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 From the Pastor
David Nehrenz
Dear Fellow Light-Bearers,
We are in the Epiphany season from Friday - January 6th -The Epiphany of Our Lord until Sunday - February 19th -The Transfiguration of Our Lord.
The Star of the East guided the Magi. The Star of the Scripture guides us today. The Magi were Gentiles like us, who came looking for the Jewish Messiah- the One born King of the Jews. They bowed down and worshipped Him and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
As we Gentile Christians confess in the Nicene Creed, week after week, year after year, century after century: "I believe...in one Lord Jesus Christ...God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God." "Who for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was made incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary." Let all the nations rejoice! The Epiphany of Our Lord is Jan. 6th - the 12th day of Christmas!
This month we also consider the God-given gift and sanctity of human life. God created human life from conception in our mother's womb and sustains us till the day of our death. Christians must stand up in defense of God's gift of life and speak out against abortion, infanticide, mercy-killing and euthanasia, genocide and suicide. Instead, we offer mercy and love for those in hurt and in need.
What a glorious Lord we serve and how powerful is the witness which these apostles and saints gave to the crucified, risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ! May we rejoice in the Gospel Light this Epiphany season until that day when we see the King with our own eyes returning on the clouds of heaven!
Our special coming major Festival Services are also listed on the Worship Services page. Plan to join us!
- The Epiphany of Our Lord - Friday Jan. 6th
- (7:30 p.m. Festival Holy Communion)
- The Baptism of Our Lord - Sun. Jan. 8th
- (8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Communion)
- St. Timothy, Pastor and Confessor - (1, 2 Tim) - Communion Service on Thursday Jan. 19th
- (9:30 a.m. Communion Service)
- Life Sunday - Jan. 22nd "The God-Given Sanctity of Human Life"
- (8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Communion)
During this month we also remember these minor festivals:
- The Confession of St. Peter - Jan. 18th
- The Conversion of St. Paul - Jan. 25th (Acts 9:1-22)
- St. Titus, Pastor and Confessor Jan. 26th (Titus)
In the Bright Morning Star -Jesus- (Rev. 22:16),
Pastor Nehrenz
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From
the Vicar
Bill Willenbrock
New Years, the Substitute for Christmas.
Well, it's a new year. There is hope all around us. "This is the year I'm going to get in shape." "This is the year I'm going to quit smoking." "This is the year.[insert your New Year's Resolution here]." There is hope because this year I am TOTALLY RESOLVED to make that big change. But most New Year's resolutions will meet the same fate. When the calendar flips to February, the hope of New Year's passes away. We break those diets, we give in and do whatever it is we didn't want to do on New Year's. Now I don't want to discourage New Year's resolutions, they can be a great motivator in our lives to be better husbands, wives, employees, etc. To be better in your vocations is a wonderful desire and I wish to encourage you in that. But where New Year's resolutions become harmful is when we place our hope in them.
I think many people who make New Year's resolutions are doing just that. They think, "If I can just get my weight down then Prince Charming will come and my life will be how it should be." No it will not. Even if you get "Prince Charming", every day you will have to wake up and die to your selfishness and live for your spouse. Regardless if you remain true to your resolutions or not this world will still be broken. This world will still have pain and death and hunger and boredom and exhaustion and indifference. The core of all of our problems is sin. Because of sin this world is broken, we are broken, and the way which we treat others is broken also. New Year's resolutions can't fix the sin problem, no, only the babe from Bethlehem can do that.
Be resolved this New Year to look to him for your hope. If you struggle with weight, know that soon Christ comes to give you a body that does not get fat. And as you struggle to try to do these resolutions (there must be struggle because if it was easy you would have done it already) know that Christ understands struggle. He understands struggle, and pain, and frustration and he endured all of it because of his love for you.
In 2012, know where hope is found.
(...Campus
Ministry News...)
Vicar Bill Willenbrock
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