Issues, Etc. Pastors' Roundtable on Luke 5:1-11

I had the privilege of joining Pr. Timothy Landskroener and host, Pr. Todd Wilken, on Issues, Etc. this afternoon for a Pastors' Roundtable on Luke 5:1-11 (the Holy Gospel appointed for this Sunday in the Historic Lectionary). 

I love this text.  Here, our Lord Jesus Christ shows us how He will establish, and bring people into, His eternal kingdom, namely by the Holy Gospel as it is preached in its purity and administered according to His institution via the Holy Sacraments.  No gimmicks or fads.  No need for creativity or imagination.  No enticing bait or fancy lures.  Just the "net" of His Holy Gospel cast out into the "sea" of the world to catch "fish" (sinners) and bring them into His "boat" (Church).  And He will do the casting of this "net" through the men He calls and ordains into the Office of the Holy Ministry, like Peter and the sons of Zebedee, who will serve in His stead and by His command, preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His Name, baptizing, catechizing, and feeding His lambs.  It's a pretty straight-forward evangelism program, really.  I say we go with it! :)

You can listen to the Pastor's Roundtable below or click here.  

Pres. Harrison's Sermon at New Missionary Sending Service

One of my favorite blogs . . .

is Concordian Sisters of Perpetual Partuition.  I think I was first alerted to this blog by Pr. Weedon on his blog a few years back, and I have been an enthusiastic follower ever since, checking in often to hear the musings of the faithful and talented ladies there, whose posts are always intriguing and thought-provoking, and put forward in what I believe to be some of the best and imaginative writing to be found among Lutheran bloggers, artfully combining wit and humor with a seriousness and reverence for the topics upon which they delve.  It really is a wonderful blog and I highly recommend that you add it to your reading list.

Plus, it was on this wonderful blog that one of my favorite blog posts of all-time was posted back in February, which I include in full here for your reading pleasure.  The way the ever-talented Rebekah tells the tale of her attempt to complete the seemingly mundane task of taking out the trash on this particular occasion is pure genius - poetic, creative, skillful, and absolutely hilarious!  There are a plethora of posts on the more serious side of things I could include as a sample of the posting there, but I'm going with this one, since, as I said, it's one of my favorite blog posts of all-time. :)    

And that's how it is

Many nights ago, I had a trash bag full of trash. EVER so full of trash. Trash largely of a nature of which we have spoken here before; namely, the trash of others which they are unable to trash. We will call it "füdtrash," received as it was in such vast quantity as to prohibit its total consumption or quartering. Warm was this füdtrash, and squishy.

Excepting one year of our married life, my husband and I have not taken trash to the corner in a marital trash can like a proper man and wife but rather have shared a dumpster with other families and/or institutions. This night occurred not in that year of propriety. Excepting occasional exigent trips to dumpsters, my husband takes out the trash like a proper man, but again, we speak not of a night of propriety. There were reasons for this: a long day of physical labor on his part, an overstuffing of trash bags on my part for which I did not wish to be reprimanded again, the loathing of Wifekind to ask Mankind to take out the trash.

This reprimandible overstuffing found my feeble self dragging my füdtrash along the ground from dwelling to dumpster. It found me propping my warm, overstuffed füdtrash against the dumpster while I opened the lid. It found me swinging my squishy füdtrash back and forth, putting that momentum paragraph from ninth grade science and the more memorable thingy on my teacher's desk to good use. It found me mustering strength for a final heave. It found my füdtrash arcing promisingly, then embarrassingly evacuating itself out the bottom of the misused bag all over the ground.

Alas. Alas.

Shared dumpster. Traffic in vicinity of shared dumpster guaranteed in morning (barring certain eschatological events, which history now shows did not occur). Ground thickly covered in warm füdtrash and distinctive, incriminating personal items. Basic human decency. My path was clear.

Thus did I run back to my dwelling and return to the scene of my crime with a plethora of bags. Bags for my hands, bags for my füdtrash, bags for my bags. And in the dark night, I felt along the ground for my trash. I gathered my trash to me. I picked up the fluttering Tootsie Roll wrappers and the greasy junk mail, the overnight diaper and the pineapple top, the off-brand Kleenices stiff with their ministry and the off-brand Gladware that broke when it fell out of my overstuffed freezer. Most of all, I gathered up my warm füdtrash. Out of the grass did I rake up with baggéd fingers my reconstituted potato flakes, my quivering gravy. Under the quarter moon did I gather my trash even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings. I put my trash in new bags, and did toss these understuffed bags easily into the dumpster. Verily, they floated above me like jellyfish on the wing.

