REDEEMER REPORT. Coming up in September: What to Expect in Our Worship Services. The. Looking Ahead

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1 The REDEEMER REPORT NEWSLETTER OF VOLUME 3, ISSUE 11 REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH SEPTEMBER NORTH STREET, IOLA, WI Looking Ahead Sunday, September 10 th Bible study on Revelation resumes, 9 AM Sunday, September 17 th Fellowship meal, 12 noon Sunday, October 1 st Sunday service time changes to 8 AM (through March) Wednesday, October 4 th Proclaiming God s Truth Bible study begins, 6 PM Sunday, October 8 th Reformation Hymn Festival at Christ the King Lutheran Church, Green Bay, 4 PM Saturday, October 14 th Dual Congregational Meeting with Messiah Lutheran Church, 9 AM Saturday, October 21 st Women s Missionary Society at St. Martin s Lutheran Church, Shawano, 9 AM- 3 PM Tuesday, October 31 st 500 th Anniversary of the Reformation Program and Potluck Coming up in September: What to Expect in Our Worship s By Rev. Michael G. Lilienthal For the four Sundays in September, we will observe the following holidays: September 3 rd is the 12 th Sunday after Trinity. Under the broad theme of Healing, for we recognize our great need for healing, and the one who alone can provide that we need, we read in the Gospel Lesson (Mark 7:31-37) how Jesus healed a deaf-mute. Isaiah prophesied such healing in the Old Testament (Isaiah 29:18-19), and St. Paul in the Epistle (2 Corinthians 3:4-11) demonstrates how healing comes to all by means of the Gospel which overthrew the power of the Law which brought death. Today s Psalm is #70, with the oft-repeated versicle, Make haste, O God, to deliver me, Make haste to help me, O Lord, emphasizing our ongoing need for God s help, and his perfect providence. Among our hymns, we sing #11, Come, Holy Ghost, in Love, asking the Spirit of God to bring his healing power to us, not merely for our bodies, but for our souls. In hymn #457, Blessed Is the Man, a paraphrase of Psalm 1 by Paul Gerhardt, we recognize the difference between the righteous and the wicked: the Word of God supplies the righteousness and salvation. By hymn #456, My Soul, Now Bless Thy Maker, we acknowledge the one who not only created us, but who re-created us, redeemed us, and provided his grace and healing, all by his powerful Word. Having received this, we respond by praise. We close with hymn #582, God of Mercy, God of Grace, in which we praise indeed that very God who provides his grace. The order of Matins (p. 109) which we follow emphasizes a great deal of song, a gift that the once-deaf man surely would have enjoyed after receiving the gift of his Lord. (continued on p. 2).

2 ( Coming Up continued from p. 1) September 10 th is the 13 th Sunday after Trinity. In the Old Testament (Leviticus 18:1-5), God warns Israel that they are to be different from the rest of the world, following the statutes and rules of the true God, not those of false gods. In the Epistle (Galatians 3:15-22), St. Paul demonstrates how the Law has been fulfilled by the Gospel, because the Law itself was impossible for us to fulfill. In the Gospel (Luke 10:23-37), Jesus tells the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan, showing how the Law is fulfilled by showing love in perfect selfsacrifice but this, of course, is not something that we could do, therefore Jesus fulfilled the Law in our place, himself the perfection of the Good Samaritan who gave us all we needed for healing and life. Among this day s hymns we sing #227, Salvation Unto Us Is Come, singing of Jesus coming by God s grace to free us from the Law, to make atonement, to heal us and bring us life. Our chief hymn is #459, Lord of Glory, Who Has Bought Us, which acknowledges the price God paid for us, the blood, the humiliation, the passion, emphasizing the charity and grace of our Lord, so selflessly given to us. To close we sing hymn #458, O God of Mercy, God of Might, praising the God who dealt with us so kindly, coming among us for the purpose of dying for us. Worshiping this day according to The Divine Rite One (p. 41), the opening and closing prayers emphasize God s power to cause his Word to grow in us, first of all to save us, and further to make us like his Son in grace and charity. September 17 th is the 14 th Sunday after Trinity. In the Old Testament (Jeremiah 17:13-14), the difference between those who have the Lord on their side and those who reject him is starkly displayed. God is the source of all good things. Healing and life can only come from him. The difference is shown further by the Epistle (Galatians 5:16-24), in which St. Paul describes both the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. In the Gospel (Luke 17:11-19), Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one came back to thank him; once again, the difference is displayed: some give thanks, and some do not. The difference is shown in those Page 2 whose hearts are changed, and those whose hearts are not. Hymn #26, O Holy Ghost, Thou Gift Divine, opens our service. In this song we recognize the giver of all gifts, and ask him to give us what we need, so that we produce the fruits that come with Christian life, so that we may in the end attain the victory. In hymn #465, From God Shall Naught Divide Me, we contend that we are united to God, not because of our ability to remain with him, but because of his faithfulness, absolutely producing the fruits of the Spirit, and kept in the faith until our entrance into eternity. To close, we sing hymn #586, How Blest Are They Who Hear, in the first place confessing that true faith is not just a once-in-a-while matter, but that those who hear shall remain in it and grow daily; in the second place petitioning that God s Word may indeed cause such growth and faith in us. We worship according to The Divine Rite Two (p. 60), which includes the Pax Domini (p. 79) and the Nunc Dimittis (p. 81), both of which emphasize the lasting peace that comes from the gifts we receive from God therefore our emphasis in this worship is how God maintains us in the faith. On September 24 th we observe the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. Officially, this feast is on September 29 th, but liturgical tradition prescribes that, if we do not hold a special service for it, it may be observed on the last Sunday in September (ELH p. 6). Angels are beings of God s creation that are highly mysterious to us. There is so much we don t know, and in their glory it can be easy to fall into the trap of giving them too much glory. Therefore this holiday s propers are designed to tell us much that we do know about God s angels. In the Old Testament (Genesis 28:10-22), Jacob witnessed the angels ascending and descending from heaven in a dream. They served only as servants to the true God, who appeared in the same dream to deliver his promise to Jacob. (continued on p. 3)

