On that first Easter evening, the disciples of Jesus were huddled together behind doors that were closed and locked. They had been rocked to their core with the arrest and death by crucifixion of their beloved Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth. They were likely also more than a little ashamed that they had turned tail and run away when Jesus was arrested.  They were fearful that they might suffer the same fate as Jesus did, since they were His disciples. But then it was reported that Jesus was not in the grave; it was empty. What was going on? Confusion and uncertainty were everywhere. And then, Jesus himself appeared among them behind doors that were closed and locked. And then, most surprising of all, the first word out of Jesus’ mouth to His confused and uncertain followers was this: “Peace be with you.” Without a doubt, they were not expecting this! If anything, they were expecting to be upbraided by Jesus for abandoning Him in His hour of need. Jesus demonstrates that it really is He himself by showing them the wounds He suffered on the cross. He showed them His hands and sides, and after this? “Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” The uncertain reports didn’t convince them. The empty tomb didn’t prove that Jesus was risen from the dead. It was seeing Him and recognizing, even in His resurrected body, the wounds which He suffered – that is what convinced them. That’s the evidence that they needed to believe that Jesus really and truly was alive; that He had risen from the dead.

One problem here, though: one of the disciples was missing. Thomas, called the Twin, was not there with the others on that first Easter evening. Did he experience FOMO? You know, “fear of missing out,” which can be a very real thing in our lives. Whatever he may have felt, Thomas missed out on this incredible experience of seeing the crucified and risen Christ. He wanted that same evidence that the other disciples had received: “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Thomas drew his line in the sand, so to speak, and refused to believe that Christ is risen; risen indeed. He required that Easter evidence for himself. What’s the old phrase? “Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.” So it was with Thomas, because eight days later the disciples were all together once again, and this time, Thomas was with them. As before, the risen Christ appears in their midst, and just as before, He again speaks a word of blessing to them: “Peace be with you.” And then He speaks directly to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas got his Easter evidence.

Curiously, Scripture does not actually tell us whether Thomas did as Jesus commanded. We only read that Thomas replied to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” So, did Thomas put his fingers into the nail wounds of Jesus’ hands, and put his hand into the spear wound of Jesus’ side? The classic painting by the Italian Baroque master, Caravaggio (1571-1610), “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” (see below), portrays Thomas doing this very thing. Whether he did or didn’t, the result is that Thomas no longer doubted, but believed that Jesus had risen from the dead. He now believed with his whole heart and mind and strength in the risen Christ. Tradition tells us that Thomas would later travel all the way to India to proclaim the good news of Jesus, and die a martyr’s death there for the sake of the Gospel. The evidence of Easter that Thomas so desired transformed his life.

Sometimes in our own lives, we want what Thomas wanted. We long to see with our own eyes the risen Savior. We long to see the mark of the nails and the spear. We long to hear with our own ears the same words of Jesus that Thomas and the other disciples heard: “Peace be with you.” But Jesus had this to say about the evidence of Easter that Thomas thought he needed: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” You and I are among those who have not seen, and yet believe.

What is the evidence of Easter that you need in your life today? We have celebrated our Lord’s victory over sin, death, and the grave with great rejoicing on Easter Sunday, but is there still a bit of doubting Thomas lurking in the shadows of our lives? Clarence Jordan (1912-1969) was an American Baptist preacher and founder of Koinonia Farm, a place where contemporary Christians sought to live out the life modeled by the first Christians to serve God and God’s people. This is what Rev. Jordan wrote about the evidence of Easter:

So on the morning of the resurrection, God put life in the present tense, not in the future. He gave us not a promise, but a presence. Not a hope for the future, but power for the present. Not so much the assurance that we shall live someday, but that he is risen today. Jesus’ resurrection is not to convince the incredulous, nor to reassure the faithful, but to enkindle the believers. The proof that God raised Jesus from the dead is not the empty tomb, but the full hearts of his transformed disciples. The crowning evidence that he lives is not a vacant grave, but a Spirit-filled fellowship. Not a rolled-away stone, but a carried-away church. We are the evidence of the resurrection. Look at what he has done to us and is doing through us (Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter. Walden, NY: Plough Publishing House, 2005; pp. 264-265).

“We are the evidence of the resurrection.” Amen!

The season of Lent is a period of forty days, not including Sundays. This 40-day period prepares us for the coming joy of celebrating Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, which is the high festival of the entire year for Christians. This year, the date for Easter is Sunday, April 5. During the Lenten season, Christians are encouraged to refrain from rich foods and eat sparingly – “eat simply so others may simply eat.” Many choose the Lenten season to practice special acts of charity, or works of love. In place of going to the movies or other entertainment, many choose to focus on the needs of others.  Using time and money that would be spent on oneself, these resources are now directed outward to the hungry, the homeless and others who are in need. It is a traditional Lenten discipline to voluntarily give up something that is near and dear to us — a particular food or an enjoyable hobby. Simplifying our lives is something that many people are seeking today, understanding anew the truth that less is more.  As Christ freely offered himself as the sacrifice for our sins, we are motivated to freely offer all that we are and have for his purposes.

