Luther Memorial News…

August 2023 Luther Letter

Live Stream Hardwire Update: We have volunteers working diligently to hardwire our livestreaming camera to our internet. The wireless technology was deemed inadequate for our purposes, and it was decided to wire in the camera for a clearer live-stream picture. Blue cables can be seen around the church, but these will soon be covered and out of sight. It will be so nice to have clear live-stream videos!

Tree Removal: A tree was removed in July on the west side of the church building. This was an older birch tree with a large crack that ran up the tree. It was in serious jeopardy of damaging the roof and stained-glass windows if it fell. Parms was hired to remove the tree and grind the stump. We thank our trustees for taking care of this issue. 

Christopher Gardens: Our annual Christopher Gardens Service will be Sunday, September 17th with a rain date the following Sunday. A larger 40x60 foot tent will be in the middle of the worship pavilion this year. Our friends from Trinity in Howards Grover will join us. Instead of a full meal after, we will have light refreshments followed by free time to walk the Gardens. Pastor will again lead a children’s Bible Lesson. 

Updated Sign in South Lot: Our old sign received new lettering and a fresh coat of paint. A brand-new Luther seal was also added to the center. Solar lights were installed for added visibility. Brick pavers were then laid and plants were added to improve the general look as people enter the parking lot.  

 __________________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor’s Message:

“Learning to Rest with Joy”

Whenever I speak with retired people they all tend to say, “I’m busier than ever!” I consider this to be a hallmark of how we rest. Whenever we take time off from work, we find another way to work even harder. Perhaps this is why we struggle with attending church. The third commandment says we are to “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”. But to many, this sounds like pausing our busy lives so we can add another hour of work into our week. 

Hear what the psalmist says about going to church. David writes, “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise You with the lyre, O God, my God” (Psalm 43:4). The psalmist goes into the House of God with “exceeding joy.” Why is there joy in attending the church? Instead of saying “rest”, maybe consider the word “holiday.” What if we were to consider the Sunday Service as a holiday from all our earthly jobs? That is certainly how Isaiah saw it. The prophet Isaiah said we should call the Sabbath a delight (Is. 58:13). What we attend on Sunday is not work, it is a holiday. God is there to serve His people with good gifts.  

Martin Luther wrote the following in the Large Catechism, “we have the freedom and time to attend Divine Service. We come together to hear and use God’s Word, and then to praise God, to sing and to pray” (LC I 84). We are used to serving and acting and providing for others. We often find it difficult to let go and be cared for by someone else. But on Sunday, it is His day. It is the Lord’s Day. In a way, it is God’s busy day. He dwells in the Church to feed His people with the Gospel of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Christ then stands as the meal at the altar. Forgiveness is handed out free of charge to weary believers. 

I know that most newsletters I write are read by those who attend regularly. I know I am preaching to the choir. But the choir still needs to rehearse! We all need a good reminder that our holiday from work is truly a time set aside to rest in the goodness and grace of God. May we continue to come to the altar of God with exceeding joy!

In Christ, 

Pastor Barkley

June 2023 Luther Letter

Christopher Gardens: Our annual Christopher Gardens Service will be Sunday, September 17th with a rain date the following Sunday. Our friends from Trinity in Howards Grover will join us for worship. We will have a bigger tent (as requested) this year. As a special treat, Mr. Christopher will be running the train for everyone after the Service!

Anniversary Celebration: Things are moving along nicely. Grace in Haven members will join us for a special 9:30 Service on Sunday, July 23rd. Pastor Brad Smith will be preaching and Pastor Doug Peters will be the reader. This Service is open to all as we consider how the Lord has blessed Luther Memorial over the years. 

Thank You Teachers: We again thank Barb Jacobs and Jann Blanchard for teaching our children at Luther Memorial. They both do an outstanding job teaching the Bible each week during the school year. We also give thanks for our Sunday School helpers including Rodger Blanchard and Lela Boettcher. The children truly love to hear about Jesus every week! 