My amiable consort, missing me at last, called to me from our dwelling, but I assured him all was well. I found a hose, and hooked it up, and sprayed the lingering füdtrash into a more considerate arrangement for the morning's sure traffic. I closed the dumpster. I walked home.

And through it all my heart quickened not, neither did my nose burn; yea, my soul was at peace: for no child wept, and no child tugged at me, and no child whined, and no child bickered, and no child needed to be nursed, and no child bled, and no child painted another's sweater, and no child frolicked in the litter box, and no child profaned his trousers, and no child consumed an ink cartridge, for every child slept and no child knew. Wherefore I devoted myself wholeheartedly to the task and completed it well and satisfactorily, free of panic, wrath, or interruption; and I went to sleep at once and in good cheer.

In Memoriam + Georgia Spindler (6/17/1922 - 6/30/2011) +

A post a couple weeks past due.  We said goodbye for now to a dear sister in Christ and Charter Member of our congregation, Georgia Spindler, a couple of weeks ago.  Georgia was called home by our Lord on June 30 peacefully and quietly in her room.  Her health had been deteriorating for the past year, as her heart was weakening and she was placed on full-time oxygen.  But, that didn't slow this amazing woman down much.  She remained active in many ways at the nursing home in which she lived (Masonic Pathways here in Alma), volunteering her time to help with mail delivery, assist in the library, and participate in the many functions held daily there (basket-weaving, bingo, and other games/activities).  She really was quite an amazing woman.

But, the most amazing thing about Georgia was her steadfast faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which was always on full display whenever I had the privilege of visiting this dear saint.  No matter how she felt, no matter how poor her health, she was always uplifted in spirit, and always made it known how blessed she was by our Lord.  She wasn't able to attend church for the past couple of years, which was hard for her, since she had been attending Divine Service regularly for so many years, so she really looked forward to having Word and Sacrament brought to her, and it was always a blessing for me to do so.

I regret the fact that I wasn't able to bring these blessed means of grace to Georgia and visit with her one last time before her departure.  Knowing that I was going on vacation the following week, I tried to catch up with Georgia a few times in the week leading up to that.  I spoke with her on the phone the Thursday before she was called home, and she told me that she wasn't feeling well and asked me to call on her again at the beginning of the next week.  I stopped by her room on that Monday, but she wasn't in, and I called several times on Tuesday and Wednesday, but got no answer.  I was worried about her, thinking maybe she had been admitted to the hospital and I just hadn't been notified yet, so I called the hospital on Thursday morning, but she wasn't there.  So, I called her room again that morning, but still no answer.  Before leaving that afternoon for vacation, I sent an email to our elders, letting them know that I hadn't been able to reach Georgia and asking them to check in on her and let her know that I would catch up with her upon my return.  One of our elders, Terry, called me and told me that he had been able to catch up with her and pay her a visit on Monday and that, while she seemed a little weaker than normal, she seemed to be doing well.  So, I decided to take one more stab at catching up with her before leaving town.

When I got to the nursing home and went to the elevator to go up to her room, I about had a heart attack when I saw her name posted on the "Dearly Missed" bulletin board posted by that elevator.  I couldn't believe it.  I was informed that she had died sometime that morning, probably around 11:30 a.m.  I wasn't the only one shocked by her sudden departure.  The nurse from her floor told me that everyone was a little taken aback.  Georgia seemed just fine that morning, following her normal routine, going to breakfast, doing some of her volunteer activities, before heading back to her room to rest before lunch.  Little did anyone know that she would be graciously falling asleep in our Lord that morning.  And while I regret that I wasn't able to visit with her one last time, I am eternally thankful to our Lord for taking our dear sister to be where He is so quickly, quietly, and peacefully.  He is good!  His steadfast love and mercy endure forever!

Georgia will be dearly missed.  She was one of the sweetest ladies I have ever been blessed to know.  Her steadfast faith was an inspiration to all who knew her.  She knew that her Redeemer lives and was fully confident that He would call her home in His way and in His time.  And so He did.

+ Rest eternal, grant Georgia, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her! + 

After talking with the Funeral Home director handling the arrangements for Georgia, I headed over the the cottage to spend time with family over the weekend of the 4th, but spent time there preparing for Georgia's funeral service and the sermon I would preach.  We held her funeral at Peace on Tuesday, July 5, and we were thrilled to see so many more than we anticipated attend.  It was truly a most blessed day, as we mourned the departure of our dear sister, but celebrated the life she now lives in heaven, resting with all the saints until the Day of our Lord's Glorious Return.  