Here are some ideas of things that can bolster faith during the Lenten season:

Prayer and Worship

• Pray before meals whether at home or away.
• Take time for daily devotions. Special Lenten devotions are available at Lent - Lutheran Hour Ministries, and Portals of Prayer are always appropriate. Daily Scripture readings are also provided in Lutheran Service Book (see “Daily Lectionary” on pages 299ff.).
• Attend worship services at church. Special midweek Lenten service are held on Wednesdays at 12 noon. If you are unable to attend in person, these services are livestreamed and you can watch and worship later on at www.sjlc.com/live. Discover what is different in worship during the Lenten season.
• Make time in your daily schedule to turn off all the noise and spend quiet time with God. Your Lenten fasting might be fasting from social media and screentime.
• Discover the rich treasury of prayer resources through “Daily Prayer” found in Lutheran Service Book beginning on p. 294. The traditional prayer times of morning, noon and evening, as well as the close of day, are found here and can be done alone or with others.

Service

• Make a commitment to do something for someone else each day. It doesn’t have to be something grand or glorious. Simple acts of kindness can be a great blessing.
• Volunteer to serve the poor through a local ministry. In my own area, that would be Food Pantry And Clothing Closet, Emergency Financial Aid With Counseling - The Koinonia Foundation, Inc. - Alexandria, Va. Take a bag of groceries to a homeless shelter. Donate canned goods. Many are struggling with putting food on the table. Remember that little is much in the hands of Jesus.
• Help an elderly neighbor with tasks that are difficult for them to do. Find out who your neighbors are and how you can help them. Be Christ to your neighbor and see Christ in your neighbor.
• Research new ways to serve in the community around you. Many not-for-profit organizations are looking for people who want to serve!
• Make a monetary donation to a service organization. Consider supporting those serving in mission work state-side or overseas. For ideas, please consult the website of LCMS World Mission: www.lcmsworldmission.org
• Cook a meal for someone who is ill, grieving, or overwhelmed with life.

Christian Education

• Make a commitment to read part of the Bible each day. Read a psalm, read the parables of Jesus, or start reading that part of the Bible you’ve always wanted to understand better. Involve yourself in Christian learning opportunities. Lenten small groups are forming in my own congregation and a new Sunday morning Bible study is underway. Contact the church office if you’re interested (office@sjlc.com).
• Read all or part of a story from the Bible each evening.
• Talk to your children about what they’re learning in Sunday Morning Children’s Ministry. Talk to them about what you’re learning in your own class.
• Obtain a book of devotions, read them, and allow for quiet time afterward to reflect on the devotion.
• Talk to one another about who Jesus is and what he means for our lives today. Read (or re-read) Joining Jesus On His Mission, by Greg Finke, and discover the five mission practices and their attending questions for everyday discipleship.

Other Spiritual Disciplines

• Try fasting or eating a very light meal once a week during Lent. Friday is a good day in honor of the day on which Jesus gave his life on the cross. Complete fasting (abstaining from all food) is sometimes difficult for people, but don’t be put off by this. Fasting can take many forms. Consider meatless meals on Wednesdays and/or Fridays (traditional days of Christian fasting), or eating less at all meals. How about skipping desserts for the whole of Lent, or giving up a favorite food for the Lenten season — whatever would be a true sacrifice for you. Donate the money saved to an organization that provides food for those in need.
• Forgive someone for something small. Forgive someone for something big. Forgive yourself.
• Meditate on where God may be calling you in your own spiritual journey and in your service to others.
• Give up anxiety and other destructive behaviors. Trust in the Lord that He will give you what you need.
• Go on a nature walk once each week and marvel at the handiwork of God’s creation. Watch for changes in the natural world that unfold before your eyes. Observe signs of the coming spring, and realize that these signs point us to the new life we have through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When all is said and done, Lent is not what we can do for God. Rather, Lent helps us to realize anew how much God in Christ has done for us. Lent calls us to consider again the great cost which Jesus willingly paid for our salvation; giving his very life for us on the tree of the cross. Whatever your Lenten observance might look like, may it do three things: honor Christ, bless your neighbor, and strengthen your faith.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In these winter days, I am thinking ahead to the days of spring. I have Easter Vigil on my mind. This beautiful worship service, which bridges the darkness of Good Friday with the brightness and joy of Easter Sunday, begins outdoors with lighting the new fire of Easter. Then the whole congregation - carrying lighted candles – processes into the darkened sanctuary. As we move along, the cantor who is carrying the large Paschal candle stops several times and chants, “The light of Christ!”, and we all respond by singing, “Thanks be to God!” This is what’s ahead of us in early April at the close of the Lenten season and the end of Holy Week.

