Who We Are?

We're About Relationships

Since 1956 Faith Lutheran Church has been a place where families have gathered to receive God’s gifts and to be connected with fellow believers in Jesus Christ. It has always been the goal at Faith to strengthen our relationships with Jesus, fellow Christians, and with pre-believers around the world. Our mission statement reflects this as we seek to faithfully live every relationship in God’s way. God’s way guides us to put Jesus first in everything. Also, important are the relationships we have with those in our homes, our church and in our world. In Jesus we receive forgiveness for our failings, guidance for the future, and joy for each day….living out our relationships in His way.

What We Believe

We believe in one God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Father – Created all things out of nothing in six days (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 33:6&9, Hebrews 11:3). He continues to be actively involved in His creation by sustaining all things and providing us with everything we need in our daily lives (Hebrews 1:3, Psalm 145:15-16, 1 Peter 5:7).

The Son – Jesus Christ is true God and true man (1 John 5:20, 1 Timothy 2:5). We believe that Jesus is our only Savior from sin, eternal death and the devil, and that, through faith in Him, He grants us eternal life (John 17:3, John 3:36, 2 Timothy 1:12, Romans 10:10).

The Holy Spirit – in not merely the power or energy of God, but He is also true God with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit brings us to faith in Jesus, so that we might have the blessings (forgiveness of sins and eternal life) that are ours by faith in Jesus. In addition he works renewal in our lives that we might live lives that are pleasing to God (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Titus 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, Galatians 5:22-23).

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired, infallible Word (John 10:35, Mark 8:38, John 14:26, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) and is relevant to all people in every age. There, God tells us that all people have sinned and are in need of Jesus Christ as their Savior (Romans 3:23).

…that because of His incredible love for us Jesus died for us and for all people, including you (John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:15-19, 1 Timothy 1:15).

…that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we have forgiveness of sins as a free gift of His grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 4:25, Ephesians 3:8-9).

…that we receive God’s grace through:

His Word, the Gospel (Romans 1:16)
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:38-39, Titus 3:5-7)
The Sacrament of Holy Communion (Matthew 26:28, 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Colossians 1:22, 1 John 1:7, Romans 12:17)

To discover more about what we believe, we invite you to join our “What’s FAITH?” class. Sessions of 6 weeks each meet in the Fall and Spring. For more information call the church office at (810) 694-9351.

Worship Information

Our worship times are as follows:

Wednesday Night Worship

Our Wednesday evening mid-week service is relaxed and informal, featuring multi-media and modern praise music performed by a variety of musicians. The sermon is designed to be interactive and engaging, as the pastor leads you in exploring Bible readings for the coming week.

5:30-6:00 pm: Family supper with our Faith family (September-April)
6:00-7:00 pm: Bible Study for all ages (September-April)
7:00-8:00 pm: Worship (informal, come as you are)

Sunday Mornings @ 8:15 am & 10:45 am

Our Sunday morning worship is a blend of the ancient and modern, featuring multi-media, organ, choirs, hand-chimes, and other instruments as we join together in praising our Lord.

Holy Communion is celebrated at every service.

Service times may differ at Christmas and Easter.

Sunday Mornings @ 9:30 am

This is our Bible Study and Sunday School hour.

Bible Study and Sunday School for all ages.
Coffee and treats are available in Heins Hall during the school year.

How Do I Become a Member of the Faith Family?

So, you’ve been attending Faith for a while and now you’re ready to take the next step and become an official member of our family…..but aren’t quite sure how to go about it? Well, whether you’re new to the community, looking to transfer from another congregation, or ready to join a church for the first time, you’re more than welcome here at Faith – Grand Blanc! The good news is that becoming a member is not a difficult process. Here are the key steps to take:

Talk to a Pastor: The first thing to do is schedule a meeting with one of our pastors. For one thing, it’s a great way for us to get to know one another, and it will help us to learn how we can better serve you. To schedule an appointment, simply call the church office at (810) 694-9351.
“What’s FAITH?” Class: Whether you’re a life-long Lutheran or new to the faith, it’s important to have a good understanding of what we believe, and why we believe it. In 6 sessions, you’ll learn who God is and what He has done for you in Jesus Christ. You’ll also come to learn about such things as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper – all from a Lutheran perspective and, of course, solidly grounded in God’s Word – the Bible. This class will also provide you with an opportunity to meet key members of our staff, introduce you to the many programs and service opportunities offered here at Faith, and help us get to know how we can best serve you. Once you’ve completed this class you will be able to talk to one of the pastors about your desire to join the Faith family.
Are You Baptized?: Holy Baptism is one of God’s greatest gifts to his children. It’s the means by which God acts to bring us into His family, claims us as His child, and forgives our sins through the washing of water and God’s Word. If you have not yet been baptized be sure to let one of the pastors know so that we can impart this wonderful blessing to you.

