“When I walked through the school for the first time, there was one section that had at least four large garbage cans underneath the ceiling catching water from the leaky roof,” said Rosche. “There were buckets and trash cans throughout the church. It didn’t take a phenomenal visionary to know our roof was a top priority if we wanted to remain open.”
By this time, St. Matthew Westland would probably be viewed as an at-risk congregation for over two decades. The church and school buildings, along with the exterior parking lot, were in such a state of disrepair that they were no longer appealing (or safe) spaces for worship and education. And on top of this, St. Matthew was barely managing to pay interest on the building’s $1.5 million mortgage.
“We needed help. There was no way we could do this alone,” said Pastor Rosche.
A Long History of Service
St. Matthew Lutheran Church has been serving Westland for almost 100 years now. Located between the major metropolitan areas of Ann Arbor and Detroit, St. Matthew has always been dedicated to family education and community service. St. Matthew has an average weekly attendance of 150 congregants, and has 42 children enrolled in its early childhood education program and 116 students in K-8th grade, making it the District’s 23rd largest Lutheran elementary school.
The congregation was first formed in Garden City, in 1935, when a group of families petitioned the LCMS for a pastor to lead them in weekly worship and Sunday School. Their first church building was dedicated in 1939, built through a loan financed by Church Extension Fund (CEF). 10 years later, St. Matthew Lutheran School was formed. The current sanctuary and school buildings were built in Westland in 1965.
Major building updates were done through the 80s and 90s, most notably the replacement of roof beams and additional columnal support in the sanctuary to correct structural issues. The church also undertook a project to commission 33 small stained-glass murals - 10 large windows portray the life of Christ, and 23 smaller windows depict symbols from scripture. Funding for the stained-glass project was provided by memorial gifts within the St. Matthew congregation, which speaks to the personal pride and dedication felt by the church’s members.
In the early 2000s, the original building saw significant expansion. Office space was added along with five new classrooms, a fellowship hall, and youth and senior rooms. Much of these updates were financed through a new mortgage with CEF.
The Perfect Pairing
Since the beginning of St. Matthew, CEF has been a strong financial partner to the congregation. They helped provide funding for building renovations throughout the history of the church and school, and they consistently support the St. Matthew community through grants and services.
But unfortunately, even with the continued help of CEF, St. Matthew began to experience a financial crisis in the early 2000s. Money was so tight that they were forced to release paid church workers. And after already accruing debt from large-scale building updates in the 90s and 2000s, the congregation could no longer keep up with the long list of structural upkeep projects required throughout the church building and school.
With the arrival of Pastor Bryce Rosche as the new leader at St. Matthew, the church reached out once more for the support and guidance of CEF. When Pastor Rosche addressed the increasing building and property disrepair with St. Matthew’s board of directors, longtime CEF representative Weldon Schwiebert suggested they reach out to Church Extension Fund to better understand their options.
“CEF has been there for St. Matthew from the beginning,” said Rosche. “It only made sense that we ask them for help to move forward.”
Schwiebert also connected the St. Matthew leadership team with a capital campaign expert. They were able to help St. Matthew develop a clear plan for a healthy financial future. The board of directors and a capital campaign committee then put together a vision to get St. Matthew Lutheran Church and School back to its former glory.
The three-year capital campaign was titled From Above to Beyond, taking inspiration from James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” The campaign broke down St. Matthew’s needs into three main categories: community outreach, roof and parking lot repair, and mortgage debt repayment. And with CEF stepping in to create an innovative financing model to address and incentivize repair expenditures, St. Matthew was off and running.
From Above to Beyond was launched at St. Matthew in October 2021, with the starting goal of raising $550,000. The first 5% of all money collected was to be set aside for community outreach, with the majority of funds directed to address the leaking roof and pockmarked parking lot and any remaining dollars applied to mortgage debt repayment.
By the end of October 2022, at the one-year mark of the campaign, St. Matthew had received over $500,000 in cash contributions. And with a Michigan District Nativity Grant incentive, the congregation surpassed their three-year goal of $550,000 only one month later. With the campaign projected to reach its $700,000 stretch goal, the campaign committee has set a new mega-stretch goal of $1 million.
“God clearly has great plans to further His kingdom at St. Matthew,” says Pastor Rosche. “We’re just so thankful CEF has stepped in to help us reclaim a firm foundation in our church home and community again."
Tangible Impact
Thanks to the success of the From Above to Beyond campaign and the unswerving support of CEF, the St. Matthew church and school buildings are returning to their former glory.
Both structures have been updated to fight against future flooding and mold, which will help better preserve the updated roofs and flooring. And the building renovations also guaranteed that St. Matthew could still offer in-person schooling for families who needed it throughout Covid restrictions.
The restored building and to-be-restored parking lot has opened doors to begin a food truck ministry at St. Matthew, currently led by Tammie Tanner, a member of the congregation. “Tammie serves tacos to our school students at discounted rates on Taco Tuesdays – and these are not like any tacos you’ve had before! In exchange, she uses St. Matthew’s parking lot as the base of operations for her food truck,” says Rosche. “Through opportunities like bringing people together around food, we are creating intersections with people in their daily lives. That’s how we open doors to building relationships and the opportunity to witness.”
A Vision for the Future
And Pastor Rosche believes St. Matthew is only getting started with their outreach efforts!
“I recently witnessed the impact of what Messiah Lutheran Church is doing in Midland, Michigan, through its Elevate Ministries, under Rev. Ed Doerner, senior administrative pastor. They’ve started offering auto garage services, a grocery store, and a healthcare clinic that specifically services the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed),” says Rosche. “These are individuals who are earning above the poverty line, but they still can’t afford basic living expenses. It’s understandable these people are proud, and they don’t want free handouts. So, they offer these services for a reduced fee, helping to maintain dignity while still providing financial relief.”
With the continued support of CEF to further the mission at St. Matthew, Rosche hopes to soon offer similar community support options in Westland. But Pastor Rosche also believes the work of Messiah Lutheran points to a bigger shift that needs to happen throughout church outreach in the future. Using lessons learned from Rev. Doerner, he compares it to a river and its shore:
“Back when St. Matthew was founded, the church was really the center of the community. Almost everybody went to church—it was just a given. We were out in the deep waters of people’s lives, swimming with both sinners and followers of Christ.
“Then the church moved to the shore. And unfortunately, over time, we’ve moved farther and farther inland from the river where everyone is living. People aren’t seeking out church like they used to before. A pancake breakfast or rummage sale doesn’t fix that gaping social shift.
“Instead, the church needs to become a rescue ship that goes right onto the water again. We need to put on our own individual life jackets and get back into the water to be with the people as they are struggling in life. That’s how we expose them to the real love of Jesus.
“Church buildings will always function as a hub for people to come together. But we must go out into the community, or else the church will continue to recede.”
God has been good to St. Matthew Westland, who has directed the hearts and minds of leaders and congregants to serve its community and grow His kingdom. Now bolstered by CEF’s support, St. Matthew Lutheran can look forward to many more fruitful years in Westland.
To watch a video about St. Matthew and Pastor Roche click here.