In the Gospel lesson for one of the Sundays in February, Jesus tells us: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). So, in a very real sense we are the light of Christ! That’s pretty exciting stuff. Do people around us, when they see our good works done in Jesus’ Name and for his glory, sing out (like that Easter Vigil procession), “Thanks be to God?” Whether they do or not, we can rejoice knowing that the light of Christ is shining in us and through us. We don’t take credit for this, of course. It’s not our own doing, but the work of the Holy Spirit who “has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith,” as Luther puts it in his Explanation of the Third Article of the Creed (Luther’s Small Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther). We are not the source of this light; we merely reflect it in our words and actions. The source of the light that we reflect comes from the One who said this: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Jesus is the Light of the world.

Day by day, the light of Christ shines brightly out through our individuals lives and our life as a congregation to the world around us. Here are just a few examples:

• English as a Second Language Classes – Did you know that in the Fall 2025 ESL session, there were some 150 adult English learners in both online as well as in-person classes? Spring 2026 classes will begin on February 10, and you can let your light shine by serving as an ESL teacher. Training is provided. Go to St. John's Lutheran Church: Alexandria, VA > English Classes to learn more.

• Helping Others – On the first Sunday of each month, we have what we call “Share Sunday.” This is an ingathering of non-perishable food supplies for Koinonia, our local Food Pantry And Clothing Closet, Emergency Financial Aid With Counseling - The Koinonia Foundation, inc. - Alexandria, Va. But, we are also collecting gently used men’s casual clothing for Koinonia, as well as new underwear for men, women and children that will benefit New Hope Housing - Northern Virginia- Solutions for homelessness. Our annual Super Bowl of Caring helps support agencies that address hunger needs in our community (What is Souper Bowl of Caring — Tackle Hunger: Home of the Souper Bowl of Caring). Thank you to everyone for letting your light shine and for your generous support in helping others!

• Renovation and Expansion Plans – Our plans for renovation and expansion of church facilities are in process. Our zoning amendment application is being reviewed at the Fairfax County zoning office. Our consultants are hopeful we can keep our current parking lot configuration so as not to have to do any further expansion of the project’s scope. They believe the current parking lot is sufficient to handle our needs and was approved many years ago by the County. They also believe the small increase in our building footprint should not require any extra water runoff retention issues. We continue to hope for a springtime zoning hearing so as to move forward with construction permitting and ultimately to collect bids for the work itself. Meanwhile, we remain in contact with our lender to make sure we are ready to provide financial information when it becomes time to set up our loan from the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF). We give thanks to God for the leadership of our planning team overseeing this project. The overall goal of this project is to help St. John’s shine the light of Christ more brightly into our community.

• Search Process for New ECEC Director – One of the signature ministries of St. John’s is our Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC), which has been shining the light and love of Jesus into the lives of children and families of our congregation and community for more than 40 years. Amanda Parks, our current ECEC Director, has announced that she will be leaving her position here as her family relocates to her native Pennsylvania in mid to late-summer. We are so grateful for Amanda’s leadership, and wish her and her family every good thing from the Lord’s hand. Under the leadership of our ECEC Board of Operations, we are now moving into a search process for a new Director. We are trusting that the Lord will raise up the right person with the right gifts at the right time. I ask for your prayers for wisdom and guidance from the Lord to lead us in this very important work.

In all of this and more, the focus is not on ourselves, but on Jesus the Light of the world. In every season, in every situation and setting, may this Light shine in us and through us.

At the start of the new year, lots of people make resolutions to get more exercise, eat more healthy meals, live a more balanced life, etc. All of these are good things, of course, but the challenge is to keep up with the resolutions that we make, sustaining these for the long haul. I did a little research on what percentage of people actually keep their New Year’s resolutions. As you might guess, it’s not good. Only 9% of people actually keep their resolutions throughout the entire year (3 Proven Strategies for Sticking to New Year’s Resolutions | Psychology Today). An even more telling statistic is that 88% of people give up on their resolutions after just two weeks, leading to what is now called “Quitter’s Day” (Still keeping your New Year's resolution? Most have already given up, studies show | FOX 13 Tampa Bay). Ouch – that hurts.

