The Pilgrim Herald
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THE PILGRIM HERALD September 2015 PILGRIM EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod 462 Meadowbrook Dr., West Bend, WI 53090 (262) 334-0375 Rev. Joseph M. Fisher, Pastor (262) 335-6736 Rev. Christopher Raffa, Pastor (262) 353-3375 www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend PASTOR’S PAGE: TABLE OF GRACE aghast at our Lord’s presence among the unclean and sinful: “This man receives sinners and eats ONLY TODAY “Among the many signs, which show that the last with them.” The irony is always this: those who fifty years have lead us further away from the evan- think themselves worthy of this meal are not. There are two days in every week about which gelical faith in the forgiveness of sins on account of And those who think themselves unworthy are we shouldn’t worry. Christ, the flight from the Lord’s Table is probably worthy of this meal. In order that we believe One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its the most serious” ourselves unworthy of the gifts that we receive aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever [Bo Giertz, A Hammer for God, 247] the Scriptures say: “Let a person examine him- beyond our control. self…” This is something that we have lost. This The other day is tomorrow, with its possible is something that we simply don’t do anymore. As August turns into September, life is pushed adversities and blunders. Until its sun rises, we This is something that, while very hard and have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn. into a higher gear. The lazy days of summer humbling to do, is the pathway to the Lord’s morph into the hectic days of fall. Minivans be- Table of Grace. “For if we say we have no sin, That leaves only one day—today. Anyone can come taxies. School buses roar to life and stu- we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” fight the battle of just one day. It is only when dents sulk at the foreboding load of homework. We come to the Table of our Lord not because we add the burden of those two eternities - yes- The weather slowly changes as shorts and tee we are righteous, nor better or less bad than terday and tomorrow - that contentment will shirts head for hibernation and pants, long other, but only because we are sinners, real, escape us. sleeves shirts, sweaters and coats now hang in poor, miserable sinners. It’s often the case with the closet. Life moves, it changes, it pushes us faithful communicants that they believe them- CAMP LUWISOMO NEWS into new adventures and tumbles us into corners selves greater sinners than anyone else. It’s for of uncertainty. And while life is the same it’s also this reason that they shudder to step to the Camp LuWiSoMo in Wild Rose, WI is hosting far different. I don’t need to regal you with how Lord’s Table, and yet must come. TRAITS OF FRIENDS Speak Life Youth & Family Festival September we are no longer living in the 1950’s and how we 11-13, 2015, featuring inspirational speaker Bob bemoan the life of the church and the world in In Confessions, St. Augustine (A.D. 354-430) Those who shudder to come to the Lord’s Table Lenz, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter 2015. Many challenges face us, not only as hu- called human friendship “a nest of love and gen- are the ones who must come. Joy and peace Ryan Stevenson, and AJ the Animated Illusion- man beings, but as Christians, as those who con- tleness.” await them, even as their feet tremble with fear ist. Saturday only or weekend packages include fess a particular way of life. Alongside the moral and failure. It’s not commanded in Scripture that He wrote of the many joys of Christian friend- camp activities for everyone. decline of our country we continue to drag our one should examine anyone else but himself. To ship: “To make conversation, to share a joke, to Seewww.luwisomo.org for more information. feet to our Lord’s Table of Grace. For all the examine other Communion guests and thereby perform mutual acts of kindness, to read to- changes and agonies of life, here is the one Table judge whether or not their Communion recep- gether well written books, to share in trifling and Saturday, September 26, LuWiSoMo Camp- that unites us in a common confession, hope, tion is right or not, is both impossible and ex- in serious matters, to disagree without animos- ground in Wild Rose, WI, will be celebrating a and future life beyond this vale of tears. The ceedingly un-Christian. It’s impossible, for God ity—just a person with debates with himself— Harvest Festival amid the glorious colors of the Table of our Lord needs to be preached into our alone sees the faith or unbelief in his heart. It’s and in the very rarity of disagreement to find the season. Fun camp activities, include hiking, boat- hesitant and skeptical hearts more than anything un-Christian, because it’s to reject the basic truth salt of normal harmony, to teach each other ing, horseback riding, face painting, nature else at this time. of Christendom about undeserved grace, to something or to learn from one another, to long crafts, wagon rides and more! Open to make the Table of our Lord into a reward for with impatience for those absent, to welcome all! Come for the day or camp for the weekend. The Table of our Lord is the Table of His grace. merit based works and praiseworthy behavior. them with gladness on their arrival. These and More information available This tells us that Communion was instituted for The Table of our Lord is only for sinners, sin- other signs… (act) as fuel to set our minds on at www.luwisomo.org sinners. The Lord invites the sick not the ners who see clearly the just and eternal punish- fire out of many to forge unity. healthy. The Lord invites the hurting not the ment for their sin. There are some who will not haughty. The Lord invites the weak not the accept this sentence. They try and wiggle out of strong. The Lord invites the broken not the it. They don’t see their sin as perhaps a mistake, bragger. Already in Israel, the righteous were something that isn’t all that bad. Others mighty PARENT –PARISH PARTNERSHIP Countless boys and girls have attended Sunday partially place themselves under God’s judg- sin, that declares you to be my heir and a pre- “Let no Christian parent fall into the delusion school classes since then, thanks to Raikes, who ment, but they hold something back, something cious child of My Father. Here at this Table, that Sunday school is intended to ease them of brought Christ’s light and love to children they think they can hide from God’s all-seeing Christ Jesus sits as host and meal. He invites the their personal duties,” said 19th-century British around the world. eye. Thus, our Lord’s Table is not for those dis- blind, the lame, the crippled, the vagrants, the preacher Charles H. Spurgeon. “The first and miss their sin with a shrug of the shoulders evildoers, the sinners, to His Table. His is the most natural condition of things is for Christian calmly saying to themselves, “we are all sinners.” mysterious wedding garment called the right- parents to train their own children in the nurture The Table of our Lord is for those who know eousness of God. This is Christ’s own righteous- and admonition of the Lord.” their sin and its just punishment of eternal death ness that covers up a poor sinner’s every rag and and hell. stain, wound and wretchedness. Studies show that parents are their kid’s strong- est influences in faith matters. Dr. Christian Now, don’t misunderstand. This doesn’t mean So the Lord, who gave His life as a ransom for Smith, director of the influential National Study of that admittance to the Table of the Lord de- many, and who possesses all the fullness of the Youth and Religion, wrote: “In most cases, parents pends on the depth or strength of the feeling of Godhead also makes this banquet into a Table are the most important Christian pastors teenag- sin. The knowledge of sin is simply known by of Grace for sinners. It is here that the forgive- ers will ever have—for better or worse.” The the examination of one’s life, especially as it re- ness of sins, life and salvation is poured out in a sense of separateness between home and church, lates to the Ten Commandments. Feeling has heavenly flood of grace upon those who only he said, “must be replaced by a more coopera- little to do with it. It’s about the Word of our possess guilt, death, and forsakenness. The Sav- tive, integrated, comprehensive approach to the Lord speaking His truth that makes all of us liars ior Himself is present here, and just as alive and faith formation of young people. and sinners. Sin is not something we determine, real as in Galilee. Here He comes, not in the it’s something that God has already determined manner of His second coming in full glory to THE BEGINNINGS OF SUNDAY by His Word and we suffer its due penalty. We judge the living and the dead, but quietly and SCHOOL only know what sin is, that it even exists, by the hidden as the shepherd who seeks the lost, and Law of the Lord.