The Lutheran Spokesman (February 1997)
In this issue:
A Spring Without Thorns
Cup Of Wrath -- Cup Of Blessing
New Creatures In Christ
God's Little Flock In The World
Smorgasbord
The Church You've Always Longed For
Exploratory Services
Seminary Graduates
In Our CLC Classrooms
My Soul Is Cleansed In Jesus' Blood
Announcements
For Circulation and Subscription Information, click here.
Articles
"They . . . wove a crown of thorns and set it on Him" -- Mark 15:17
"Ouch!" The "ouch" and frostbite of winter will soon be over! But
cheer up! Soon we can experience the inevitable "ouch" of being
pricked by various types of thorny weeds which, every year at this
time, start to infest our lawns and gardens.
While the prospect of having a sandbur lodged between your shoe and foot
may not dampen your joy over spring's arrival, none of us looks forward
to having our flesh torn by sharp, prickly plants. But there's no getting
around it. Thorns are a fact of life. And we know why that is. It's
because of sin. Thorns are a part of sin's curse. God said to Adam:
"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all
the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth
for you!"
Stabbing Sins
Even more than being a part of sin's curse, however, thorns remind us
of how all of earthly life has been cursed as a result of sin. Life
often seems like one big "OUCH!" Like getting caught in a bramble
bush, it tears us, cuts us, leaves us crying out in pain. Our life in
this world is filled with so much frustration and disappointment.
Worse yet, there are our sins stabbing at our conscience, making us
bleed from within, making it clear what we deserve for breaking God's
Law. Then there is death -- the ever present thorn in man's side --
ready to bring us down at any moment. Job well describes man's
situation: "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of
trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away...." (Job
14:1-2a).
But just when all seemed hopeless, Jesus came. Jesus came "that (we)
may have life, and have it more abundantly" (Jn. 10:10). Jesus, the
good gardener, came to remove the thorny curse of sin. But how would
He do that? How could He root out sin so deeply imbedded in man's
soul? Only one way: He Himself would have to become sin's curse in our
place.
How apropos that Jesus, as He trudged to the cross, wore upon His head
the very symbol of sin's curse. Upon His head was pressed a crown of
thorns. But Jesus did more than symbolize that curse. He (as the
Lenten season underscores) actually became sin's curse on behalf of
all people. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree'" (Gal. 3:13).
Jesus wore our sin until it crushed Him. On the cross He endured the
full fury of holy God's wrath! The horror of hell is the ultimate
curse our sins deserve! We can almost imagine a thorn being driven
into Jesus' soul as He cries out in the face of that horror: "My God,
My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Mk. 15:34)
Healing Salve
And what is the result of Jesus' becoming sin's curse in man's place?
Redemption for all people is the result! Freedom from sin, death, and
hell has been won for all sinners!
And what does it mean for you personally, dear Christian?
* It means that when some sin--any sin--tears into your conscience,
you can apply the healing salve which flows from the cross, namely,
Jesus' cancellation of the world's entire sin debt.
* It means living every day as "more than a conqueror." While life on
earth may hurt, you walk with a Savior whose sacrificial death proves
His undying commitment to your eternal welfare.
* It means one day you will take up permanent residence in a world
where there will be no more pain or death; in a world where the word
"ouch" will never be heard again!
This hard winter world cannot last long. A spring without thorns must
soon be ours!
Endless praise to Jesus, who wore the curse of sin for us so that we
might one day wear a crown of everlasting glory!
--Pastor Michael Wilke
"Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, 'O my Father,
if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be
done'" -- Matthew 26:42.
The night before His death found the Lord Jesus in the Garden of
Gehtsemane, fighting an intense battle with the forces of darkness. He
was, figuratively speaking, looking over the brim of a boiiling and
caustic concoction. It was the cup of God's wrath, the Father's anger
and judgement over the sins of the world. For Jesus, drinking this cup
meant becoming personally responsible for all sins. It meant having
His Father punish Him as THE great and only sinner of all time.
The very prosepct of drinking this cup was enough to kill our Lord,
for He said on this occasion: "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even
to death" (Mt. 26:38). Only the strengthening of an angel sent from
heaven gave Him the capacity to continue His journey to the cross.