Parking Lot: Thanks be to God; the parking lot is paved! W Asphalt completed work on the front circle drive and back lot. This is a noticeable difference that allows for worshipers to arrive safely each week. The trustees are working with a separate company to paint lines in the future. There are some unpaved portions in the far back lot which may receive sealcoating soon. Please make sure to thank our Trustees on a job well done. 

Bell Update: The plan is to delay the bell tower project for one year. This decision was made after researching how much additional time and money it will take to refurbish our existing bells before they can be moved. With the parking lot project along with preparing for our anniversary celebration, it was decided to delay this project so it can receive our full attention next year. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

 _____________________________________________________________                                                        _            

We love the word “Love”. It’s a word that fills our songs and perhaps leaves our lips daily. An author recently noticed when we say, "I Love You", it is usually accompanied by some additional words. What happens when our “I love you” turns into a longer sentence? It makes our love incomplete. Worse, it makes demands for our love. Consider what happens when we add those little words:

“I love you *because* you make me happy.”

“I love you *but* I love someone else more.”

“I love you *until* you make me regret it.”

“I love you *if* you love me.”

Dear Christians, we often love because we find something loveable in someone else. We look first and then we love. Notice the pattern of our love? First, we seek and then we know and then we feel we are able to love. Like explorers in a new world, we are trying to find something special and lovable. Or, at least, we make promises to love what we find lovable. But, God your Father loves differently.

God loves first without finding anything worthy of love in us. This is how Luther speaks in the Small Catechism concerning the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed. When Luther considers why God gives us anything, he writes, “All this He does only out of fatherly, divine, goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me.” God’s love has no conditions. His love does not add words to a sentence. God does not say He will love humanity *if* they love back. God does not love us *because* we make Him so happy. God is love (1 John 4:8). 

God loves sinners before they show signs of repentance. God loves before we clean up our act. He loves before we do anything in return for Him. There is no “because” or “until” or “if” or “but”. There is only a God who loves because He, quite literally, is love itself. There is nothing left except to thank and praise, serve and obey. This is most certainly true. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Barkley

May 2023 Luther Letter

Bring your Pictures: Do you have a wedding, picnic, meeting, or any other pictures taken at Luther Memorial? The Fellowship Committee is looking to create a display for our 75th anniversary. Some images might even make it into our 2023 directory! Please make a note with your name on the images so they can be returned. 

Anniversary Shirts and Mugs: Special commemorative mugs, shirts, and polos will soon be made available for purchase. These mementos as a lasting reminder of the 75 years of blessings the Lord has bestowed on Luther Memorial. 

Bell Update: Since 2017, our two church bells (from Ebenezer Lutheran) have been in storage. There is much research happening behind the scenes to look into refurbishing the bells, locating architects to construct a tower, and looking into the financial feasibility of such a project. This is a very large scale project that will take many hours to get off the ground. 

Directory Photos: Our church is creating a new picture directory. Lord willing, the directory will be made available by our July 23rd anniversary. A date to take member photos will be forthcoming. 

LWML Meeting: Our regular May LWML meeting at Luther Memorial will be on Saturday May 13th at 10:30.   We invite all our ladies from church to join in the Saturday meeting.

___________________________________________________________________________                            _                         

Pastor’s Message

The word “Christology” means studying God’s Word with Jesus Christ at the center. “Christology” also means we see Christ in every page of Holy Scripture and every moment of worship. The church confesses in the Nicene Creed, “By whom all things were made.” When we use those words found in the creed, “By whom all things were made” we are saying that Jesus was NOT only present in Genesis, but even before the Book of Genesis was written! Before there were birds and fish and before Adam and Eve, Christ was present. Even the New Testament speaks of Jesus as eternal. Examining the New Testament, we find the phrase “before the foundation of the world” ten times. That phrase emphasizes Jesus as the eternal center of all God’s creative and redeeming work. 

So is Jesus just part of the Trinity? Perhaps for Christians it is easy accept that Christ had always around, even before man and woman walked in Eden. But what if our “Christology” leads us to believe Jesus was always going to die for the sins of the world? What if we take our Christ-centered approach and apply it even to the cross of Jesus Christ? What does it mean that even before God created night and day, the Almighty had already planned Jesus’ death at Calvary? Let us look at what the Bible says. 