Within this last year, my wife has retired from her career as an educator. Since then, ‘tis the season to go through drawers, closets, and boxes throughout the house, all of which needs to be done without question. The purpose here is to sift through all of the accumulated stuff from many years and discard what is no longer needed. I come from a long line of packrats, so this whole undertaking makes me a little jittery. Because I have expressed concern about what might get thrown away, the gentle threat has been made to go through my boxes and files when I’m not around. Yikes! When it comes to decluttering, organizing and resetting things like this, there are typically three categories: toss, donate, and keep. Some of the accumulated stuff is junk, pure and simple. It’s not worth keeping, and it’s certainly not anything that anyone else would want, so that stuff goes in the trash. Other things that are unwanted but still in usable condition can be donated to charitable organizations. And then there is the third category: things that you choose to hold onto for a variety of reasons. This whole process has helped me realize how much stuff we carry around with us in life. Often, we don’t even remember what we have squirreled away in boxes and storage bins. Out of sight, out of mind. If we don’t even know that we have it, will we miss it if it’s gone? Probably not. And yet the packrat within me cries out: “But I might need that stuff someday!” Sigh… how hard it can be to give up our stuff.

Is there a spiritual dimension to all of this? I believe there is. How much accumulated “stuff” do we carry around with us – stuff that is not life-giving, but in fact is detrimental to life and faith? Things like old grievances and grudges that we just can’t seem to let go of. Guilt from something we did (or didn’t do) that comes back to haunt us. Fear of failure that holds us back from exploring new pathways and opportunities to connect with others and be a blessing in life. Being so overly busy that there is no time to reclaim all that God in Christ has done for us, and so remaining stagnant in faith. So much junk in our life that needs to be thrown out. And what better time to do this than right now at the start of a new year? In some cultures, on New Year’s Eve people throw out things they want to get rid of, pitching these into a big pile that is then set on fire! A neighborhood bonfire, if you will, to symbolically burn up painful reminders of all the junk in life that we need to get rid of so that we can move forward.

‘Tis the season for fresh starts, in life and in faith. The good news of great joy that is the birth of Jesus is not limited just to the Christmas season. We need that good news throughout the entire year. God’s gift of his own Son is that fresh start that gives new life to the world. Jesus entered into our broken world and our broken lives to be Immanuel, God-with-us (Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:22-23). Jesus became one of us in every respect, except for sin. He knows full well all of the ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the exhilaration and exhaustion, of what it means to be human. He understands what we go through and experience because he himself has gone through it and experienced it. We have a God who gets it, and that is enormously comforting to us who struggle with resolutions and who find it hard to get rid of stuff. Jesus invites us to come to him in all of our need; to seek his face and call upon his Name, trusting in the gift of his saving love. He promises to give life that is full and abundant (John 10:10), and peace which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

May this New Year bring with it blessings in abundance from the hand of the Lord.

It’s that time of year when we love to watch all those holiday movies. What’s your favorite? Hmm… hard to pick just one as there are so many to choose from! There’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (from 1946!), and “A Christmas Story” (with Ralphie and his dream gift of a Red Ryder Carbine-action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle). What about “Elf” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”? Or “The Polar Express,” or “Christmas Vacation,” or “The Nativity Story”? And, of course, there is the classic 1965 “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” with its wonderful music that is still so popular after all these years.

You know the story here: Charlie Brown can’t figure out why he’s not happy at Christmas time. With all of the decorations, caroling, and gift giving, he knows he should be happy, but he’s not. So he decides to visit his psychiatrist, Lucy van Pelt, who begins to analyze him, trying to help him figure out what he’s afraid of and what it is that keeps him from being happy. After a lot of back and forth, Lucy asks Charlie Brown if he has pantophobia, the fear of everything. And he shouts, “That’s it!” Maybe there’s something of Charlie Brown in each one of us. What are you afraid of? Sometimes we’re rather embarrassed to admit the things that we are afraid of because they may seem rather childish or silly, but still we’re afraid. It may be shots and needles, going to the dentist, standing up in front of people, public speaking, or a host of other things that make us fearful. The truth is that whatever our age, there are things in life that make us afraid. The Christmas message is all about God breaking into our world and our lives in the person of his own Son, Jesus. In Jesus, God himself confronts our deepest fears and our greatest need. 

Throughout the Christmas story, we hear those words: “Do not be afraid.” They crop up at different points in the Gospels, but they are there. When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, telling her that she would be the mother of Jesus, Son of the Most High God, we read that “Mary was greatly troubled at his words” (Luke 1:29). In other words, Mary was afraid. And who wouldn’t be? Being visited by an angel of God would make any one of us fearful. In Scripture, that is always the reaction of humans when visited by an angel of God. But the angel said to Mary: “Do not be afraid…” (Luke 1:30). When Joseph learned that his fiancé was pregnant and the child was not his, he planned to break off his betrothal (a legally binding arrangement far different than engagement) to Mary and call off the wedding, not publicly, but privately, for Mary’s sake. We read in Scripture: “But after he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife’” (Matthew 1:20). In Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, as the angel brought this good news to shepherds who were out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night, we are told: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid’” (Luke 2:9-10). Mary, Joseph, shepherds—all of them were afraid. But the message to all of them was the same: “Do not be afraid.”