Jesus prayed that this horrible cup might pass from Him, but was
satisfied with His Father's anwser, and resolute in carrying out His
will. Scene by scene the awful events again unfold before us -- the
arrest, the mock trial, the taunting, the spitting, the whip, the
crown of thorns, and finally the cross. And there He presses the cup
of wrath to His lips, and drinks deeply, fully, of our damnation. His
cry: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" demonstrates the true
bitterness of the potion that He drained in our place.
"NO Condemnation..."!
But drain it He did -- and the cup of God's wrath is now empty! "There
is therefore now NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus"
(Rom. 8:1).
Yes, our Father does have a cup for us to drink, but it is nothing at
all like the cup of wrath that Jesus drank for us. Rather, it is that
cup that David wrote of in the 23rd psalm: "You prepare a table before
me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup
runs over."
A sweet, clear, refreshing drink is freely offered event to sinners such
as us. We are drawn to God's grace, through His Word, out of the desert
of sin and shame, and given living water to drink. It is God's grace,
freely given to us in the person of Jesus Christ. It is the inheritance
of eternal life thorugh Him, and the privilege of living our lives for
Him until He comes to take us home.
How can we ever show our thankfulness for God's grace in giving us the
cup of blessing when we had deserved only the cup of wrath? -- By
trusting alone in His Son, and telling of His grace to others, as the
psalmist writes: "I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon
the name of the LORD" (Ps. 116:13).
O Savior, who on Calvary
Drank to its dregs my bitter cup of woe,
I sing eternal praise to Thee,
Who makes my cup of blessing overflow!
-- Pastor Bruce Naumann
(2 Cor. 5:17)
Studies in Second Corinthians
Chapter 13
The Proper Distinction Between Law And Gospel In The Pastoral
Ministry
A pastor is called by the Holy Spirit through a Christian congregation.
He is placed in that congregation by the Lord of the Church, Jesus
Christ, who gives pastors and teachers to His people as a gift. A
pastor is to be honored and listened to because he is a representative
of Jesus. Jesus said to the seventy whom He sent out in His name: "He
who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who
rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me" (Lk. 10:16).
A pastors does not come on the basis of his own authority or
personality. He is responsible to Jesus for the exercise of his
ministry. A pastor comes in the authority of Jesus. Some feel that
today there is growing lack of respect for the minstry and an attitude
of not having to listen to what pastor or congregation says regarding
an individual's conduct. The apostle Paul experienced this very same
problem in Corinth.
Tools Of The Trade
Both Law and Gospel are the tools of the trade for a faithful pastor.
A pastor by the very nature of the Gospel minstry is to be meek and
humble. He deals with the sheep with a Christ-like patience. A pastor
is to be careful that he does not crush the faith of the weak. He is
to seek the lost sheep. His ministry is to be evangelical, that is,
centered in the Gospel of the free forgiveness of sins. The Gospel is
to dominate his preaching and his practice.
Sometimes the Gospel-spirit of a faithful pastor is mistaken for
weakness and tolerance. The flesh will take advantage of grace to sin
all the more. Believe it or not, this happened to the apostle Paul.
There were some in the Corinthian congregation who questioned the
effectiveness of his ministry and of the Gospel itself. There were
others who saw Paul as an empty threat. Paul in this letter spoke of
the weakness of the clay pot which contains the treasure of the
Gospel. After defending the Gospel ministry and his ministry among the
Corinthians, Paul ends this letter with a strong warning.
Paul warns the Corinthians that they need to repent of their sins and
listen to his pastoral letter. In conjunction with the Old Testament
command to establish everything in the mouth of two or three
witnesses, this is Paul's third warning. If there is no repentance and
acknowledgement of Paul's ministry, the apostle will not spare those
who sinned earlier. The law has a good purpose if used lawfully. It
exposes sin and calls to repentance with its severe message and threat
of eternal damnation.
God is not fooling. This is serious business. Do not confuse the
crucifixion for weakness in Jesus. Don't you realize that Jesus is in
you with the power of His Gospel unless, of course, you fail the test?