Revelation 13:8 says Christ is the lamb who was slain even BEFORE the foundation of the world. This is our true “Christology”! Christ the lamb of God was always going to be crucified for sins. Jesus was not created after Adam and Eve fell into sin. Jesus was not God’s “plan B” because sin came into the world. This means Jesus was always going to be our savior and the one who died for sin. But this also means he was destined to be the risen Christ from the foundation of the world! We take comfort in this. Christ was always going to be our advocate and champion. Christ was always going to redeem us from hell and eternal death. 

During this Easter Season, we put Christ at the center of everything. Our “Christology” speaks of a Messiah who is eternal. By HIM all things were made. From the very beginning, even before Eden, Jesus existed and was on a trajectory to save all the world. He is the Redeemer King who was crucified and risen even before the foundation of the world. 

Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed Alleluia!

In Christ, 

Pastor Barkley

April 2023 Luther Letter.

Palm Sunday and Easter: As is tradition, we will begin our Palm Sunday service (April 2) in the Fellowship Hall. The children will sing as we enter waving our palms and singing unto the Lord! On Easter Sunday we will celebrate our Lord’s victory over the grave. This is a wonderful time to invite friends and family back into the house of the Lord. Join us as we sing joyous hymns, hear the resurrection Gospel, and partake of Holy Communion.

Easter Breakfast: We will be having our Easter breakfast from 8:30-9:30am on Easter Sunday. All are welcome! There is a sign up sheet in the fellowship hall for those that would like to bring food items.

LHS Service Day: Approximately 12 students from Sheboygan Lutheran High will be at Luther Memorial on April 12th from 9am-2pm. This is part of their service program for the school. Students will be at the church helping move mulch, cleaning windows, scrubbing, and helping as needed. We thank LHS for their service to the community and our congregation!

Pastor at St. Paul’s in Sheboygan: Every few years our Lutheran schools work through an accreditation process. This ensures the schools are delivering a quality education and meeting certain benchmarks. Pastor been chosen as a community lay advisor to watch classes and talk with staff throughout the school days of April 20-21. Pastor will still be available during the day for emergencies.

Transgenderism in Schools:  Dr. Beverly Yahnke (A Lutheran clinical psychologist) will be speaking at the Sheboygan Lutheran High School on Wednesday, April 19th at 6:30pm. She will speak on biological facts, dysphoria, and a Christian response to transgenderism. She will speak in truth and love. There will be an ending Q & A session. This is a free event open to the public. Parents are encouraged to attend. 

Bowling Event: Please join us for an afternoon of family fun at Lakeshore Lanes in Sheboygan on April 30th after Sunday School and Bible Study. This is a great event to spend time with your brothers and sisters in Christ! A sign up sheet can be found in the fellowship hall. _________________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor’s Message

Martin Luther said God wears different masks.1 God is at work in a big city or a tiny garden. God is also working in government and even in something as small as a child’s performance at school. God is behind every good work and every person doing that good work. Consider for a moment Joseph, the guardian of Jesus. Joseph could have run away from his fiancée, Mary. He could’ve left her later when Herod’s soldiers came to Bethlehem looking for the child. Think of how many opportunities Joseph had to abandon Mary when they were in Egypt staying away from evil men? Joseph, however, remained faithful. He remained a husband to Mary. But what’s more startling is he remained a father to a boy named Jesus. This Christ child caused many problems for Joseph. A vicious king was after them, rumors swirled around the virgin birth, and Joseph himself was under scrutiny for sticking around. But here we see the mask of God. Holy Scripture does not record a single word spoken by Joseph. But his deeds speak more than words. Joseph is a mask of God. He fulfills his vocation as husband and yes, even father. God worked through Joseph to care for Christ and Mary on earth. Joseph does not divorce Mary because God does not divorce from his people. God is often described as a loving father, but we do well to start comparing God to Joseph. Because that is a father we can understand. He is a father who doesn’t leave when the going gets tough. God, like Joseph, stands with His people in times of danger and protects from evil. God wore the mask of Joseph on earth. Joseph served and devoted himself to save. God worked through this carpenter to ensure Jesus would be nurtured. How blessed are we to know that God is also devoted to us. What a great joy it is, to know God continues to serve His people though family members, church workers, neighbors, and many more. Give thanks to those who teach, love, and care for us. And when you give thanks, know that it is truly God behind each and every caring soul.