The Lord speaks these same words to us today: “Do not be afraid.” In the midst of a world that looks and feels like it’s spinning out of control, our fears may be ratcheting ever upward. Our world today may look very much like the world when Jesus was born: suspicion and distrust of those who differ from us; increasing “tribalism” in our culture that further divides people; instability and unrest; greed and exploitation; violence and bloodshed. But this is the world that Jesus entered into so that He might save and redeem it. This is the “good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). We have a God who did not choose to remain lofty and removed from the fears of his people. No, we have a God who willingly chose to come into our broken and messed up world to become one of us in every respect, except for sin (Hebrews 4:15). This is Jesus, whose very Name means Savior, as the angel told Joseph: “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This is Jesus for you.

Back to Charlie Brown: after he tries to direct the Christmas pageant and even that doesn’t go well, he cries out in frustration: “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?” And his good friend, Linus, steps up and tells him (and all of us) what Christmas is really all about. Linus tells the Christmas story from Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus. There are lots of people like Charlie Brown who are all around us. They, too, are afraid of a great many things in life. They, too, want to know what Christmas is all about. If ever there was a time of year when people are open to hearing this good news of great joy, this is it! Now in this month of December, be ready to point people to the Christ of Christmas. Be ready to invite people who are hungry for Jesus (but may not even know it) to come with you to worship at Christmas. Be ready, like Linus, to share that good news of great joy that is for all the people.

In the midst of all that is going on in the life of our nation, the people of Christ are called to focus on different things. Of course, Christ’s people also live in and participate fully in the life of our nation with things like Election Day and Thanksgiving. But we also understand that as the Body of Christ, we are knit together with fellow believers in a wonderful and mysterious way that transcends not only borders and boundaries, but time itself. The bookend festivals of All Saints and Christ the King in this month of November remind us of this truth. We worship and serve as risen, reigning and returning Lord Jesus Christ who has made us his own. He has done this by cleansing us from our sin through his own suffering and death upon the cross. Together with the whole Church on earth and in heaven, we are all the saints. In confident faith, we look forward to that great and final day when Christ our King will come again to judge the world in righteousness and make all things new.

Thinking about all of these things, I want to share something that I recently read in my own devotions. It speaks to the communion of saints, of which we are a part, by the grace of God. It was written by a Presbyterian minister, John A. Ross, who served as Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

When I stand shoulder to shoulder with Christians, all declaring our common faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed, something very deep stirs within me. I feel like a tree out in the great forest, surrounded by other trees all reaching up together from the same ground, all swept by the same wind, all steadily voicing the same ageless sounds that swaying trees have always made. Long long ago, those about to be received into the Church affirmed their faith even as we do now. Wherever people meet in the name of Christ throughout the world, the Apostles’ Creed, like the Lord’s Prayer, is quite in order. This creed joins me to the whole Church up through the centuries and across the continents and seas. It expresses what Jesus Christ means to us all. This is the place where I meet my brothers in the Lord, even though we sometimes draw apart again all too soon. Although the legend is not true that each of the twelve apostles contributed one doctrine to make up the whole Apostles’ Creed, they would undoubtedly all have approved of this common core of faith.

The word “creed” comes from the Latin word, credo, which means “I believe.” When I say the creed I hold my head high, and my voice sounds out, firm and strong. This is indeed what I believe about the one in whom I believe… I don’t mumble the creed with mental reservations or leave out an occasional phrase. I’m always finding new significance for Jesus Christ in every word of it. It contains in outline form the whole message which the Church has to give to the world. It says at one burst what I want to tell everybody everywhere. I’m excited about this. It’s what I believe. It makes sense of the world and it gives meaning to my life. It makes my heart sing and I want to share it all.

I must not shrink from speaking up about things that could save our times from their stumbling futility. There’s no scarcity of bad news about the world these days, but who’s got some good news? Well, I for one, have some! If the creed is right – if I do know the one to whom this world really belongs and know how he intends it to run, and that has made adequate resources available for making the best-dreams-ever come true – I should speak up and say, “This I believe!” Dare I keep still while lives are going to pieces all around me? What sinister enemy so gags me that I can’t faithfully say the name of Jesus or express my trust in him in front of other people? When I join publicly in the creed, I defy that enemy. Really, though, it’s not too hard to speak out in Church where I have the safety of numbers. But does my faith lose its voice outside the Church? The Church is not in the world to be forever talking to itself. Its good news is for the whole world. Its creed is a creed for the whole world. No congregation can be fully sincere in merely reciting it without making some personal effort to pass it along to those unhappy mixed-up people who are all around us. The Apostles’ Creed is a creed for apostles – those whom Christ sends out (as found in For All the Saints: A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Volume II. Delhi, NY: The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, 1995; pp. 997-999).