Your pastor calls upon you to examine yourselves whether you are even
in the faith. Test yourselves. If you do not listen to the Word of God
that your pastor applies to your heart, you also will have to hear the
severity of the condemnation of the law. Your pastor comes to you in
the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is sad when people in their pride
and under the influence of the devil cavalierly dismiss the admoniton
of their pastor, for he watches for their souls as one who must give
account.
A Final Gospel Appeal
The authority of the ministry can either build up or tear down. In
this last chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul tells these people that he
does not want to come with the sharpness or harshness of authority.
Every pastor would rather build up his people with his pastoral
authority. Thankfully, this is what the pastoral ministry consists of
most of the time. However, there are times that a pastor has to use
this authority to tear down. If necessary, the apostle Paul would come
in all the severity of the law to discipline and bring to repentance
those who had rejected his ministry and the Word of God. Sometimes
your pastor has to come to you with the authority of Jesus and tell
you that you are wrong and that you need to listen to Jesus' words.
Both the Law and the Gospel have to be applied in the pastoral
minsitry.
It is remarkable that in the face of these strong words, Paul is able
to close this letter with a final Gospel appeal and blessing. The
confidence is that the Holy Spirit will work through the words spoken
and produce within people a change of heart and attitude. Paul closes
with this appeal: "Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of
good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and
peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the
saints greet you."
He then closes with the familiar blessing which not only mentions the
three persons of the trinity but also describes their work. "The grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion
(fellowship) of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." Listen
carefully when your pastor speaks this benediction over you. God has
committed unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Be, therefore,
reconciled to God.
--Pastor John Schierenbeck
"That We Might Have Hope" (Rom. 15:4)
Exodus Chapters One And Two
GOD'S LITTLE FLOCK IN THE WORLD
"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give
you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
The Church in the world is the "little flock." It has always been so.
In the Old Testament it was not even all Israel who were God's people,
but always only "the remnant" of Israel, for "they are not all Israel
that are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the
seed of Abraham" (Rom. 9:6-7). God's children will always be a
minority in this world because the devil is this world's prince.
Christ has defeated him, and his days are numbered; still, the vast
majority of people in their blindness follow him to his doom.
Despised And Persecuted
The Church is not only a minority in the world. It is a despised and
persecuted minority. This is the history of God's poeple, recorded in
the Bible. At the end of Genesis God's people consisted of one extended
fmaily, the family of Jacob (Israel), only seventy in number. At the
beginning of Exodus (three and a half centuries later) we read that
"the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly,
multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with
them" (Ex. 1:7).
But mighty as they had become, they were enslaved by the Egyptians who
tried to reduce their numbers, first by subjecting them to hard labor,
then by trying to kill every male child born to them. The children of
Israel seemed doomed, as the more powerful Egyptians marked them for
extinction.
But there was something about the children of Israel that the
Egyptians did not reckon with. The children of Israel had prospered
because the Lord had blessed them. The more the Egyptians afflicted
them, the more they multiplied and grew (Ex. 1:12). Every plan to
reduce their numbers failed.
In fact, the most vicious of the plans of
Pharaoh God used to raise up a deliverer for His people. Pharaoh
commanded that every son born to the Hebrews should be thrown into the
river. But when Moses was born his mother hid him. And when she could
not longer hide him she put him in an ark of bulrushes and laid it
among the reeds near the river bank where he was found by Pharaoh's
daughter, who then took him to the palace and raised him as her son.
The education and training that he recieved in Pharaoh's palace helped
to prepare Moses for the role God had laid out for him: to lead His
people from Egypt to the Promised Land.
Delivered By The Power Of God
When Moses reached adulthood in the royal palace, he was not yet ready
to lead his people. He killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and
hid the body in the sand. Moses had to flee the ocuntry. Israel would
not be delivered by the might of a man but by the power of God.
Moses dwelt in the land of Midian until the Lord called him to deliver
His people. Years passed, and the people cried to God because of their
bondage. It probably seemed to them as though He did not hear them.
But He did hear, and He remembered His covenant of grace with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. He went forward with His plan for the children of
Israel to make of them a great nation and to place them in their own
land, a plan that would culminate in the coming of the Savior of the
world, Jesus Christ.