Here is the sermon I preached (you can listen to audio of the sermon here).  The Hymn of the Day was "I Know that My Redeemer Lives," which was one of Georgia's favorites:

IN MEMORIAM
+ Georgia H. Spindler (6/17/22 - 6/30/11) +
5 July Anno + Domini 2011 

"Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled”
John 14:1-6 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

"Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives:  I know that my Redeemer lives!”

Dear family and friends and brothers and sisters in Christ of Georgia, our dearly departed sister in Christ, it is that sentence which gave Georgia the sweet joy by which she lived her life in this vale of tears; the sweet joy that was obvious to those blessed to know her; the sweet joy felt by those blessed to spend time in her presence.  Georgia knew that her Redeemer lives.

And because Georgia knew the sweet joy of this sweetest of sentences, our Lord Jesus Christ speaks the joy of another very sweet sentence to you who mourn Georgia's departure this morning:  "Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Our Lord Jesus sets these words before you this morning to bring you joy in the midst of your sorrow, for these words are His sure and certain pledge - His guarantee, His promise - that He prepares a place in His Father's House for all who believe in Him, for all who know Him as their Living Redeemer, and that, at the appointed time, He does come and take them to Himself, that where He is they may be also.  Our Lord is faithful to His promises.  He never lies.  He always comes through.  And so we can be absolutely certain that this past Thursday morning He took our beloved Georgia home to the place He had prepared for her in His Father's house, and that she is now with our Lord and all the saints who preceded her and all the holy angels in heaven, experiencing unknowable bliss, peace, and comfort. 

What makes us so sure of this is that Georgia confessed her faith in Jesus Christ in word and deed.  She was baptized into this faith on November 11, 1952.  She was confirmed in this faith on December 15, 1953.  She was sustained in this faith throughout her earthly pilgrimage right up to the end by the ongoing reception of our Lord's Word delivered via preaching, the liturgy, and the Holy Sacrament of our Lord's Body and Blood.  And this faith, given to Georgia as a blessed gift from above, was on full display for all to see.  I highly doubt that anyone could possibly come to know Georgia without also coming to know that she was a Christian, who placed her trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

I say this, dear friends, because I want to make vividly clear what Georgia herself would want me to make vividly clear, namely that she is now in heaven not because she was a sweet person who lived a good life, but solely because she had faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Georgia would have you hear our Lord's words this morning, exhorting you to believe in Him and to know that no one comes to the Father except through Him. 

She would have you know that she was a sinner who needed a Savior.  Georgia was quick to point this out to those who would praise her for her kind and gentle demeanor, her sweet and loving heart.  I remember a visit I had with her a couple of years ago.  As I was getting ready to leave, I hugged her and told her that she was one of the sweetest persons I had ever been blessed to know, to which she responded with a smile, "Well, I guess you need to get to know me a little better, Pastor.  I am a poor, miserable sinner, as I confessed to you a little bit ago before receiving the Lord's Supper.”  "Nevertheless,” I said, "I'm sticking with my assessment.  You are a sweetheart,” which was meant by the quick-witted response:  "And I'm sticking with mine, that I am a poor, miserable sinner.” 

I'm still sticking with my assessment:  Georgia was one of the sweetest persons I have ever been blessed to know.  But, her assessment of herself was right as well.  She was a poor, miserable sinner, just like you and me.  That's why we commit her body to the ground today.  She was infected with the disease of sin, an infection that she inherited upon conception, an infection she was born with, the same infection every human being inherits upon conception and is born with, ever since our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell into sin in the Garden of Eden.  And that infection leads to death, for as it is written, "The wages of sin is death.”  It seems almost out of place to say this when speaking of someone as sweet as Georgia, but the reality is that she died because she was a sinner, even as there is no escaping that reality for any of us here.  We are all sinners and we will all die.  The casket at the front of the nave this morning serves as a powerful object lesson for us; a stark reminder of the reality we all face as sinners. 

