Pastor’s Notes

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

          Recently, they concluded the most famous bike race in our world – the Tour de France.  It has been an ongoing competition since 1903.  It spans 23 days as they travel the roads of France and crown a champion in Paris.

          There are two men who have an interesting job during these 23 days.  Their job is to whitewash or camouflage obscene or political messages so that they do not show up on the television coverage.  They are known as the Tour’s “Erasers” who wake up early each morning, get in a white van with a bucket of paint and some rollers and get to work.  One of the men commented on why they must continue to do this year after year and day after day, “You can’t stop human stupidity.”

          Our sinful messages, actions, talk etc. also need to be whitewashed.  We need it year after year and day after day.  Our soul needs a good daily cleansing.  Instead of whitewash, we need the blood of Jesus.  Jesus has covered our bad behavior with his righteousness.  His perfect life substituted for our far from perfect life.

          Like those at the Tour de France what do we want the world to see?  Prayerfully a forgiven sinner who from baptism on has been cleansed.  The picture we give to those around us is that Jesus took our obscene life and made a beautiful mural.  One that shows His love and grace and mercy.  One that shadows an eternity with Him. 

          Enjoy the ride!

In Christ,

Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

            Pull up a chair; let’s have a talk.  This has been weighing on my mind.  My heart aches.  Care and concern are the motivation.

            While it is nice this will be read by those of you involved in the church, you may even compliment it – which I appreciate – this heart-to-heart is intended for a different audience.  I will let the Holy Spirit guide the words.  I will just type.

            This is for the drifter.  Those who have drifted from the shore of God’s House.  The boats are in different positions.  Some are in a boat far out to sea.  One Sunday became another Sunday, which became another Sunday until you find yourselves in the middle of the water and can barely see the shore.  It started innocently enough and now you wonder – can I get back to shore?

            Some boats are getting away from the shore but still the distance is not insurmountable.  The recent months have found you finding a reason to stay away.  The interesting thing is that your family’s boat has always been safely in the harbor.  Do you see it happening?  How do I approach what has always been a good relationship?  Beating you over the head with the Law is no good.  Your brothers and sisters in Christ miss you.  Want to worship and fellowship with you and your family.

            Come on a visit with a shut-in some time.  They cry because they can’t be in God’s House.  Oh, how they miss that presence of the Lord in their life.  Singing hymns as a glimpse of heaven.  A short, concise and to the point Law/Gospel message.  Holy Communion with the body of believers.  Fellowship and love felt by their fellow members.  If you could experience this would the boat be on the path it is?

            The cause is hard to define.  Has something been left unsaid?  Has your life changed?  Health-wise, children-wise, activity-wise, lifestyle-wise?  What do you see?

Do we see the same frustration but find the answer hard to grasp?  The Lord is here.  The Lord is patient.  The Lord is forgiving.  The Lord sees you getting farther and farther away.  He aches.  He loves you as His child, made holy in baptism, knowing our time here on earth is brief.  He sends you signals.  He enters your thoughts.  It might be easier to ignore, but you can’t.  The pull of the Gospel is too powerful.  The Holy Spirit is too mighty.  The hole in your heart can only be satisfied one way.

             Come back.  Led by the Almighty Captain the boat makes it’s way to the shore.  You dock at 3516 White Eagle Road.  You see the sign…you see the steeple.  Welcome home!

In Christ, Pastor Lueck

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

            I just completed another sermon and now it is time to write my newsletter article.  I am very organized and ahead of the curve when it comes to my sermons.  I plan them out a month in advance (with appropriate hymns) and this month I even had two of them done by Monday (this week it’s Wednesday.)

            These articles not so much.  In the office we comment on how these dates for the newsletter sneak up on us.  Already?  Didn’t we just put together the May newsletter?  Fleeting moments passing by.  What will I write about?  While typing the sermon that I just completed the Lord again came through with an idea.  Don’t you like that about Him?  Let’s see if you like it as much as He sent it.

            I type on the computer a lot.  Sermons and letters and newsletter articles and hymn choices and worship folder items and bulletin announcements.  When you do that much typing you are bound to make a few mistakes.  I do.  I just did in the sermon.  What I noticed is that I make the correction as I go along.  It comes naturally to me.  Probably because I learned on a typewriter (look it up millennial and younger on your phone where you do most of your typing).  I was taught in typing class (yes, they had those!) to correct my mistake when I made it – white out, eraser.  I still bring that to the computer.  I have been blessed to be a good speller, so that is not usually the problem.  Punctuation – sometimes.  The computer does not always like my style of writing.  The red lines prove it. 

            The amazing part is how quickly the correction can happen.  Backspace, correct and boom you are off and typing again.  I still check things at the end and I appreciate the ease compared to what it used to be.  See I am evolving!

            How about you?  Correct as you go or make mistakes and clean them up at the end.  I believe those who like things right and in order in life are the correct as you go.  Those who clean up at the end are those who love the technology, aren’t bothered by mistakes or figure there is time, chill, why be in a rush.  I would love your feedback as I put my sociology minor to use.