The experience of the children of Israel is that of the people of God
in all ages, and it is that of the Church today. The Church remains
God's little flock, viewed by the world as alien, persecuted by the
world, always appearing to be doomed to extinction. Yet it is
preserved by God, saved from its own sins by God's grace through the
Deliverer He has sent.
We Christians today keenly feel the smallness of our numbers compared
to the unbelieving world. We feel the world's hostility. Yet God hears
our prayers and remembers His covenant of grace with us. He says;
"Fear not, little flock." He preserves us in the faith in the midst of
an ungodly world, and leads us safely to eternal life.
--Pastor John Klatt
* OLD TESTAMENT/NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES
Our staff writers for "Lessons From The Old Testament" have led us
through Genesis, the Book of Beginnings, which ends with God's people
in Egypt. A last article covered lessons from the book of Job.
We come next to the last four books of Moses (Exodus to Deuteronomy)
which treat the oppression of God's people in Egypt, and their
subsequent deliverance. Rather than chapter by chapter, a broader
brush often covering several chapters will be used by the writers to
lead us through these books.
Thereafter, the plan is to continue on through the divinely recorded
and inspired historical books of Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and
so forth.
And all for the purpose, as St. Paul writes: "For whatever things were
written before were written for our learning, that we through the
patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Romans
15:4).
As for the New Testament studies -- with this issue we conclude the
chapter studies of Corinthians. The plan is to continue on through the
Epistles of Paul. Since they do not always lend themselves to a
whole-chapter approach (the chapter divisions are not inspired), these
studies will rather focus on chapter sections or overlaps.
As we thank our Old Testament writers for lessons gleaned that we
might have hope, so we thank our New Testament writers for helping us
lest we succumb to the all-too-common plague of scripture twisting.
St. Peter writes: "...As also our beloved brother Paul, according to
the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his
epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things
hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to
their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:15f).
Lord, may we all benefit from the wisdom You gave to "our beloved
brother Paul"!
--PGF
* EXPLORATORY SERVICES
We intend to run the table of preaching stations for the Board of
Missions twice annually (February & August). Giving the phone number
should suffice for necessary contact to be made. If any desire further
information be shown in the Spokesman, send it along for our
Announcements section.
Any updates or corrections, additions or deletions, for this table should
be sent directly to the editor via snail-mail or e-mail (cf. masthead).
--PGF
* THE WORMHAVEN GARDENING BOOK
Pastor Gregory Jackson's latest book is lighter fare than other titles
he has written (e.g. Catholic, Lutheran, Protestant, Liberalism: Its
Cause And Cure; Angel Joy). One of the pastor's avocations is
gardening. He hadn't lived in New Ulm more than a year before he was
elected president of the city's gardening club.
Who can appreciate any aspect of nature or creation better than one
who sees it for what it is -- a product of the creative hand of the
Almighty. But the lowly earthworm?! The reader of this 150-page soft-cover
book will soon discover that the Creator's purpose and intent with the
earthworm is far more than fish bait. The garden in your backyard is a
worm haven. What that garden produces is to the credit of the Creator
-- and His seemingly insignificant earthworm.
The book is subtitled: "Understanding God's Six Day Creation Can Make
Gardening easy, Fun, Inexpensive, Healthy and Educational for the
Whole Family." Besides treating organic gardening, the book is an
apology for Creation. Says the author: "When we have a clearer under-
standing of Creation, all other doctrines also mean more to us."
The book can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Included are 25
projects for children so that parents and parochial school teachers can
illustrate the principles of Creation from common events, plants, and
animals in the backyard.
"Of course, the real heroes among God's creatures working the soil in
Wormhaven are far more amazing than fictitious sand worms of the
classic science fiction tale Dune . . . The reader of Wormhaven is truly
in for a treat. Pastor Jackson's marvelous sense of humor is found on
almost every page" -- Dr. David Menton
--PGF
Last fall your pastor and/or church office began receiving colorful
flyers announcing "the newest 50-Day Spiritual Adventure (which) will
help you and your congregation!" Pastors were invited to attend one of
128 nationwide Training Conferences between October 1, 1996 and
January 9, 1997 to help implement the Adventure in their local church.