But, the burning flame of the Paschal Candle by the casket reminds us of another reality, namely that the death we will all endure because of sin has lost its sting.  For that flame symbolizes the Light of the World, our Lord Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary to live the perfect, sinless life we can't live, and to go to the Cross to suffer and die in our place, to pay the price in full for all of our sins with His holy and precious blood.  And we know that our Redeemer was victorious over sin, death, and the devil, because He rose from the tomb on the third day.  Our Redeemer lives!  What sweet joy this sentence gives!  Sweet joy because death has been swallowed up in victory.  Death has lost its sting for we who believe in Jesus Christ.  The One who lived, died, and rose for us declares, "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” 

Let not your hearts be troubled, dear friends.  Georgia believed in Jesus.  Even though she has died, she lives on, not just in our thoughts and memories or in our hearts, and not in some imaginary "better place” we need to create for ourselves to make her departure from us less painful, but her spirit lives on - really lives on - in heaven, where she rests with all the saints and waits with them and all the holy angels for the Day of our Lord's glorious return, when her body which we commit to the ground today will be raised, together will the bodies of all believers, incorruptible and imperishable to dwell with our Lord in His eternal kingdom, where there will be no more pain, no more tears, no more suffering, no more mourning, for there will be no more sin, but only perfect peace, comfort, and joy - eternal life in body and spirit the way our Lord intended when He first spoke our universe into existence and formed us from the dust of the earth. 

This is why we don't mourn like those who have no hope.  We mourn, to be sure.  We will certainly miss Georgia.  We have, and will, shed tears over her departure.  There is no shame in that.  Jesus wept over the death of His friend, Lazarus, and it's okay for us to weep over the death of our loved ones and friends, too.  Thus, when our Lord says, "Let not your hearts be troubled,” He is not saying, "Don't be sad, don't cry, don't mourn,” but rather, "Don't be sad and cry and mourn like those who have no hope.  Georgia is Mine.  She was gifted with faith to believe in Me.  She lives.  I have taken her to be with Me.  Believe it, and be comforted in your time of sorrow.” 

That would serve as a fine ending to my sermon this morning, and I'm sure Georgia would be thrilled if I ended there.  She once told me, "When this old ticker of mine finally stops working and I die, please don't blather on about me when you preach at my funeral.  Just preach about Jesus.”  But, I would be remiss not to mention a few things about our dearly departed sister.  And, besides, I'm really not violating Georgia's wishes in doing so, since it is only because she was gifted with faith in Jesus that these things are worth mentioning. 

Things like the fact that she and her husband, Emil, were Charter Members of our congregation, both of whom served Peace actively and faithfully in a variety of ways until each was called home by our Lord.  Georgia played an instrumental role in the formation of our Ladies' Guild and used her time and talents to serve that Guild faithfully for as long as her body allowed her to do so.  She served as secretary of our congregation for a time, served on the Altar Guild for many years, and remained loyal to the congregation she helped found, by the grace of our Lord, through both the bad times and the good times, which are par for the course with every congregation within the Church Militant, this side of heaven. 

Georgia loved to serve.  She was a certified Braille Transcriber, and loved to help the blind and those with impaired vision.  She was very active in the St. Louis Library over the years, which not only stemmed from her love to serve, but from her passion for reading.  Boy did Georgia love to read.  She read the Bible regularly and faithfully, along with Portals of Prayer and other devotional literature, but she also always had a stack of books she was reading whenever I visited her.  Her love of books and reading continued right up to the end, as she continued to help with the library at the Masonic Home, even after she was on oxygen full-time. 

That's one of the things that always impressed me about Georgia, that she remained active till the end, helping with the library and mail delivery and in other ways at the Masonic Home.  She considered the fact that she was able to do these things as a genuine blessing from our Lord, and most certainly they were. 

Another impressive thing about Georgia was the love that she had for her family.  She didn't have children of her own, but she loved and remained close to her nieces and nephews and their families.  I doubt I ever had a visit with Georgia when she failed to mention her nieces and nephews and what they and their families were up to.  She loved you all very much and greatly appreciated the fact that you stayed in touch with her and checked in on her. 

As I said, mentioning these things - and many other things could be mentioned, like Georgia's love of knitting, golf, bowling, fishing, camping, and much else - these things are a testimony to the faith Georgia had in her Lord Jesus.  That faith is by far the most impressive thing I was blessed to behold.  I noticed that faith right away in Georgia and it was always on full display whenever I was blessed to be in her presence.  It is that faith which allowed her to get through the pain and difficulty of having Emil called home by our Lord on Christmas Day in 2004.  I remember my first visit with Georgia, when she was still living in the apartment at Masonic that she and Emil were living in when he died, and how she spoke of his death with full assurance and confidence that he had gone home to the Lord and that she would see him again.  And what joy she is surely now experiencing, having been reunited with Emil and with other family and friends who preceded her in death.    

