scriptures)
* Chalice (Holy communion)
* Cross (The Finished Redemption)
* Circle (Eternity, Perfection)
* Dove (Holy Spirit, Peace, Purity)
* Eagle (St. John the Evangelist)
* Grapes (Holy Supper, Promised Land)
* I.H.S. (Our Lord)
* IVY (Faithfulness, Memory)
* Lamb (Our Lord, Meekness, Sacrifice)
* Lily (Purity, Resurrection)
* Lion (St. Mark the Evangelist, Courage)
* Winged Man (St. Matthew the Evangelist)
* Oak Leaves (Strength, Eternity, Force)
* Winged Ox (St. Luke the Evangelist)
* Palm (Triumphal Entry, Martyrdom)
* Quarterfoil (Four Evangelists)
* Rose (Messianic Hope, Love, Our Lord)
* Stars (Six-Pointed, the Creation)
* Sword (St. Paul the Apostle)
* Trees (Eternal Life)
* Vine (Our Lord, the Church)
* Wheat (The Lord's Supper)

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