In Christ,

Pastor Barkley

1 Martin Luther, “Exposition of Psalm 147,” Luther’s Works, Volume 14.

February 2023 Luther Letter

 Spaghetti Dinner: Our annual spaghetti dinner will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 11th. Tickets are $12 per adult. Children under 12 will eat for free. The meal will include spaghetti with your choice of homemade meatballs, meat sauce, or vegetarian sauce; Texas Roadhouse dinner rolls and salad; and homemade desserts. Takeout and delivery will be available between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. upon request. Please call (920) 458-1322 for tickets or purchase tickets on Sunday. 

Flooring Project: The church currently has a balance of $14,697.57 on our flooring loan. We have $7,555.61 in the bank dedicated to this loan. This means we technically need to raise $7,141.96 before the flooring is completely paid off. Our next fundraiser is the February Spaghetti Dinner. 

SOUPerbowl Sunday: All are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations until February 12th. Pastor Barkley is calling on everyone to bring in 300 items! Food collected will go to St. Mark’s Food Pantry. Let everyone give with joy to help serve and love the neighbor.  

Parking Lot Project: The trustees handed a $20k down payment to W Asphalt to begin work in early spring. The money was made available by a LCEF low interest church improvement loan. The deteriorating lot needed immediate attention and is becoming a safety hazard to worshipers. Happily, this will be completed before the congregation’s 75th anniversary celebration in July. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Pastor’s Message

Jesus says in 1 Corinthians 10:16, “Is this the cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ?” This is not figurative language. We believe in the bodily presence of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. He is just as present in the bread and wine as he was present at the cross at Calvary.  It isn’t a likeness of his body or blood. Jesus establishes a completely new meal on the night in which He was betrayed. Three times (1 Cor. 11:17, 18, 20) in three verses, St. Paul tells Christians to “come together” or “meet” to receive the Lord’s Supper. This is at the heart of who we are as God’s people. It is the beating heart of the church. At the altar, the crucified and risen Christ is given bodily to God’s people. Luther once said that the Lord’s Supper “is the Gospel”. 

Herman Sasse (an Australian theologian) once wrote, “Whenever the Lord’s Supper has been permitted to decay, the boundary between the Church and world have universally disappeared and the church has been absorbed into the world.”  The Lords Supper is an ongoing meal. It does not make us Christians. It strengthens Christians. The baptized society of God gathers to participate in a heavenly act that happens every week on earth. Again Sasse writes, “The Holy Supper exists between the ages where it is present for the church, which no longer belongs to the world and yet is still in the world. In the Supper, time touches eternity and the heir (the baptized) now meets the beyond.” 

Christians have very good reasons for regularly receiving the Lord’s Supper. It brings delight in knowing the presence of Christ is near at the altar. Believers know they are part of something divine. The Lord’s Supper establishes a time where we know for certain we are in communion with God, other believers, and those in heaven. Finally, it strengthens our love for God and our relationships with one another. Whenever we receive the Lord’s Supper we are certain our sins are forgiven We are also strengthened for the journey of faith. At God’s choosing, that journey will end. We will one day be at the never-ending feast in heaven. But now we rejoice. We know that on earth we get a glimpse of that eternal meal every time we come to the altar of God. And it is there on the altar that time touches eternity. 

-Pastor Barkley

January 2023 Luther Letter

Why You Sing

You are part of the singing church. Martin Luther once wrote, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise….the gift of language combined with the gift of song was only given to man to let him know that he should praise God with both word and music.” We exit the season of Christmas with the words from Joy to the World  and Angels We have Heard on High. We continue with beautiful hymns for the Epiphany season. What a treasure we have in our singing! But what does all this singing mean?