And that, dear friends, is how Georgia would have you view her departure.  She has gone home to our Lord.  She was ready for this.  She knew the day would come and she was not the least bit afraid of it, because she trusted in our Lord's promises.  The same promises that are for you.  You are sinners, all of you, but you have been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Repent, and believe in Him.  Cling to Him as your Savior and I guarantee you that you will see Georgia again.  

"Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives:  I know that my Redeemer lives!”

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

My First "Call Off" in Six Years

Well, almost six years . . . next Sunday, July 24, will be my 6th Anniversary of my Ordination and Installation as Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church.  There have been times during those six years that I didn't feel well on Sunday mornings, and a few of those times I felt like "death warmed over" and would have liked nothing more than to crawl back into bed, but I always managed to get to Church and conduct the Divine Service . . . until yesterday. 

I drove home from the campground (we were having our Peace Camping Weekend) Saturday night, took a shower, and passed out.  Got a good night's rest and woke up around 7:00 a.m. not feeling so well and with my right eye swollen shut.  Still, I was bound and determined not to let this get the best of me.  I'd just have to lead the Service with one eye.  But, after practicing my sermon a few times, my head just started aching something fierce and I felt nauseous.  So, about 8:00 a.m., I called Miguel, who would be serving as elder, and broke the news to him that I wasn't going to be able to make it.  He was a real trooper.  I sent him my sermon and the prayers, and we walked through the Service, noting which parts would be omitted and such.  He told me not to worry about it and that he was happy to cover things.  And, from what I've heard from those who have sent me well wishes is that he did a fabulous job.  So great to have elders like him to count on in a crunch like this. 

Anyway, the reason for the illness and swollen eye is poison ivy.  I got under our deck last Monday to pull weeds and just laid right down in the stuff, I guess.  I put sweats and a sweatshirt on, and wore gloves, but it still got me - and got me good.  It didn't start coming out until Thursday night, but I had felt sick (soreness in the right side of my throat and headaches) for a few days prior.  I just thought it was my tonsils acting up, but it was the poison ivy working its way through me, which finally started appearing Thursday.  It is all up and down the right side of my body, which was the side I was laying on under the deck while pulling weeds.  Talk about itchy!  But, I would have been fine had it not gotten on my face.  It is not fun at all waking up with an eye swollen shut.  And, it remained swollen shut all day yesterday and was still that way this morning.  So, my wife ordered me to go to the doctor.  I went this afternoon and the doc told me that it was one of the worst cases of poison ivy she had seen in a long time, and that it was good that I came in, since it's dangerous to have it on your face and around your eye.  She gave me a steriod shot and prescriptions for steriod pills and antibiotics, and just a few hours later, my eye is already feeling much better.  I can see out of it again!

Next year, there will be no crawling under the deck for me.  I'm thinking lots of Round Up will be in order! :)

A few pics of my ugly, disfigured mug:

This is what I looked like on Sunday morning.

 

 

Still no improvement this morning.

Just 4 hours after the steroid shot - steroid shots are cool! :)

Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel

So, I heard some buzz about this book and purchased it last October.  But, it sat on my bookshelf unopened until last week when I took it with me over to the cottage and finally cracked it open.  I could hardly put the thing down and finished it a couple of days later.  What a fun, intriguing read! 

Ray Keating has created a unique and memorable character in Pr. Stephen Grant, who is an ex-CIA agent turned LCMS pastor, and the story he weaves together in this book is both wildly entertaining and thought-provoking.  Adventure, politics, theology, humor, temptation, suspense, romance - this book has it all, and then some.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from beginning to end, and look forward to future adventures with Pr. Stephen Grant.

If you're looking for a fun read that will not only entertain you, but also give you much to ponder, this is it.  I love the fact that Pr. Grant serves St. Mary's Lutheran Church, and that the LCMS President in the book is named Harrison Piepkorn (things that make you go, "hmmm").  And, I really enjoy Keating's style of writing, especially the way he has the characters in the book interact with each other, which makes the reader feel like he's part of that interaction, and the way he lets us in on what's going through Pr. Grant's mind throughout the book, which provide for some of the most humorous, but oh so true, moments.  I'd say more, but you'll just have to read if for yourself. :)  

So, give it a read, friends.  You won't be disappointed.  You can order it here or here.

