St. Paul’s Lutheran Church has sat peacefully at 18098 GA-67, on the corner of Fair Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway, for nearly 50 years, and is now facing membership and financial challenges, according to Pastor Sam Clay.
“We don’t have the depth of membership or financial ability to do the ministry, and serve our mission as well as we have been called to do,” Pastor Sam Clay said.
Like many churches in our area, their membership is aging and the growth of the church has not kept up with the loss of members.
The church leadership recently placed a sign out front to let citizens know they are looking for other religious groups or civic and community organizations who may be interested in leasing some or part of their space to help them shoulder the current financial needs while they continue to focus on growing membership.
They have opened up their hearts to the idea of leasing the space. Both the worship space and social hall are available for lease. The church is open to more than just other church groups; they would love to see local clubs and organizations using their beloved space.
The ideal situation would be a church plant, start up, civic club, business or organization that needs meeting space throughout the week. They want to continue meeting at the location as well, but are even open to adjusting meeting times to accommodate another church service.
While there have been offers for 4-acres of land that the church owns over the years, the congregation has such a deep connection with the location that their members couldn’t bear the thought of losing it. They are open to the idea of a land lease or even the possibility of selling part of the property.
Rich history of service
St. Paul’s began in Statesboro, with a few early members meeting at Georgia Southern’s Williams Center in 1970 before building their current location in 1974. St. Paul’s is the only Lutheran church in Statesboro.
Pastor Sam Clay joined St. Paul’s in 2004 and has served as their pastor for 19 years. His love for his church is evident in the way he speaks about their congregation, stating that their church is all about grace and embodies the song “Amazing Grace.”
He quoted Ephesians 2:8-10 when talking about what his church meant to him: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of work, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them”
This is the same message that has carried them through the hardships that have come over the last few years.
Despite their struggles, Pastor Clay made it apparent that the church had a multitude of goodness to offer to the community within their congregation. Each person in their congregation has served through soup kitchens, hosting dinners for law enforcement, and connecting with the students at Georgia Southern.
Now, in the light of their recent struggles, Pastor Clay “fully trusts that God will get us (St. Paul’s Lutheran Church) through.”
How you can help
If you are interested in learning more about leasing space, making a financial contribution to support their mission or learning more about becoming a member of the church call Pastor Clay at 912-681-2481 or email stpaulstatesboro@frontiernet.net.