First, singing requires words. Think of how important words are to God. In Genesis 1 God uses words to fashion a new world. The Word spoken by God the Father is a creative Word. You exist today because God’s Word formed you and everyone around you. As Luther says, now you have this great opportunity to apply the Word of God to music in the Church. The Word is now set into memorable tunes.

Second, singing has a creative power. In C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, Aslan the lion sings Narnia into existence. It is an unforgettable scene in the book. Aslan represents God the Father. The reason this story resonates with so many is that every person has been touched by the creative power of music. Hymns create an understanding of God’s Word. Hymns are sung sermons. Hymns are rich in God’s Law and Gospel. They can also be prayed. Simply put, they deliver God’s Word into hearts and create and sustain faith. We dare not give up this singing for all the gold in the world. 

Second, singing is an echo. Singing is not only an occasion to make beautiful music, but to echo back Jesus’ own singing. Look at these words from Zephaniah 3:17:

“The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.”

     Jesus the Savior exults over you with RINNAH or “loud singing.” The Savior of the world sings with cries of jubilation over His own people. Earlier in Zephaniah 3:15 it says Christ “has taken away the judgements against” you. And you are now in awe of the love of Christ. What is there left to do? 

You sing because you have been re-created. You sing because nothing is now keeping you FROM singing. You sing because Christ the Lord came, not for retribution, but for redemption. 

Fourth, singing is an act of rejoicing. The angels sang “Glory to God in the highest” when Christ was born. Angels are always messengers. They do not carry their own message, but a message from God the Father. When those angels sang over shepherds, they understood that the Father was pleased with that babe in Bethlehem. The Father had placed salvation in a manger and the angels now sing of peace. There is now a peace between the Father and His own children on earth because Jesus will be that Prince of Peace. 

Finally, you are not alone when you sing. You can sing in the car and in the living room. There is a greater comfort in singing hymns within the congregation. In the upcoming season of Epiphany, you will sing the great Lutheran hymn O Morning Star How Fair and Bright. Consider how the fifth verse speaks of the exultation, the story of salvation, and the greatness of the King Jesus. 

O Let the harps break forth in sound!

Our joy be all with music crowned, 

Our voices gladly blending! 

For Christ goes with us all the way—

Today, tomorrow, ev’ry day!

His love is never ending!

Sing out! Ring out! 

Jubilation!

Exultation!

Tell the story! 

Great is He, the King of Glory!

Keep singing those hymns!

In Christ, 

Rev. Adam Barkley

December 2022 Luther Letter

Carried by Words

Words matter. Sometimes we feel words are like tools. We only search for tools when we need them. The hammer, saw, and nails are used to complete a project only when called upon. In a way, we consider words subservient to our needs. This means we often feel we have power over words. But do we really have such power? What if the opposite were true? 

Words matter. In fact, they matter so much they have power over us. Perhaps we can define this a bit better. Language uses us. We do not use language. Large companies fight over the right language to use when selling products. They do not sell regular shampoo to those with boring hair. Instead, they sell a myriad of products for those who need volumizing, moisturizing, and purifying. We pay more for the product with the better language. Language uses us. And often in this sinful world, language can use us in evil ways. 

Words matter. Think of banners and posters that use words like love, choice, equity, sameness, abolish, cancel, etc. Language has been weaponized. In our modern world, words have been used to marginalize Christians and cut us quickly to the core. Words are not tools. They rule over us. Language uses us and often not in a positive way. So, what does any of this have to do with Christians? 

Words matter. And they matter over advent. The language of the church rules over God’s people. And this is VERY GOOD NEWS! Jesus Christ comes as the Word made flesh. Jesus comes to be born as a baby, and yet a ruler. The Wise Men bow and bring gifts. They call Jesus words like King. Jesus is also Emmanuel, God with us. 

Words matter. Evil words of the sinful world are meant to make us meaningless. God uses words to give us meaning. Christ is the center of the universe, born in Bethlehem, who is born of a woman so He would die outside of Jerusalem. And He is born for us. All for us! Our meaning in this life is not defined by what people say about us. Our meaning is defined by the Christ who came to be born in the world. 