Our Staff

Pastor Jeffrey Heimsoth
Intentional Interim Pastor

Pastor Jeff grew up on a farm in Missouri, taught math at a Lutheran high school for 3 years before entering Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO. He graduated in 1987 and he has served in Michigan ever since. He served in St. Johns for 25 years and Monroe for 9 before training for intentional interim ministry. He is excited by the challenge to help congregations reflect on their identity as they prepare to call a pastor, and feels strongly that people outside of the church are hungrier than ever for what Jesus has to offer. He and his wife, Nancy, live in St. Johns.

Pastor Bob Scott
Associate Pastor

Upon retiring from General Motors after 30 years of service, Pastor Bob entered the SMP, Specific Ministry Pastor, program through the Concordia, Ft. Wayne Seminary. He enjoys serving at the Franklin Avenue Mission in Flint, where, in connection with other LCMS churches, we work to provide after school activities for the children of the community and meals for the underprivileged. He and his wife, Karen, married in 1977, enjoy spending time with family including their grandchildren. Pastor Bob is also the author of three books on the Civil War.

Pastor Joe Cottam
Visitation Pastor

In 1987, Pastor Joe graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. During his 25 years in full-time ministry he has worked with migrant workers and their families and mentored and tutored elementary children. Once retired, Pastor Joe and his wife, Nancy, returned to Genesee County and joined Faith as a visitation pastor. "What a joy and a privilege it has been sharing God's Word and Sacrament with so many brothers and sisters in Christ." Says Pastor Joe. Nancy and Pastor also work together to help lead our Young at Heart group.

Cindy LaFontaine
Director of Early Education

Cindy has been with Faith since 1999. She is originally from Minnesota and has lived in California and Charlotte, NC before settling in Michigan. She graduated from Concordia University with a Teaching and Director of Christian Education degree. Cindy has three children - two daughters and one son who were members of Faith until they became adults. Now her oldest daughter is in Virginia; her second daughter is in Arizona with her husband and their three children; and her son is living in Clio. Cindy loves her job because she gets to talk about and share her faith with people, especially young children. In her free time she reads books, crochets, gardens, and spends time with family.

Joel Zander
Director of Education and Youth

Joel is married to Krissa, and together they have 3 boys. Joel has over 20 years experience serving churches in Minnesota, Oregon and western Michigan in the area of youth and family ministry. Joel graduated from Concordia University, St. Paul, as a Director of Christian Education, as well as from Concordia University, Seward, with a Masters in Family Life Ministry. Joel's mission is to help people grow closer to Jesus every day, a few minutes at a time. Mr. Zander enjoys being outdoors hiking, biking and camping.

Deaconess Christie Hansard
Parish Nurse

Christie has been a member at Faith since 2017. She has been serving as parish nurse for over 15 years. Christie is a RN with a BSN from Oakland University. She has been married to her husband, Jon, for 22 years and they have 3 sons. Christie also serves as the LCMS Michigan District Parish Nurse Representative, the case manager for our Michigan District with mental health resources for ordained and commissioned church workers and their families and is the chair of the LCMS Parish Nurse Council. She is also a member of the Michigan State University Care Management conference committee. Deaconess Christie graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. In her free time, she loves to cook, sew and knit.

Krissa Zander
Social Media Staff Assistant

Krissa has served Faith since February 2021. She graduated from Concordia University, St. Paul, in 2004 with a Director of Christian Education Degree. Krissa is married to Joel (Faith’s Director of Education and Youth) and has spent the last decade + as a stay-at-home mom to 3 children. Krissa’s tasks as Social Media Staff Assistant include preparing the images for worship pre-service slideshows, preparing slides for worship, and assembling each week’s Faith Happenings email. Krissa is also Faith’s social media administrator, and she assists in graphic designing for other ministry needs.