In Christ our King, together with all the saints, we are those whom Christ sends out in his Name to be light and salt for the world. We have good news of great joy to share with the world – news that makes an eternal difference. This I believe.

During the month of October, we will be exploring what this looks like in a 3-week series on Christian stewardship based on that passage of Scripture above from 1 Corinthians 10:31, and entitled “Whatever You Do.” Week by week, we will examine aspects of who God calls us to be as his consecrated stewards –  managers who are set apart for God’s special purposes. All of this is based on the appointed Gospel readings from Luke’s Gospel. The truth is, everything we are and have comes from God’s hand and through his gracious providing. It all belongs to God, and is just on loan to us for a time. We really can’t give anything to God that is not already his! If we’re looking at Sunday-only Christianity, then our stewardship takes on an Ebenezer Scrooge-like quality: miserly, tight-fisted, and stingy. God wants so much more for us!

All of life is stewardship – not just Sunday morning. Our work and leisure, our time and possessions, our talents and abilities, our relationships (family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.), our education and money, our health and well-being, our food and drink – all of these are God’s gifts to us. How we make use of them becomes our offering that comes in response to all that God in Christ has done, and continues to do, for us. It is an offering rooted and grounded in love. As Paul writes elsewhere to the Corinthians: “He [Jesus] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

The schedule for our 3-part stewardship series, “Whatever You Do,” is as follows:

• Sunday, October 12 – “A New Lease on Life” based on Luke 17:11-19
• Sunday, October 19 – “Holy Persistence” based on Luke 18:1-8
• Sunday, October 26 – “Free Indeed” based on John 8:31-36 (Reformation Sunday)

A chili cookoff will take place on Reformation Sunday, October 26, in the Fellowship Hall after the worship service. This fellowship event will bring our congregation together to cap off our stewardship series. Be thinking about your best chili recipe and bring that to share on October 26!

Christian stewardship seeks to help the people of God grow in their understanding and practice of managing God’s gifts in daily life. The goal is for God’s people to celebrate His gifts and grow in the joy of giving and serving. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” Paul tells us. That’s what we’re aiming for in stewardship; that our whole life becomes an offering of thanks and praise to the Lord.

September is here, kids are back in school, and Labor Day signals the coming of the fall season. We’re all asking ourselves the same question: “Where did the summer go?” The stretch of time that was summer now gives way to cooler weather and more routine schedules as people return to work and school after travel and vacation. Did you do everything you wanted to do over the summer? Get all those things on your to-do list accomplished? For most of us, the answer is no. There’s a lot that we wanted to get done that did not get done.

I think of this with our congregation and plans we have to renovate and expand our church facilities. These plans include gutting the Fellowship Hall, Kitchen and Dining Room to make much-needed improvements. Additionally, plans call for a new Office Suite that will make it possible to open up the Narthex/Entrance area, providing new ADA-compliant restrooms and ensuring that our church facilities are ready to support the mission of Christ for years to come. This is a process that’s been at work for several years now. After a momentous decision in April 2024 when the congregation voted overwhelmingly to move forward, a capital appeal campaign took place in early Fall 2024 to generate funding needed to move forward. Since then, we have had a dedicated team of people who have been working behind the scenes with the civil engineers and architects to finalize plans. Our hope was to break ground for this exciting project this month in September 2025. That is not going to happen, according to God’s good timing.

Along the way, we have discovered that there were problems with what the county has on official record going back some forty years to when the current Education Center was built and then dedicated in June 1988. Although our church office staff did find what I call the “holy grail” of county records pertaining to this, there remain issues that need to be resolved to move the planned renovation and expansion forward. The best way to do this is to step through a Special Permit Amendment (SPA) process that will involve hiring a land use attorney to help us navigate our way through what the county requires. This SPA will clear the decks, so to speak, not only for whatever may be lacking with the current proposed work, but future work as well. Pursuing the SPA will, however, cost both time and money – exactly how much is still being determined. The long and short of this is that our planned groundbreaking for this month is now delayed until some future date. We have every confidence that this will all happen, just not as soon as we had hoped. It is according to God’s good timing rather than our own.