The topic was "The Church You've Always Longed For: What You Can Do To
Make It Happen." A brochure tells us what we supposedly have always
longed for in a church -- being a caring family, capturing the heart
of the community, welcoming all people, empowering each individual,
modeling integrity, serving a broken world, encountering the living
God, and anticipating a great future. To "make these things happen"
the program was to encourage people to "practice five action steps
designed to enhance your church family": learn to listen with the ears
of Jesus; attract others by saying good things about the church;
connect with individuals outside your circle; help each other become
all God wants us to be; get rid of personal garbage that pollutes
God's church.
Conspicuous for its absence is any mention of Jesus Christ (other than
"listening with His ears"), His cross, sin and grace, or the Means of
Grace. Church Growth propoganda extraodinaire.
We have our own "spiritual adventures" at our pastoral and delegate
conferences and synodical conventions. The scripturally-based essays
and discussions help us "be all that Christ intends."
For example, at last summer's synod Convention Pastor John Ude (Messiah,
Hales Corners, Wis.) delivered an essay on The Means Of Grace And Mission
Work. Here is a portion of the essayist's description of the Church
operative in the book of Acts -- a Church we truly long for!
The Church created at Pentecost had one formula, plan, and goal for
mission work: "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42).
It is through that Word alone that the successive Pentecosts of Acts
come to men. "My Word shall accomplish what I please and prosper in
the thing for which I sent it" (Is. 55:11). Any plan or sign that
becomes a substitute for relying on Christ's grace revealed alone in
the Word and Sacraments is from the devil (Jn. 15:26, 16:14). Christ's
Kingdom is coming to us when God gives us His Holy Spirit so that by
His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life here in time
and hereafter in eternity. The one vision which is to sustain and
guide us is of the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY upon His throne dispensing
forgiveness (Isaiah 6). The Spirit's foremost mission goal is that the
Word is taught "in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24, 8:31, Mt.
28:20)....
Most helpful in Pastor Ude's essay was a footnote in which he itemized
12 points where the Church Growth Movement errs. In capsulized form
the points were:
1. It is virtually silent about God's forgiveness.
2. It never proclaims objective, universal justification in Christ.
3. It makes faith a decision man makes to identify with a social
group....It measures discipleship by obedience, and responsible church
membership is not simply faith in Christ.
4. It is all about growing a church rather than the Word growing the
Church.
5. It separates conversion from the Means Of Grace....It makes
entertainment, crowd psychology, and pagan frenzy its means of grace.
6. It sets goals for conversions and other divine matters. Scripture
says the Spirit blows where He wills.
7. It determines its message by society's "felt needs" and so cuts the
heart out of God's Word....
8. It sets up levels of Christianity. This mixes justification and
sanctification.
9. It confuses the priesthood of all believers with the public
ministry.
10. It looks to man's abilities, spiritual gifts, to energize the
church rather than the Word and Sacaments.
11. It accommodates cultural idolatry and prejudice instead of
promoting the transcultural, transcendent Word of God's salvation.
12. It is completely unionistic, maintaining that creeds are to be
discarded, all denominations are equal, theology only matters if it
encourages or prevents church growth....
One of those 50-Day Adventure brochures stated: "Increasingly, we live
in a post-Christian era. Churches, once the hubs of our communities,
are being forced to the edges of society. Attendance is waning...."
What to do? Let all would-be Christian churches (and synods) return to
reliance upon the Means of Grace, the Gospel in the Word and
Sacrament. Such means are God's instrument to defend, extend, and
revitalize His Church.
