Questions to Live (and Suffer) By. Worship: June 23, 2024

For all of the Bible’s reassurances of how much God loves us, cares for us, protects and guides us, it is, nevertheless, of our fallen, sinful nature that we still at times harbor doubts and even despairingly want to argue with God Himself and question His love and promises. The undying question is “Why?” The troubles, setbacks, trials, tragedies, and reverses in life do that. The Word before us today describes those times with the imagery of the destructive power of raging water and the greater power of God to deliver from threatening distress. Even when threatened with a raging flood, we are reminded that our help is still in the God who created everything. The trials of the otherwise “blameless and upright” man of God named Job (1:1) and the Lord’s patient yet commanding love in His answer to Job’s complaint should remind us to live our faith in daily repentance yet always still in praise of our saving God. 

Guest Pastor: Rev Stadler

We Are Always of Good Courage. Worship: June 16, 2024

Once again, the Word of God in our ears this day speaks of the glorious and happy goal that God’s salvation promises to all who believe in His saving mercy, grace, and love. From of old, the Lord has promised a secure future in His presence both now and especially in the eternity of life in the resurrection. Though we experience the weakness and maybe even dread of growing old, by faith we are like firm trees planted by the strength of God. That faith is the very creation of God the Holy Spirit, which grows and remains strong regardless of our circumstances. So even though we become discouraged at times, our confidence is always renewed by God as we remain steadfast in connection with His mighty Word. 

Guest Pastor: Rev Stadler

We Do Not Lose Heart. Worship: June 9, 2024

In the face of a world seeming to be falling apart, and maybe even your personal “world,” God’s Word has great and convincing comfort and hope for you this day. That hope, however, begins with knowing the real cause of our troubles. It is our sin and alienation from God that is at the root of all anger, frustration, bitterness, and death. We easily “lose heart” when all seems hopeless for us. The center and substance of hope in God is Jesus Christ whose resurrection from all that is darkness and death to us is the means and strength of faith to endure and stand firm through all that troubles us. For “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). Far from being merely a blind hope for future deliverance, believing in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come far outweighs everything and anything that can happen to us now. Living in this hope, we do not lose heart. 

Guest Chaplin Keith Perry

Set Free from the Law. Worship: June 2, 2024

In our Gospel for today, the Old Testament commandment was used to try and show the disciples as law-breakers. Jesus replied, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). None of us, because of sinful condition, can keep the letter of the Law. The cross of Christ sets us free from the guilt of not keeping the Law. Those who accuse others of not keeping the Commandments often are legalistic and do not understand the sacrifice Jesus made to set us free from the Law. Do not let another person’s interpretation of the Commandments bring guilt into your heart! Christ died to set us free from that. Live in the freedom and forgiveness of the cross. 

Guest Pastor: Rev Stadler

The Blessed Trinity. Worship: May 26, 2024

Holy Trinity image – Sybille Yates

 We ponder today the great mystery of God—that God is one and that this one God is three persons. The liturgy in its proclamation focuses on the divine mystery of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is not so much truth to be understood as it is truth to be confessed. We confess the Father from whom all things come, the Son who is the incarnate Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit who proceeds from the Father through the Son. Throughout the centuries of the Christian Church, the confession of the Holy Trinity has been a hallmark of faithful believers. We sing of the Trinity and, with the profound words of the Athanasian Creed, we confess the Holy Trinity to be the one true God. 

Guest Pastor Rev David Buuck

Restoration through the Spirit. Worship: May 19, 2024

Image Credit: Hyatt Moore. Pentecost, Oil over Acrylic on Canvas
24" x 48" 

The Day of Pentecost is more connected to Easter than to the Sundays after Pentecost. It is the fiftieth day of Easter, marking the new dawn under the guidance of the Spirit. The Lord works through the preached Gospel and our life together as the baptized around His Table to deliver what He has promised. Thus the ministry of the Spirit is not some ethereal reality experienced in our feelings but the concrete reality of the Word spoken into our ears to bring forth faith and the body and blood of Jesus received by faith in Holy Communion. This is the way the Spirit continues to work in us and for us and we continue to receive His ministry by faith and to celebrate this with great joy.

Make Them One as You and I Are One. Worship: May 12, 2024

The Easter season finds its culmination in the high priestly prayer of Jesus. With this we are reminded that the Lord is praying for us, for our faith, and for our unity in the faith, so that we may fulfill His purpose in making known all that He has done. It should be of great comfort to us that on the night of His betrayal, our Lord does not pray for Himself but for His disciples and those who will believe through their witness. As we confront the mission of the church to be His witnesses still, He does not relent praying for us still. United in faith and living together our common life under His Word and at His Table, we are strengthened in unity and in mission.

Guest Pastor: Rev Stadler

Abiding in Christ’s Love. Worship: May 5, 2024

 A treasured children’s song, “I Love to Tell the Story, has a refrain that follows each of the stanzas penned by poet Arabella Katherine Hankey, repeating the simple words: “I love to tell the story; ’Twill be my theme in glory, To tell the old, old story Of Jesus and His love.” The original Greek language in which John wrote his Gospel uses the word “love” either as a noun or a verb some nine times in the section of Jesus’ words heard in the Gospel for today. Jesus wants His disciples and us to know the abiding power of His love. It is that love that compels us to love one another—and the “others” beyond our circles of family, friends, and other close relationships. We are blessed in hearing the “old, old story of Jesus and His love” anew today. May we be blessed in telling it out in love as well! 

Easter People Proclaim. Worship: April 28, 2024

Image from freepik: by frimufilms

When Jesus uses the image of the vine and speaks of vineyards, He is choosing something very familiar to His hearers. Viticulture is well known around the world. More than eighteen million acres worldwide is used for growing grapes—from Panama to Tajikistan to Zimbabwe! Today, the cultivation of vineyards is still an important agricultural component in both Israel and the Jordan, lands where Jesus walked and taught. Life in the vineyard is vital! As branches grafted to the Vine that is Christ, we are vitalized by His power. As we worship, God’s life-supporting power infuses us! It is time to continue growing!

He Cares. Worship: April 21, 2024

One of the small but interesting features of many cathedral and monastery churches in Europe and other places is presence of misericords. A misericord is a small wooden shelf attached to the underside of a folding seat in a church, often in the choir area. Misericords physically supported people at worship during long periods of standing during extended prayer and other services when sitting was not permitted. The term “misericord” means “pity of the heart.” That word is part of the church phrase Misericordia Domini, a Latin term for describing the acts of mercy of God to His people. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, constantly and consistently shows acts of mercy to us as His people. His care comes straight from the heart!