Hey, this would be a great book for members of a congregation to read and then discuss together - hint, hint! :)  Maybe a certain congregation could even use this book to launch the book club they keep talking about starting someday.   

A UCC "Flash Eucharist"

And Jesus wept.

One year ago today . . .

Still get emotional when I watch this.

The Latest Lutheran Satire Vids . . .

Pres. Harrison on Church Art . . .

at Historic Trinity in Detroit.

Clever Church Signs

Congrats, Pastor Schian!

This afternoon (yesterday afternoon, now), I had the privilege of attending the Ordination of Aaron Schian into the Office of the Holy Ministry, which took place at Immanuel, Frankentrost, where I did my vicarage.  Great to be back at 'Trost for the day and visit with some dear friends on this most blessed occasion!  Pastor Schian served as Crucifer for my Ordination/Installation and Pastor Mark Loest, who serves at 'Trost and was my Vicarage Supervisor, ordained me into the Office of the Holy Ministry, as he also did Pastor Schian today.  It was wonderful to be able to participate in the laying on of hands today as our Lord sent another laborer to work in His vineyard.  Pastor Schian received the Divine Call to serve as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church and School in Owego, NY, where he will be Installed on August 7.  I am confident that the saints in Owego will be well served by their new pastor and pray our Lord's richest blessings upon Pastor Schian as he begins his service there in August.  Some pics of the occasion:

New Members at Peace

This past Sunday, we were blessed to welcome two new members into our fellowship, as Gabriel and Amy Blair were brought in via the Rite of Confirmation during Divine Service.  These two were an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the catechetical process - diligent in their studies and always bringing lots of questions with them each week.  Pastors love lots of questions, by the way - just not those infamous "quick questions" five minutes before Divine Service is to begin. :)  Anyway, I couldn't be more thrilled that we have now welcomed Gabe and Amy into our church family, although I am going to miss our Mondays together. :( 

On our last Monday together (June 13), Amy came in concerned about the baptism she had received years ago.  In the process of filling out the informational paperwork and Affirmation of Faith, she paid a visit to the website of the congregation where she was baptized and didn't like what she saw there at all.  Turns out, her concerns were justified, as she had been baptized in a Oneness Pentecostal congregation that doesn't believe in the Holy Trinity, but "in one God, eternally existent in three personalities, identified by the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."  They believe that the Trinitarian view of the Godhead is a pagan invention of the early church and adhere to the ancient heresies of Modalism, Monarchianism, and a touch of Arianism.  They are not Christians, but a cult, much like Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, etc.  Anyway, after we took some time to research this and found out that Amy had not received a Christian Baptism, I filled the font, got vested, and baptized Amy in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, per her request, with myself and Gabe bearing witness to the work of our Lord in rebirthing her with water and the Spirit.  Then, we publicly recognized the Holy Baptism at the beginning of the Divine Service on Sunday and the two of them were Confirmed later in the same Service.  A pretty eventful last catechetical session, to say the least, but blessed beyond measure, to be sure.

Some pics of our newest members:

The Blair Family (Gabe, Amy, Gabe Jr., and the girls, Savannah and Farrah, who were Baptized this year at Easter Vigil)

Gifts:  Compact TLSB's with names imprinted from our Ladies' Guild, and a wall crucifix to hang in their home.

 

On Lutheran Fathers - The Latest Lutheran Satire video

I'm a Roman Catholic?

I received an email last week from a Lutheran layman who accused me of being a Roman Catholic.  The basis for his accusation were some comments I made regarding the Holy Sacrament of our Lord's Body and Blood in a recent thread over at BJS.  Evidently, if one believes that the Body and Blood of our Lord are Present at the moment of consecration, and that His Body and Blood remain Present until what has been consecrated has been consumed, one is a Roman Catholic.

Not only that, but those of us who masquerade as Lutherans, but who are really Roman Catholics at heart, are responsible for all the problems in the LCMS.  I think that's just a little much, actually.  I mean, surely we pretend-Lutheran-Roman-Catholics-in-disguise are not to blame for all the problems.  But, whatever.