Words matter. Advent carries us using God’s Word. Every Collect of the Day during Advent will begin with the words “Stir up.” Our hearts need a good stirring! We have been beaten down by hurtful and degrading words. The Holy Spirit kindles faith in our hearts using the objective and truthful Word of God. Advent awakens and stirs us up all the way to December 25th. 

The celebration of Christmas is not here yet. We wait. We listen. We read. God’s Holy Words ring out for the weeks of Advent. Come and wait. Hear what God has to say. Hear about why Christ came. Worship the crucified and risen One. Remember who came to be that Word made flesh. And this language of God uses you and defines you and rules over you. Alleluia! 

May we all remember God’s Words until we shout with joy “Merry Christmas, Christ is born, joy to the world!” Amen. 

In Christ, 

Rev. Adam Barkley

November 2022 Luther Letter

Check for Wine

All eyes are on Ukraine. Ukraine has been known for years as “the bread-basket of the world.” This Eastern European country is known for vast farmlands and various exports. The recent war in Ukraine has devastated the land and disrupted shipping routes. This war reminds us of one great truth; without peace there is no wine. 

Vineyards don’t just happen. They are fickle and require constant attention. There is planting and pruning. When war enters an area, the grape crop suffers. If we want to know if a nation is at peace, we only need to find out if their vineyards are producing. This language of peace applies also to the Lord’s Church. 

There are many bad ways to judge if a church is “successful”. Some would say the sign of a successful church is a pastor who has formed an alliance with all the key influencers within the congregation. Others see successful churches as the ones who have a clear vision to reach certain financial numbers. Sadly, some view a successful church as a church with full seats. Now go back to the wine. 

Jesus Christ takes wine and says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Cor. 11:25). Jesus comes to His disciples in the wine. Christians all around the world can say with confidence that what they drink at the Lord’s Supper IS the blood of Christ! It is completely still wine, yet completely still Jesus in the cup at the altar. What does this mean for us?

It means our churches will never be successful. But they are at peace. The warfare is over. No more wondering who will win the battle. Jesus Christ came and defeated sin, death, and the devil by His cross and resurrection. We have peace with God. We are destined for heaven. This is our true peace. 

When we see the cup on the altar on Sundays, we should rejoice in the peace Jesus won. We should see the cup and know our churches have something more than “success”. The blood of Jesus is the sign of victory and the end of all our struggles against the devil. The cup is a sign of Jesus’ faithfulness to His people. 

Will all the nations be at peace on earth? Not likely. Will we have battles to come in our own nation. We do not know. Famine, strife, political unrest and so much more piles up in the world. But we Christians still have peace in Jesus. The prophet Habakkuk writes, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be in the vines…yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:17-18). The prophet understood that earthly vines might fail. Habakkuk predicted that nations would destroy other nations. Yet during desolations on earth, Habakkuk still saw a reason to rejoice. There is peace in the Savior. There is peace in Christ. We also have peace with God forever. 

May we all enter the church and rejoice in the cup. May we look at the wine on the altar and recognize that Christ will soon be in our midst on that table. Check the wine! With rejoicing hearts, we believers can stand, believe, and confess in Christ who comes to be with His people. The world can have its successes. We want the cup. Amen!

In Christ, 

 Pastor Adam Barkley

October 2022 Luther Letter

Happily, in a Rut

Tires can sink into wet soil, causing trenches. Sometimes we call these ruts. These ruts in the road can get compacted by tires using the same path over and over. You can see ruts from a distance, and you know immediately what caused the furrows. Farmers might not like ruts in the road, but we Lutherans love the ruts! 

Lutheran worship is not a surprise. Our weekly Service contains “liturgical ruts”. These ruts have advantages in letting worshipers know where they are going because they know where they have been. Some might cry out for innovation, but think about why we like our favorite pair of shoes. 

We never call a new pair of shoes our favorite pair. They aren’t worn in, and they haven’t been road tested. No, our favorite shoes are often our old shoes. So it is with the worship life of the church. A good worship life is a familiar worship life; a life filled with those old ruts. And think about what happens when we begin to know something familiar instead worrying if we are following the rules.  

