Steadfast Love Forever. Worship: July 28, 2024

Photo Credit: Aimee Munson, 2024. Tablelands are of Gros Morne Provincial Park, Newfoundland, Canada.

Lutheran Service Book: Concordance contains an alphabetical listing of key words in the texts of the hymnal. Although it might seem to be structured for church professionals choosing hymns for services, it has value for all people in the church. Paging through the book, it is easy to discover what words are frequently repeated in hymns—words that are important to singers of Christian songs. Among frequently repeated words are “eternal,” “forever,” “everlasting,” “endless,” “eternally,” and “eternity.” There is no time limit to the relationship God has with His faithful people. This makes it easy for us to begin a hymn by singing confidently “Thine forever, God of love” (LSB 687:1) or to conclude a hymn with the words that affirm what God in steadfast love has done for us: “You had mercy so that we might be saved eternally” (LSB 559:5). God is with us through time and beyond it as well—a great reason for us to rejoice endlessly! 

Goodness and Mercy. Worship: July 21, 2024

In 1969, a pop song titled “Love (Can Make You Happy)” was recorded by a group of vocalists called Mercy. Although it rose toward the top of the national music charts, it became another in a long line of “one hit wonders”—single hits by groups that were never heard from again after their initial successful number. Fame in the musical world can be fleeting. Reading through the Psalms, we are reminded that our gracious God is with us for the distance of our life and beyond, attending to us with His great goodness and limitless mercy. Two of those reassuring verses are these: “For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 100:5) and “As for You, O LORD, You will not restrain Your mercy from me; Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness will ever preserve me!” (Psalm 40:11). By His grace, we can sing of the mercy of our God forever! 

A Lasting Inheritance. Worship: July 14, 2024

The Eternal Father’s blessing surrounded by a glory of angels. 1475 / 1500 (4th quarter of the 15th century) France Champagne. Place of origin: Saint-Jean-Baptiste basilica

We are often reminded things in this life don’t last. This includes everything from material things and earthly goods to health and well-being as age increases, to relationships we treasure, and ultimately mortality, which leads to death. Yet just as things in this life are temporary, with joy we are pointed frequently to what is everlasting. Adopted as God’s own children, we are given an eternal inheritance through the work of Jesus Christ. Amid the temporary things of a broken and sinful world, we keep our focus on Christ and the eternal blessings assured “to the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6). 

Your Congregation Is Wonderful! Worship: July 7, 2024

Cover image: The Burning Tree: Tree on Fire. Doely, Noah 2004 Chromogenic print

What a joy it is to gather as God’s people! In this collection of people we know as a congregation, we are called, gathered, and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. In this collection of people we call a church, we are reminded the one holy Christian Church will be and remain forever. This is “the congregation of saints . . . in which the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are correctly administered” (Augsburg Confession, Article VII, paragraph 1). As we remain steadfast in our witness to our neighbors to also gather with us in the truth of God’s Word centered on our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are reminded in the Gospel today there will always be those who despise the Word as even Jesus faced rejection in His own hometown. We continue to pray for softened hearts of others in this world, and we remain firm in the foundation of our faith served in both Word and Sacrament within this place.  

Waiting on the Lord. Worship: June 30, 2024

There’s an old English proverb which states, “Good things come to those who wait.” Though a nice thought, there is no certainty of the saying coming to fruition. The Word of God, however, is always true, especially as we hear the Old Testament Reading from Lamentations: “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (3:25–26). Even as we hear in today’s Gospel from Mark, people waited in affliction and grief, as Jesus would heal a woman’s twelve-year ailment and raise the dead daughter of a synagogue ruler. Though our waiting on the Lord may not result in a miracle in this earthly life, in our greatest wait we are assured of what is sure to come to fruition as we, “wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3:26). 

Guest Pastor: Rev Stadler

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