Within the world of music, there is an entire field of study devoted to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach - Wikipedia (1685-1750), whose amazing output of music was largely intended for church use. Bach was a Lutheran cantor; that is, a God-gifted musician within the church whose calling was to lead the congregation in song and music. One of Bach’s many cantatas is entitled, Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (“God’s time is the very best time”), BWV 106, also known as Actus tragicus. Go to Bing Videos to listen to and watch the Netherlands Bach Society perform this early sacred cantata (in German!). Historians believe this is one of the earliest of Bach’s cantatas, going back to 1707-1708, well before Bach came to his primary musician post at St. Thomas church and school in Leipzig, Germany, where he spent many years. Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit was originally written for a funeral. Then as now, death can come suddenly and unexpectedly. Whether it is sudden and unexpected, or is something that we have been preparing for, it brings with it grief and sorrow. In the midst of this, our faith in the risen Christ enables us to say, “God’s time is the very best time.” Even when God’s timing does not align with our own timing and plans, God’s purposes for His people are all for good. The Word of God reminds us: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). All things – that’s important for us to remember. For the child of God, for those who love God, all things work together for good according to God’s gracious plan. In a world that we cannot control, in a world that seems like it’s spinning out of control, all things work together for good for those who love God.

I think of this Bach cantata, especially its title, in light of our own situation with a delay for groundbreaking with building renovation and expansion plans. Is this disappointing? Yes, it is, at least from our perspective. But we have to see this in the greater design of God’s gracious plan for His church and the lives of His people. We submit our own plans and purposes into the loving hands of our gracious Father, trusting that He will accomplish what He knows to be best at the right time. That right time, the allerbeste Zeit of God’s, may not match up with what we want to do and when we want to do it. That can be a frustrating place to be. What do we do? How do we respond? We can choose to rail and fight against the doors that close on us. We can also go back to the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, which I think is the most challenging of all the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Whenever we pray this petition, we are submitting ourselves, our lives, and our plans into the hands of the Lord. That can be a very challenging thing to do. As Luther’s explanation of this petition puts it: “What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also. How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.” That helps put things into perspective.

As the fall season gets underway, the congregation here will not have a groundbreaking as planned. Instead, we are regrouping for next steps of what we need to do to get to there at some future point. I’m choosing to see all of this as my friend, Johann Sebastian Bach, put it so beautifully: God’s time is the very best time.

What does it mean to be a good neighbor today? Sometime ago, I listened to a speaker who said that in our parents’ generation a good neighbor was understood to be someone nearby and who you could call on to help in an emergency, watch your kids if you had to step out, borrow and share things with, etc. This same speaker went on to say that today, a good neighbor is understood as someone who is quiet and leaves you alone. Quite a difference over the last 50+ years in what a good neighbor looks like. It’s very easy to drive in and out of our neighborhoods without interacting with anyone as we go from our house to our garage to our car. Front porches where people used to sit and chat with neighbors have given way to backyard decks where privacy is the valued commodity. Is something missing here? In the midst of virtual connections and online communications, how do we reclaim the blessing of neighboring?

There are resources available to help us do this very thing. Through Lutheran Hour Ministries, a new initiative is now in placed called Home - The Hopeful Neighborhood Project. Their motto is: “We help you create the neighborhood you’ve always wanted.” From their website, the following introduction makes clear the pressing need for this:

Believe it or not, unconnected neighborhoods lead to isolation, unfair systems, and unhealthy environments. Here’s what we know to be true: there’s not a neighborhood without neighbors and unfortunately, we know our neighbors less today than at any other point in our history. We live in a culture where everyone goes inside, shuts their doors, and keeps to themselves, which makes it really awkward to try and engage with your neighbors past a wave and a smile. The Hopeful Neighborhood Project exists to help you break through that awkwardness, so you can create the type of neighborhood where everyone knows each other and works together to actively pursue the common good.

Jesus redefined what it means to be neighbor when he was asked the question, “And who is my neighbor?” At this time, it was widely believed that a neighbor was the person who looked like you, talked like you, believed like you. You owed nothing to the outsider and foreigner. In response to the question and this underlying belief, Jesus told the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 ESV - The Parable of the Good Samaritan - And - Bible Gateway). From this, we learn that a neighbor is anyone who needs my help, regardless of who the individual is or where they’re from. A neighbor’s heart is filled with compassion on seeing a person in need. A neighbor is willing to interrupt what he or she is doing, get their hands dirty, and expend personal and financial support if that’s called for. Having told this parable, Jesus called on the man who asked the question, “And who is my neighbor?”, to “Go and do likewise.” What Jesus said to that man, He says to each one of us as well. We are to go and do likewise, being Christ to our neighbor and seeing Christ in our neighbor.

In this summer season, this is a call for all of us to get to know our neighbors. Begin with prayer. Walk your neighborhood, and as you walk lift up to the Lord in prayer the needs and concerns of your neighborhood. You may not even know who lives around you, but don’t let this hold you back. You may not know your neighbors, but the Lord does. Pray that the Lord would open hearts and minds, and that He would create opportunities to bring people together. This concept is called prayer walking, and it is very important as a first step. Spend some days just walking your neighborhood and saturating it in prayer. Pray that the Lord would use you to connect people not only with one another, but also with the Lord and his redeeming love.