3 ( Coming Up continued from p. 2 ) The Second Lesson (Revelation 12:7-12) depicts the war in heaven by which Michael and the angels of God defeated Satan and threw him and his angels out. In the Gospel (Matthew 18:1-11), Jesus tells how the angels are servants not only of God but of God s people, especially his little ones, petitioning God on their behalf and helping them according to God s will. Hymn #540, Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones, calls on the angels to praise God with us, as is their desire and rightful duty. The chief hymn is #548, Stars of the Morning, again calling upon the angels to praise God, and petitioning God to allow them to watch over us. In the communion hymn, #312, Bread of the World, while recognizing Jesus as the one who nourishes our souls, we also ask for God s protection and he does this in part by his angels. To close, we sing hymn #547, Jesus, Brightness of the Father, glorifying the Son of God above all, for even among the glorious angels, Jesus shines brighter, and those angels bow to him. We worship today according to The Divine Rite Three (p. 88), which is itself an effort of tradition-minded Christians to put their best offering of song forward, to join in the music of the angels for the worship of our God. Healing (September 3 rd ), Charity: The Good Samaritan (September 10 th ), Thanksgiving (September 17 th ), and Angels (September 24 th ). Look forward to these holidays this month in our Sunday services. Remembering the Faithful: The Festival of the Holy Cross On September 14 th the Christian Church on earth celebrates in awe and reverence the festival of the Holy Cross. This day originally commemorated what was considered the discovery of the original cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the early fourth century AD, St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, discovered the cross. She thought it was authenticated when it allegedly effected a miraculous healing. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was then constructed on the site where it was found. This building was dedicated on September 13, 335, but the Holy Cross was exposed for public veneration for the first time the next day, September 14, hence the present festival. Martin Luther was no great lover of the feasts dedicated to the holy cross. He saw in them the danger of superstition akin to the relic trafficking he so long had opposed. He once quipped that if all the alleged pieces of the true cross were gathered together, it would constitute a pretty massive object! Rather than fixating on the relics, he directed attention to the crucified and risen Christ. Still, many Lutheran Church orders intentionally chose to retain the festival, and Holy Cross continues to be a popular name for Lutheran congregations to this day. What Lutherans celebrate on Holy Cross Day, however, is not primarily the history of a rediscovered relic attested by miracles. Rather, we celebrate the triumph of our Lord upon the indisputably real cross that once stood on Golgotha. There in love the Father s eternal Son, the Son also of the Virgin Mary, poured out His life. His blood blotted out the sin of suffering to bring blessing; the way He worked and works so contrary to anything human reason could or would ever conceive or anticipate. Lutherans, of course, do not deny the possibility that the original cross was the one discovered by St. Helena. (continued on p. 4) Page 3