--Pastor Paul Fleischer
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LOCATION PASTOR IN CHARGE LAY PERSON TO CONTACT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona, Gold Canyon Michael Eichstadt Gerald Gehling
602-866-234
California, Stockton Michael Sprengeler
510-886-3252
Colorado, Colorado Springs Delwyn Maas Chuck Seelye
303-278-7216 or 719-685-5848
800-777-4316
(statewide, Peter Reim)
Colorado, Southeast Denver Delwyn Maas Edwin Trapp
303-278-7216 or 303-805-0300
800-777-4316
(statewide, Peter Reim)
North Dakota, Fargo Theodore Barthels Gary Pansch
218-847-2080 701-277-1727
Florida, North Port Wayne Eichstadt Bob Peters
941-423-1822 941-474-4385
Florida, Orlando John Schierenbeck Paul Kuehne
941-299-4084 407-277-2183
Florida, Coral Springs Wayne Eichstadt Bob Doriot
(North Ft. Lauderdale) 941-423-1822 305-429-0063
Georgia, Atlanta area Warren Fanning
803-796-0005 (home)
803-791-0770 (office)
Michigan, Cadillac Mark Bernthal Bob Remus
517-792-9390 616-832-2687
Michigan, Grand Rapids James Sandeen Harald Schillinger
616-468-4368 616-453-6609
Minnesota, Kimball Daniel Fleischer Reuben Streich
(St. Cloud area) 612-784-8784 320-453-7562
New Mexico, Albuquerque Norbert Reim Robin Vogsland
602-974-8911 505-892-6934
Ohio, Columbus Leroy Dux Paul Tiefel, Sr.
810-433-1951 614-890-8880
Texas, Amarillo Joel Fleischer Local Contact
719-336-5773 806-358-3717
Virginia, Fairfax Timothy Holland David Loop
(Washington DC area) 704-692-7731 703-250-2020
Washington, Withrow Terrel Kesterson
509-327-4203
Wisconsin, Fairchild Paul Tiefel, Jr. Gordon Radtke
715-832-0316 715-834-6280
Timothy Wheaton is a third May, 1996 graduate (with John Hein and
Tim Holland) from our Immanuel Seminary in Eau Claire. While awaiting
a call from the Holy Spirit, Tim has served as vacancy pastor at Faith
Lutheran Church, Markesan, Wis. and interim pastor at Bethel Lutheran,
Morris, Minn. and Peace of Parkers Prairie, Minn.
Some may remember Tim as a "copier boy" at the 1990, 1992, and 1994
synod conventions. Others may have become acquainted with him either
when he vicared in Saginaw, Michigan and Dallas, Texas or when he has
served as a guest preacher in many of the CLC congregations in
Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The oldest of three children, Timothy Burdette Wheaton was born July
11, 1969 to Burdette and Margaret Ann Wheaton in Mankato, Minn. His
elementary and high school education was received in the Christian Day
School and High School at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. After a
year of college at Mankato State University, he attended ILC in Eau
Claire, earning a BA degree in pre-theology. Tim says that ever since
confirmation class he had adesired to become a minister of the Gospel.
It was in the fall of 1993 that he entered the Seminary.
Tim is thankful to God for the quality of education which he received
from his teachers during his twenty years of Christian education. It
can be said of him "that from childhood you have known the Holy
Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15).
****
Seminary Graduate Accepts Call
On Sunday, December 8, 1996 Timothy James Holland was ordained and
installed as pastor of Living Word Lutheran Church, Hendersonville, NC
and Gift of God Lutheran Church, Fairfax, Virginia. The Rev. Warren
Fanning, pastor of Holy Trinity congregation of West Columbia, S.C.
officiated.
Pastor Holland was born in Michigan in 1955. He was a May, 1996
graduate of Immanuel Lutheran Seminary, Eau Claire, Wis. He and his
wife Charlene (nee Noe, and formerly of New Jersey), are not strangers
to the congregations being served. They lived in the area for several
years up until 1992.
It is always interesting to discover what work pastors may have done
before entering the ministry. Rev. Holland worked for a while in West
Columbia, S.C. for a vending machine company; also in Asheville, N.C.
for Autistic Retarded Adults and an Asheville Industrial company,
doing wiring for submarines. Ever guiding him, God led him into the
holy ministry.
The Lord has blessed the Hollands with two children. Jacqueline is now
two years old. Samuel, born in June 1996, was taken into God's
everlasting Kingdom of Glory about six weeks before the move to
Hendersonville, his death being attributed to sudden infant death
syndrome.