Here is the accusation:

Reverend Messer,
I am greatly disturbed by the many pastors like you in our synod today who are obviously Roman Catholic, but not honest enough to admit it and leave.  Your recent comments about the Lord's Supper on the Steadfast site show that you definitely hold a Roman Catholic, and not a Lutheran, view of the Supper.  Roman Catholics believe that the bread and wine are immediately changed into Christ's body and blood at the priest's consecration, not Lutherans.  Roman Catholics elevate and genuflect at the consecration, not Lutherans.  Roman Catholics believe that Christ's body and blood remain after the distribution, not Lutherans.  I wonder what they are teaching at our seminaries these days, because there seem to be a lot of young guys like you coming out with Roman Catholic beliefs, rather than Lutheran beliefs.  That's a real shame.  I feel sorry for the members of your congregation who are being served by a pastor who follows the doctrines of the Antichrist.  Why don't you, and all those other closet Roman Catholics in our synod, do us Lutherans a favor and go join up with the Pope and his church, since you love his teachings?  You papistical pastors are responsible for all the problems in our synod.  Please stop spreading your venom among Lutherans and leave!!!

First of all, this layman never heard me say that I believe that the bread and wine are "changed into" Christ's Body and Blood "at the priest's consecration."  Contrary to his false accusations, I am a Lutheran.  I do not adhere to the doctrine of Transubstantiation.  I also do not adhere to the belief that the priest's/pastor's words affect the consecration, as if the power to "change" the bread/wine into Christ's Body/Blood resides in the priest/pastor.  Rather, I believe, teach, and confess, with all Lutherans, that the Body and Blood of Christ are sacramentally united to the bread and wine when Christ Himself speaks His Word at the consecration.  When our Lord Jesus Christ says, through the pastor, "This Is My Body; This Is My Blood," the bread and wine are His Body and Blood.  He says it.  They are.  Lutherans do not delve into philosophical attempts to explain the mystery of this sacramental union.  We simply confess that the bread and wine, consecrated by Christ, are His Body and Blood given to us Christians to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins.

Secondly, because, as a Lutheran, I believe that when Christ speaks His Word over the bread and wine, His Body and Blood are Present, yes, I do, as the celebrant, elevate and genuflect.  By doing so, I confess that what I elevate and kneel before is Christ Himself.  I am not holding up mere bread, but the Body of Christ.  That is not mere wine in the chalice I elevate, but the Blood of the Lamb.  What I hold in my hands, and what lies upon the holy altar after the consecration, IS the very Body and Blood of Christ, and I believe it is good, right, and salutary to kneel before my Lord and Savior in worship and adoration.  Likewise, when I face the congregation, holding the Body and Blood of Christ in my hands, and say, "The Peace of the Lord be with you always," I am confessing that the Prince of Peace Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ, has been faithful to His promise to "be with us always," since He is, right then and there, with us in His very Body and Blood.  When the congregation responds, "Amen" (so glad we did away with the "And also with you" at this point), they are confessing, "Yes, this is so; the Peace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, our Savior, is with us here and now in His very Body and Blood."  Then, immediately following this, the congregation joins in praying to our Present Lord for mercy and peace by singing the Agnus Dei ("O Christ, Thou Lamb of God that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy on us . . .").  I'm pretty sure that all of this is most assuredly in line with what we Lutherans believe, teach, confess, and practice.

Thirdly, I have no word from our Lord telling me that His Body and Blood do not remain sacramentally united to the consecrated bread and wine after the Distribution.  For this reason, the Church has historically treated what remains of Christ's Body and Blood (commonly referred to with the Latin word, "reliquae") with great reverence and respect.  It was common in the early church to reserve some of the reliquae in order to take Christ's Body and Blood to the sick and shut-in (St. Justin, Martyr, for instance, says, ". . . and there is a distribution [of Christ's Body and Blood] to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.").  Another practice throughout history in the Church has been to reserve the reliquae against the next Communion, but such reservation was practiced reverently, the reliquae being reserved in a fitting receptacle and never mixed in with unconsecrated bread and wine.  And still another faithful practice in the Church has been to consume what remains immediately following the Distribution, in order to avoid any possible scandal which might arise with what remains of our Lord's Body and Blood.

That third practice is the one Dr. Luther himself advised and the one I follow.  After everyone present in the Divine Service has partaken, I consume what remains and reverently cleanse the sacramental vessels, so that there remains nothing left of our Lord's Body and Blood to deal with after the Service.  I believe this is the safest and wisest practice, but as I have pointed out several times over the years in debates regarding what to do with the reliquae, it is not a widely held practice in our synod today.  The vast majority of LCMS pastors and congregations practice some form of reservation, many of which I find less than salutary (e.g. storing consecrated hosts in a jar in the sacristy cabinet; mixing consecrated with unconsecrated hosts, as if there is no difference between them; putting consecrated hosts/bread in a bag and storing in the freezer; throwing used individual cups with remnants of Christ's Blood in the garbage; pouring consecrated wine down the drain; I've even heard of the practice of throwing consecrated hosts on the ground outside to feed the birds).

