Pastor Karn Carroll shares news and photos from their new mural on Glendale Avenue and 12th Street. The mural was on a recent Channel 12 new report (starts at 12 minutes into the video).

Pastor Karn writes:

Drive along Glendale Avenue near 12th Street these days and you may notice something new. A vibrant mural is currently in production on the wall of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Depicting faces of various backgrounds and ethnicities, the mural highlights Jesus’ teaching to love your neighbors.

Given the divisive political climate of the past several years, the church wants to help bring back a sense of unity to the community. Designed by local artist Antonio Pazos, people were encouraged to stop by when he was there and help paint. The project, like the subject itself, it about helping one another.

Along with the Bible verse from Mark 12, the mural highlights the sentiment shared often on social media to “love your neighbor who doesn’t look like you, speak like you, pray like you, love like you, vote like you.” It is hoped that instead of being hateful and suspicious of one another, this mural might encourage people to take a step towards tolerance and love.

The mural is also a public witness to the congregation living more intentionally into their new welcome statement that emphasizes how all people, regardless of age, economic status, ability, gender identity, ethnicity, or household structure are invited to fully participate in the life of the congregation. Our Saviour’s will soon be voting to become a member of the Reconciling in Christ community, supporting the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the church.

So the next time you swing into Dutch Bros for coffee or get stuck at the light on 12th Street and Glendale, don’t forget to enjoy the colorful mural and reflect for yourself how you might be called to love a neighbor.

Our Saviour’s Lutheran has been at the corner of 12th St. and Glendale for more than 65 years. To find out more and to read the OSLC Welcoming statement in its entirety, go to www.oslconline.org.