APRIL 1, 2018 ISSUE #8 The Life Begun on Easter REFLECTIONS ON WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE YOUTH AND THE KEYS TO SUNDAY SYNOD, DISTRICT MISSOINS MORNING WORSHIP AND DATES Page 1 Page 3 Page 4 Page 7 Easter 2018 The Life Begun At Easter Leo the Great once wrote the following: “There are two loves from which proceed all desires. They are as different in their quality as they are different in their sources. For the reasonable soul, which cannot exist without love, it must love either God or the world”. The life begun at Easter is a life of love towards God. Easter is a time of new life. It’s a time of being born again. Though technically it’s a time that we celebrate in conjunction with the ancient Festival of Passover, it’s also denotes a time during which each person begins their life anew. As the Apostle !1 APRIL 1, 2018 ISSUE #8 says, “You’ve been called out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). You’ve been released from the prison of sin (Ps 102:20); the enmity of the natural mind (1 Cor 2:14); the way that seems right to a man but in the end, leads to death (Pr 16:25). You’ve been, in effect, called out of the tomb and restored to a life in which you now know the love of God and in return, have entered into a relationship in which you love Him in return. Leo’s words above echo the words of our Lord: “You cannot serve two masters. You will either hate one and love the other or you will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Matt 6:24). The life begun at Easter is a life of love towards God. “You’ve been No one choses this life (John 15:16). This life is a gift. It is planted in you like a seed when you hear God’s word (Ro 10:17). called out of It grows as it’s watered (Is 45:8). It dies when it’s neglected (Lk 8:14). You can always fall away. It’s one thing to believe that darkness into His there is a God. It’s another thing to love Him (Ja 2:19). So what does God do? He has formed His church where His Word is marvelous preached and where His Sacraments are distributed freely that you might hear His gospel time and time again and He promises light” (1 Pet 2:9). that no matter what happens, the gates of hell will not prevail against His church (Mt 16:18). The new life that begins at Easter is a life that lives not by bread alone, but by every word that flows from the mouth of God (Mt 4:4). It’s a life that rejoices like the beloved in the Song of Solomon, “The voice of my beloved! Behold, He comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills” (So 2:7). This life comes to you. It comes to you through Word and Sacrament. It comes in the form of Law and Gospel. It comes calling you to repentance by promising you forgiveness. It comes to you daily, as God’s mercy is renewed (La 3:23). Leo goes on to say: Therefore, we must cling inseparably to eternal treasures, but we must use temporal things like those who are just passing by and as sojourners hastening to return to our own land. The life begun at Easter is a life that lives as part of a new house and a new home. It’s a life that changes who you are. As Peter says, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people” (1 Pet 2:10). In other words, once you were just a bunch of individuals. You thought like this world. You reasoned like this world. You said to yourself, “I will love me”. You said to yourself, “I will do what’s good for me”. You believed in yourself (or tried to). You fought for yourself; Cried for yourself; Lived as if there were really no greater God than yourself. But now, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph 2:13). You’ve been baptized into the death of Christ Jesus (Ro 6:4) and sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) who has come into your hearts that you might cry out to God, ‘Abba, Father!” (Gal 4:6). The life begun at Easter is a life that gives you a new identity and a new home. This new life is your salvation. Don’t neglect it (Heb 2:3). If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with each other and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:13-15). The life begun at Easter is a life of holiness. As your Pastor, I implore you: Deal with the complications as they come but by all means, do not give up! Learn to walk in this Easter life. IJN + !2 APRIL 1, 2018 ISSUE #8 Every One His Witness™ — Lutheran Evangelism Program Did you know that 90 percent of churches are declining or on a plateau in worship attendance? Intentionally focusing on revitalizing congregations is necessary to fulfill Christ's command for us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Our office has been able to acquire a copy of the new Evangelism Programs for our congregation at less than 1/2 the regular price on account of the generosity of St. John’s, Ellinwood (who happened to have an extra copy for only $50.00). This program focusing on training people in witnessing. What’s it all about? The Every One His Witness Lutheran evangelism program puts sound doctrine into practical action for sharing the faith with people in our everyday lives. Participants learn: What is witnessing? Why do we witness? And the “how-to” of witnessing using the LASSIE approach — Listen-Ask-Seek-Share-Invite-Encourage. Would you prayerfully consider becoming part of a group of re-vitalized witnesses? If so, please let the Pastor know. Looking forward to our Youth There are a lot of opportunities being offered for Youth every year by our District, our Synod and even in conjunction with our missionaries around the world. Points of Interest: 1. Lutheran Valley Retreat Summer Camp (LVR) Peri and Parker Lange attended this camp a few years ago and had nice things to say about it. Our District runs it every year for all students in grades 9-12. This year’s dates are from July 15-20 in Woodland Park, Colorado. For more information, check out: https:// kslcms.org/education-youth/lvr/ 2. International Missions Did you know that you can share Christ while in teaching English or while helping with Vacation Bible School in a foreign country? The Board of International Missions of the LCMS is always looking for groups to help with our missionary endeavors overseas. For more information, check out the mission service opportunities at: https://www.lcms.org/service 3. 2019 Youth Gathering The theme is out for the next twi-annual youth gathering which will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from July 11-15, in 2019. Interested in what they have planned? Check out: http://www.lcmsgathering.com !3 APRIL 1, 2018 ISSUE #8 The Keys to Sunday morning Worship - Loren Schmidt. At the heart of our church services, is the wonderful music provided by our musicians playing the Organ. It has interested me for a while to learn more about this instrument that we really don’t get to look at but do hear. My research is both with our organists and to learn as much about the instrument as I can using Google. Some facts and opinions were learned that I was not expecting. I created a questionnaire for all of our organists to answer as they saw fit. My only disappointment was within a week of handing them out, My mother-in-law Maxine began her final lap to be with our Lord and so I didn’t get to add in her account. The Organ has a plate screwed on it listing it as a Hinners-Smith Pipe Organ and that the console was rebuilt in 1983 by Hoyer Organ Co., Lawrence, KS. Hoyer Organ is no longer in business as Mr. Hoyer has passed on. However I did visit with Duane Hanks of Pipe Organ Craftsman who did so much work on it for us last year. This is where the confusion begins for me; as having read the plate, I went searching for information of the Hinners Organ Co. and found some very entertaining and interesting facts. Unfortunately, most of those stories may not apply to this organ as Duane says most of the console looks like it came from other organs which he says isn’t really that uncommon. In my car logic words, it’s like putting a Chevy small block engine in a Ford and then putting a Chrysler Dana rear end under it.