4 ( Holy Cross continued from p. 3) Yet, to us, whether that relic is authentic is not of prime importance. What does matter is that many years ago, under Pontius Pilate, our Lord Jesus was nailed to a tree through His hands and His feet. He was lifted up just as He foretold He would be. And through this unfathomable act of divine love, He still draws all people to Himself through the redemption that is in His blood. Better than any relic is the living body and blood which He imparts to us in His Supper as the lasting memorial of the holy cross. Further reading: Numbers 21:4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 12:20-33 This excerpt is from Celebrating the Saints by William Weedon, Concordia Publishing House, September Anniversaries Jim & Cindy Ross th Tom & Ann Hoyord rd September Birthdays Tom Hoyord th Tim Hoyord th Let By Chris VerKuilen let verb to give opportunity to, to cause Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). This verse has been on my mind lately, since Pastor stressed its importance at Tuesday morning Bible study. My purpose in this article is to encourage you to attend a Bible study at church. It has been exciting for me to learn so much, grown in the knowledge of what is most important in the world, understand better and appreciate Sunday services, and prepare my heart to receive what God wants to teach me. I know some people work during the day and can t come Tuesday mornings. Maybe then you could get Page 4 to Wednesday evening classes, or to the men s Bible study on Saturday mornings. We have this great opportunity available two or three times a week. I encourage you not to pass it up! We are blessed with an incredible pastor. Please don t take his wisdom of the Word for granted. Yes, we are blessed beyond measure! Open your hearts and minds to knowing our Creator better. Let us show Him that we want more of Him, out of gratitude in our hearts. Hymns for September Sunday, September 3 rd, Twelfth Sunday After Trinity o 11: Come, Holy Ghost, in Love o 457: Blessed Is the Man That Never o 456: My Soul, Now Bless Thy Maker o 582: God of Mercy, God of Grace Sunday, September 10 th, Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity o 227: Salvation unto Us Is Come o 459: Lord of Glory, Who Hast Bought Us o 458: O God of Mercy, God of Might Sunday, September 17 th, Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity o 26: O Holy Ghost, Thou Gift Divine o 465: From God Shall Naught Divide Us o 586: How Blest Are They Who Hear God s Word Sunday, September 24 th, St. Michael & All Angels (observed) o 540: Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones o 548: Stars of the Morning So Gloriously Bright o 312: Bread of the World, in Mercy Broken o 547: Jesus, Brightness of the Father September Offering Hymn: 443: O That I Had a Thousand Voices, v. 1-2

5 Announcements Reformation Hymn Festival On Sunday, October 8 th, our brothers and sisters at Christ the King Lutheran Church (1700 Cardinal Ln, Green Bay) will host a Reformation Hymn Festival. All area ELS/WELS church members are encouraged to attend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate the 500 th anniversary of the Reformation. The festival will begin at 4 PM. Pastor Lilienthal will arrange transportation for any members from Redeemer wishing to attend. 500 th Anniversary of the Reformation Events As we near the anniversary of the Reformation, there will be many opportunities to gather with fellow Confessional Lutherans to celebrate this historic event. Consider attending the Reformation Hymn Festival at Christ the King Lutheran Church (ELS) in Green Bay at 4 PM on Sunday, October 8 th. There will also be the Northern Wisconsin District (WELS) Reformation Celebration in Appleton on at 2 PM on Saturday, October 28 th and another festival service hosted by the WELS in Madison at 4 PM on Sunday, October 29 th. All of these are sure to be edifying and uplifting celebrations of our orthodox Lutheran heritage! Thank You A big thank you to Susan Loken and Addy Humbert for serving our fellowship meal in August. Another big thank you goes to Jon & Susan Loken for taking care of the church s lawn. Ask Pastor Have a theological question you d like Pastor to answer? Please feel welcome to submit it in person, via , or anonymously using the box in the narthex. Questions will be kept anonymous when answered in the newsletter. Greeting Cards A variety of tasteful greeting cards is available in the cry room for purchase. Cost is 50 per card, or as marked per box. Please contact Diana Bonikowske with questions. Newsletter Submissions The Redeemer Report welcomes submissions! If you would like to submit anything for publication in our newsletter, please submit it in writing to the editor, Sarah Lilienthal, by the 21 st of month. The Mission of Redeemer Lutheran Church is to: Reach out to all people who do not know the Good News of the forgiveness of sins, won for them by the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and freely offered them through God s grace. And, to strengthen and encourage those who walk in true faith through the life-giving Word and Sacraments of God our heavenly Father. Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELS) 125 North St. PO Box 95 Iola, WI (715) Pastor Lilienthal s Cell: (715) RedeemerLutheranIola@gmail.com RedeemerIola.wordpress.com Page 5

6 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:4-5 September 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Joshua Hannah The 12 th Sunday After Trinity 10:30 AM Worship Gregory the Great, Pastor The 13 th Sunday After Trinity 9 AM 10:30 AM Worship w/ Lord s Supper Moses 8:30 Zacharias and Elizabeth :30 6 PM Elders Mtg Festival of the Holy Cross Cyprian of Carthage, Pastor and Martyr The 14 th Sunday After Trinity 9 AM 10:30 AM Worship w/ Lord s Supper 12 Noon Fellowship Meal :30 6 PM Ladies Guild Mtg St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist Jonah St. Michael & All Angels (observed) 9 AM 10:30 AM Worship w/ Lord s Supper PM Game Night 8:30 Italics: Commemoration Day Bold Print: Festival Page 6 St. Michael and All Angels Jerome, Translator of Holy Scripture