            No matter which way you do it, the Lord does it better.  He backspaces the mistakes of our life and they are completely written out of the code.  They don’t stay around.  They don’t linger.  His work on the cross is the best white out or eraser ever made.  We acknowledge our shortcomings and He clears them away.  He allows us to turn in the perfect paper because of His perfect life.  Your name is written (typed) in the Book of Life and is safe in His loving hands.

            I see one red line.  I am going to run the spelling and grammar and see if the computer is right.  The spelling looks right to me.  Stay tuned . . .

In Christ,

Pastor

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

           Recently I made a hospital call at Advocate Bromenn Mennonite Regional Medical Center (try to get that on a business card).  Anyway, I pulled into the parking garage and made my way up.  I passed the blue level and the red level and eventually rested my vehicle on the yellow level – level 4 I believe. 

            As my 2011 Camry made each turn with careful precision I looked at all the vehicles that had already made their way there on that Tuesday afternoon.  That parking garage was filled with millions upon millions of dollars worth of transportation worthy cars, trucks, SUV’s, motorcycles, and electric cars.  As I made my way down each row and around every corner another thought came to my mind:  almost every vehicle in there was less than 10 years old.  Aren’t we the most blessed people in the world?  This comes from someone who is in a family with a car over 10 years old – a 2005 Camry driven mostly by the offspring.  But that mode of transportation has been a blessing as well.

            The older I get the more grateful I become.  The Lord has allowed me to see so much.  I see people struggling to get up and down stairs.  I thank Him each time I take the stairs at the hospitals or in office buildings or when I run the stairs for exercise at church.  I appreciate the hand of the Lord in my health and my family and in our congregation.  In a world of bad language and bad behavior and people whining about every little notion that doesn’t go their way, I thank God for the kindness, the uplifting word, the helping hand.  I don’t want to be cynical.  Please Lord help me in my gratefulness.

            This all flows from our Resurrected Savior.  His love and care and mercy and kindness and selflessness.  He is the Vine we are the branches.  May He continue to lead us to not take things for granted.  May we recognize the blessings.  May the parking spot you want be available – then thank Him for it!

In Christ,

Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

            Back in the 19^th century there was a tightrope walker named Charles Blondin.  He would cross the Niagara Falls Gorge 160 feet above the water.  He did it blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow and even on stilts! 

            During one of his stunts he asked the crowd if they thought he could carry a man across.  They thought he could.  He then asked, “Which one of you will climb on my shoulders?”  Silence.

           Finally someone came forward.  It was Blondin’s manager who had known him for years.  Blondin told the manager, “You must not trust your own feelings, but mine.  You will feel like turning when we don’t need to.  If your trust your feelings we will fall.  You must become a part of me.”  The two men made it across safely.

            How would you handle that?  I get a little nervous just looking down from our church balcony.  No thanks!  But you and I do put our life in someone hands, don’t we?  Christ Jesus has already performed a death-defying act by overcoming death through His resurrection.  He navigates the tightrope for us and lands us on the other side – heaven.

            Like the manager was told there are times we want to turn our own way.  In our Christian faith we are part of Christ.  He has made us this way through our Baptism.  We feed on Him in the Holy Supper.  He carries us.

            How do you like the view from a top the Savior’s shoulders?  Don’t look down.  Trust.  He’s got you!

In Christ,

Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am no actuary but I do like to work with numbers and it is official — the last four years we have had

a high percentage of bad weather — snow, ice, freezing temperatures — on the weekend.  If we take December

— February as meteorological winter that gives us 52 Sundays (5 +4+4 x 4) the last four years.  We have had

16 weather events – almost 1/3 of the time.  Add in there a Lenten Service and New Year’s Eve Service that

were cancelled and we throw our hands up — “Enough!” This year alone (2019) we have had snow/ice on 5

of the 7 Sundays as I write this.  One more tidbit — last year we had snow/ice on the last Sunday of March —

please no!

All right, come out from under your blanket.  Pull up a chair and a cup of hot chocolate and let’s talk,

Pastor to people.  I’ve not given up.  I know worship for many of you has been inconsistent because of the

weather.  There is no rhythm of seeing each other every week.  Habits can form — bad habits — but I am not

giving up on you, so please don’t give up on yourself.  For some of you life circumstances have changed which

make it more difficult to get here.  Please reach out so we can help.  We have members willing to pick you up

and get you back home.  This outreach happens every Sunday with a few of our brothers and sisters.

Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be.  I can’t plan anything because who knows what the

weather is going to be the next day.  I’ve been praying for better weather (and yes I know the joke from many

of you and my fellow Pastors — you have requested I stop – but I can’t).  This is a spiritual battle.  The devil is

wily and his schemes are non-stop so we can’t just quit our intercessions because we don’t see improvement.

I know prayer works.  Remember the winter we built our church?  The Lord provided a mild winter and little

snow and the construction people were able to work continually.  The Lord heard us then and He will hear us

now.

The Lord has not given up on you.  He loves you.  He died for you.  He wants to feed you through

Word and Sacrament.  He doesn’t want your snow shovel to be permanently in your hands.  We thank Him

that He has kept safe many who have made it to His House.  Come out of hibernation — your brothers and

sisters are excited to see you — but no one is more excited than your Savior.

In Christ,

Pastor