When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we can face the flag. We see the stripes, stars, and colors. We can gravitate towards a word like “liberty” and consider what we are pledging. Think now about The Lord’s Prayer, the Post-Communion Canticle (Lord let us Depart in Peace), and even singing Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy. 

We don’t scramble for the right words in the Divine Service. We know them. And because we know them, we can now 

work on understanding those words. We can sink into the familiar rhythm of the Service and focus on Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

God is God of creation and order. God took something that was “without form and void” (TOHU WABOHU in Hebrew) in Genesis 1:2 and made creation. God made a world of order. We now enter our familiar God-created churches with their familiar liturgies, knowing the ruts show us where we have been and where we are going. Thanks be to God for those liturgical ruts!

In Christ, 

 Pastor Adam Barkley

June 2022 Luther Letter

God First

How you speak, extend charity, and live doesn’t shape your belief in God. How you believe in God shapes how you speak, extend charity, and live. If you start with the former statement, then you’re the supreme element. Simply put; if you start with you then you’ll eventually form your own version of God. 

Rev. Helmut Thielicke, (a Lutheran pastor) once wrote: “If God is not at the center of life, He will not be on the margin, either”. That’s blunt, isn’t it? If God is not placed in the right order in your life, then He really finds no place in your life at all. 

Consider the relationship of a father and child. Where does the child’s origin come from? The father. The father creates, raises, and holds authority over the child. A healthy father/child relationship exists when the child knows they need their father always. 

The Small Catechism says you are to “fear, love, and trust in God above all things”. This is how you Christian children consider your Heavenly Father. You know you can count on God, because after all, all life began with Him. And He will not leave you.

Rugged independence is not for the Christian. Rev. Thielicke again writes: “Existence is also essentially coexistence”. You might have your own families, work your own jobs, and have your own hobbies. But your entire life is in relationship to God the Creator who made you and all you have. God stands behind you now as you function as His agent. You love because He loved you first (1 John 4:19). God is working through your hands and tongues to care and love others. The beginning of wisdom starts when you recognize God created you, works through you, and continues to care for you. 

     God claimed you as His own in Baptism. You are a valuable person because God has raised you up into the position of the redeemed. Your worth doesn’t make you loved by God. God’s love gives you worth. Remember God your Father is at the center of your life always. You are His forever. Rejoice as children of the Father! Amen. 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! 

 Pastor Barkley

“St. John before God the Father and the Twenty-Four Elders” (1498 woodcut) by Albrecht Dürer

May 2022 Luther Letter

Most of us need to improve physically, spiritually, or emotionally in some capacity. We usually take “baby steps” which hopefully lead to a change a year down the road.

There is, however, one change coming that is completed all at one time. The End. 

  Perhaps the term “Judgement Day” has us worried. Every modern-day war or calamity has given reason for some to cry out that the end is nigh. But what does the Christian think about the end? We pray for it. 

We pray for the end. We pray Jesus will soon return. We pray Jesus will descend from above. We know not the hour of our Lord’s return (Matt. 25:13). Will there still be a judgement for those who reject Christ? Sadly, yes. But in a way, we will be blinded on the Last Day. 

A horse wears blinders to keep their eyes focused on the road ahead.  So it will be when our Lord comes for His people. We will not be focused on destruction, but redemption. We will be so completely focused on the victorious Lamb, Jesus Christ. And we will be more than improved on that day.

The world would have us think small improvements are the goal. Not so on the Last Day. Luther says, “It would be better if everything were at once overturned and done away with, together with all the evils and troubles of this life, than if some 

temporary change for the better took place.” 

What is our fear? What could be taken away? Who is left to accuse? Jesus has won the Day! We have great security in knowing Christ will not waver on His people. His majesty and might will do away with every enemy. Luther says, “Ah, it will be a very happy experience when He will call us His friends and brethren and will look at His gift and Holy Spirit in us; and the dead will again be full of joy.” 

Christians keep praying, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). Jesus will come for those whom He loves. We wait with uplifted heads for His return. He will complete that work of redemption. Jesus Christ comes, not to improve us, but to make us new! 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! 

Pastor Barkley