With less than salutary practices of reservation or disposal like these, it is understandable how Lutheran laypeople would develop the belief that what remains after the Distribution is not Christ's Body and Blood.  But, again, where is the word of the Lord which says so?  Also, it must be pointed out that it would seem odd for Dr. Luther to give the advice to consume what remains if what remains is nothing but bread and wine.  If that was the case, who cares what we do with it?  Throw it away or feed it to the birds or put it back in the jar with unconsecrated hosts.  But, Dr. Luther was an "Is means Is" kind of fella, like all good Lutherans, and so advised that we deal with the reliquae as Christ's Body and Blood, which is what it "Is."  It must be further pointed out that our own Lutheran Altar Guild manuals, right down to the present day, implore us to deal with the reliquae in a reverent and respectful manner, as if we are dealing with Christ's Body and Blood.  We are advised to either consume what remains or to reserve reverently in a fitting receptacle and never to mix consecrated with unconsecrated hosts.  And, if we're not going to consume what remains of Christ's Blood, the advice is to reverently pour what remains on the ground.  Oh, and our Altar Guild manuals also advise us never to use plastic, throw-away individual cups for Distribution of Christ's Blood, not only because these tend to lead to the abuse of throwing remnants of Christ's Blood in the garbage, but also because they are not fitting vessels to carry our Lord's Blood.  The advice is to employ the chalice, but that if you are going to use individual cups, they should be glass and should be reverently cleansed after the Distribution.  But, I digress.

Now, it never fails that when this debate is initiated among Lutherans, some will point to the "usage clause" in FC X and try to make the claim that here we confess that the Body and Blood of Christ are only Present during the Distribution within the Divine Service, as if the point of the "usage clause" there is to nail down a specific time-frame of our Lord's Sacramental Presence.  But, that is hardly the case.  What we are confessing against in FC X is the abuse of consecrating for the sole purpose of adoration, as the Roman Catholics are wont to do by housing consecrated hosts in a tabernacle or monstrance purely for Eucharistic Adoration or to be paraded around in Corpus Christi parades, and not for Distribution.  We say, "No!" to that.  Our Lord did not institute the Sacrament of His Body and Blood for that purpose, but to be given to us Christians to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of our sins.  But, to try to use the "usage clause" in FC X to argue for a specific time-frame of our Lord's Sacramental Presence is an exercise in futility, since our Lutheran forefathers are in no way addressing that in this article.

What really is at play here is the error of Receptionism, which is an error to which many unknowing Lutherans adhere, believing that the Body and Blood of our Lord are not Present until they eat and drink, and only remains Present until the last person present in the Divine Service has eaten and drunk.  But, Lutherans have always believed, taught, confessed, believed, and practiced that the Body and Blood of our Lord is Present the moment He speaks His Word over the elements and remains so until it is all consumed.  To call me, or any other Lutheran, a Roman Catholic for confessing this is to misunderstand what Lutherans believe.

Fourthly, what I learned at seminary was what Lutherans believe, teach, confess, and practice, and this in contrast to what other Christians believe, teach, confess, and practice, other Christians including Roman Catholics.

Fifthly, I have four children, ranging from the ages of 21 to 14, so I'm not exactly sure the whole "young guy" thing applies to me, but I appreciate the sentiment. 

Sixthly, I do often feel sorry for the members of the congregation I serve, since I am a wretched sinner prone to make many mistakes and completely unworthy of the Office to which I have been called and ordained, but not because I follow the doctrines of the Antichrist. 

Seventhly, I cannot follow this layman's advice and join the Pope and his church because I vehemently reject many of the doctrines taught by the Pope and his church, since, well, I am a Lutheran. 

Eighthly, I reject the notion that I am a "papistical pastor," but even were that true, I highly doubt that pastors like me are responsible for "all the errors in our synod."  As I said above, that's a bit much, methinks. 

Ninthly, if what I believe, teach, confess, and practice is "venom," then I am wholly committed to spreading that "venom" for as long as our Lord grants me the ability to serve.  Of course, what this layman calls "venom," I simply refer to as Lutheranism and, in true Lutheran fashion, state:  "Here I stand.  I can do no other.  God help me!"

Now, where did I leave my rosary?  I need to locate it so that I can say my morning prayers to our Holy Mother. :)