"We pray the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ, to bestow rich and
bountiful measures of comfort and help upon Pastor Holland and his
family, and provide him, and the congregations he serves, with eternal
fruit" (installation folder).
Meet: Ted Quade
Ted Quade is currently the principal and upper-grade teacher at
Messiah Lutheran Church in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. Ted was called to
open a school there in 1993. Just this year they were able to add
another full-time teacher, Ruth Eserhut, to their staff.
Ted attended the Christian day school in Markesan, Wisconsin, near
their family farm. He continued his education at Immanuel Lutheran
High School and College and graduated in 1978 with a B.S. degree in
Elementary Education. He also took several courses at Mankato State
University.
Upon graduating from ILC he taught at St. Luke's Lutheran School in
Lemmon, South Dakota from 1978-80. In 1981 he married Georgine Rieger
of Lemmon and returned to the Markesan area to farm. Soon afterward he
was called to fill a vacancy at Faith Lutheran in Markesan. He accepted
the call and taught there until 1986, when he decided to return to
farming. He once again returned to the classroom in 1987, after
accepting a call to teach at Immanuel School in Winter Haven, Florida.
He taught there unitl 1993 when he accepted the call to Hales Corners.
One of Ted's favorite aspects of teaching is visiting with former
students and finding out what they are doing with their lives. His
favorite classroom saying is: "Wear the Lord on your sleeve, don't
hide Him in your pocket!" Religion and history are his favorite
subjects to teach. Outside of school Ted enjoys reffing basketball
games and gardening.
Ted and Georgine have two children. Nathan is a high school freshman
at ILC and Rachel (age 12) is taught by her father.
Thanks for the years of dedicated service in our synod's
schools.
****
Meet: Ruth Eserhut
Ruth Eserhut is currently teaching at Messiah Lutheran Church in
Hales Corners, Wisconsin. Ruth attended Immanuel Lutheran High School
and College and graudated with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education
in May, 1996. As part of her schooling experience, she student-taught
at Holy Cross Church in Phoenix, Arizona.
Outside the classroom Ruth enjoys singing, writing, traveling, hiking,
swimming, and cross-country skiing. Ruth is the daughter of Donald and
Rhoda Eserhut. Rhoda is teaching in our Christian day school at Luther
Memorial Church, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
8.7.8.7.8.8.7.
My soul is cleansed in Jesus' blood
He saved me from damnation.
Will you take time to hear His Word?
In Him is your salvation.
God sent His Son to set all free.
He healed the blind that they could see,
With Him to live in glory.
The Father sent His Son in love
Down to this earth from heaven,
To rescue us from sin and shame --
Through Him we are forgiven.
Go tell the story, praise His name;
As you receive, so also give
And share this wondrous story.
We need not live in doubt and fear
Of sin and condemnation.
He said that He is always near
To give us free salvation.
So trust His Word, in Him believe;
By faith in Him this grace receive
And live with Him in heaven.
-- Henry Meissner
(Mr. Meissner is a member of Immanuel Church, Mankato, Minnesota)
Installation
In accord with our usage and order, Immanuel Lutheran Seminary graduate
Timothy Holland, who was called by Living Word Lutheran congregation of
Hendersonville, NC and Gift of God Lutheran congregation of Fairfax, VA
as pastor was installed on December 8, 1996.
--Pastor Warren Fanning
Correction: In President Fleischer's article in the December 1996
issue there was an unfortunate typo for which I was
responsible. The sentence in the final paragraph should read: " . . .
without the Reformation the message of Christmas--salvation by grace
through faith in Christ Jesus alone--would have remained a deep, dark
secret." -- Ed.
Request For Colloquy
Rev. Horst Gutsche, who left the Lutheran Church-Canada for reasons of
conscience and who is now a member of Redemption in Seattle,
Washington, has applied for colloquy with the intent to become
eligible for call in the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Any
response to this application should be in the hands of the undersigned
by April 1, 1997.
--Daniel Fleischer, President
Kimball (St. Cloud Area)
Services in Kimball are conducted at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday. Sunday
School and Bible Class follow the service. Holy Communion is observed
on the second Sunday of the month. Location of the worship facility:
50 Hazel Street (middle of town, one block east of Hwy. 51).