After this time of prayer, consider how best to bring your neighbors together – barbeque, block party, dessert night, etc. Continue praying for God’s guidance in this. As we start to get connected with people, we become aware of needs they may have, and how we can be Christ to our neighbor. This opens the door for building relationships of trust, and all of this takes time. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Like anything else in life, all of this takes time. Be patient, and continue to pray.

Seeing where we live – our own neighborhood, the street we live on – as our personal mission field may seem like a big step. This might move us way outside our comfort zone, but the truth is that we have the best news in the world to share with people – news that makes an eternal difference in the lives of people. The good news of Jesus Christ and his great love for all people is a powerful and transforming thing. Surveys indicate that some 80% of people who do not go to church would be willing to do so if they were asked by someone they know. But how do we get to that point of inviting someone to come to church with us? Maybe it begins with something as simple as welcoming your new neighbors, seeing them through the eyes of Jesus who loves us all.

For a variety of reasons, the month of June has long been a favored time for weddings (Why Is June The Most Popular Month For Weddings? - The Bridal Tip). Like many others, my wife and I were married many years ago in this month. Of course, couples can and do get married in whatever month works best for them, be that June or January. Having served in ministry for more than thirty-five years, it has been my privilege and joy to assist many couples preparing for marriage. Preparing for marriage is extremely important. This helps couples prepare not only for their wedding day, but for their entire life together. Although I have used many different marriage preparation materials over the years, I am now using the book, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God, by Timothy Keller, with input and help from his own wife, Kathy Keller. Like so many other things, you can find this on Amazon. For couples who have asked me to officiate at their weddings, I require them to read this book as part of our pre-marriage sessions. It is a wonderful, Christ-centered resource, not only for those who are preparing for marriage, but for anyone interested in discovering more about God’s design and purpose for marriage.

The words found within the marriage service of the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) are especially beautiful:

            The Lord God in his goodness created us male and female, and by the gift of marriage
             founded human community in a joy that begins now and is brought to perfection in
             the life to come.
             Because of sin, our age-old rebellion, the gladness of marriage can be overcast and
             the gift of family can become a burden.
             But because God, who established marriage, continues still to bless it with his abundant
             and ever-present support, we can be sustained in our weariness and have our joy
             restored.

These words acknowledge that marriage is a gift from God. They also acknowledge the reality of sin that can undermine marriage and work against that gift. And yet there is hope! God has not given up on marriage because we have misused or abused it. The gift and blessing are still there from the Creator.

It goes without saying that marriage is not for everyone. For some individuals, their calling is to be single rather than married, and the Lord is honored through this. In this broken world, we have to face the reality that not all marriages work out. And when they do not, even under the best of circumstances, there is pain and heartache. No one gets married thinking that their marriage will end in divorce, but it happens. We’ve all heard that nearly one-half of marriages end in divorce. It is an often-repeated statistic; however, it’s not that cut-and-dried. Research indicates that this statistic is nuanced by many things and the actual number may be significantly less than one-half (Do Half of All Marriages Really End in Divorce? | Psychology Today). For those who have experienced separation and divorce, church can be a difficult place to be. There can be awkward questions and uncomfortable looks from others. Because of this, people may choose to stay away. But it is precisely then that the power of God’s healing mercy in Word and Sacrament in the fellowship of believers is needed in the lives of those who are hurting.   

In this month of weddings, there is a significant milestone taking place. It was 500 years ago on June 13, 1525, that the former Augustinian monk and great reformer, Dr. Martin Luther, was married to the former nun, Katharina von Bora. Their marriage became a terrible scandal to some, but to others, it became the symbol of what God intended for his people: for man and woman to be united as one within the covenant of marriage. Luther was fifteen years older than Katie; he was 41 and she was 26 when they were married. Though encouraged by others (including his aged father) to marry, Luther did not think this was a good idea. He believed that his life was in danger because of his teachings. He had been excommunicated, and he did not believe that he would live long. Nevertheless, Luther put into practice what he himself had preached to others and was married, defying the rule of celibacy. The Luthers’ marriage and homelife with six children became a model for the Reformation movement, and helped to set the tone for Protestant parsonages and clergy families for generations to come.

The city of Wittenberg, Germany, where Martin and Katie made their home for many years and which became a center of the Reformation movement, is celebrating the 500^th anniversary of their marriage this month from June 13-15 (City festival for Luther's wedding). Happy anniversary to the Luthers and to married couples everywhere in this month of weddings!