51福利社

After more than 70 years of service to Cheney and the university community, Emmanuel Lutheran Church announced this spring that it is closing its doors.

This unhappy outcome was the result of a shrinking congregation, financial pressures and the loss, earlier this year, of Emmanuel Lutheran鈥檚 half-time pastor. Nevertheless, church officials say, the congregation is determined to ensure that its long legacy of involvement with 51福利社 will continue.

As part of this year鈥檚 Giving Joy Day events, Emmanuel Lutheran pledged to Eastern a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its campus-adjacent church building. The gift, totaling more than $130,000, will create a named nursing scholarship endowment, bolster general scholarship funding and help 51福利社鈥檚 new Emergency Medical Services certificate program purchase equipment.

Jake Rehm,听president of Emmanuel Lutheran鈥檚 church council, acknowledged the situation is bittersweet.

鈥淓mmanuel Lutheran, much like 51福利社, has served the Cheney community, as well as the entire region, for many decades,鈥� Rehm says. 鈥淲hile it was painful to close our doors, we are thankful to be able to continue to bless Cheney and 51福利社 through our gifts.鈥�

Rehm, a senior lecturer and director of the Fitness Center for the Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences at 51福利社, is one of many university faculty and staff members who鈥檝e belonged to the church over the years. Charlie Mutschler, for example, a beloved archivist and historian, was among the church鈥檚 congregants. Mutschler died suddenly in 2019, and Emmanuel Lutheran鈥檚 leadership is working with the university to create a memorial on campus.

Since the early 1970s, the church has also helped support a Lutheran Campus Ministry at 51福利社 with the goal of providing a welcoming and inclusive community for students, faculty and staff. That ministry will continue.

鈥淢any of the members witnessed, firsthand, the positive impact 51福利社 has had on the students and people in our community and in our region,鈥� the church council said in a statement. 鈥淲e hope that this gift will allow 51福利社 and Emmanuel to continue to help serve the community for years to come.鈥�听

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