WYOMING DISTRICT ROUND-UP

Transcription

1 WYOMING DISTRICT ROUND-UP Wyoming District LCMS (307) Hickory St., Casper, WY WINTER 2019 website: wylcms.org Welcome to a new seasonal form of your Wyoming District Round-Up! Please take note of the expanded and extra content that will appear again in Spring, Summer, and Fall edi ons. Contact Mrs. Emily Olson at esolson3@gmail.com with any comments or sugges ons. Thank you! Letter from the District President Here I Stand The Lutheran Reforma on in the Wyoming District, Each genera on must claim the Gospel for itself. This means that each new genera on cannot rest on the laurels of the preceding genera ons parents and grandparents, nor can it blame its own failures on the sins and weaknesses of those previous genera ons. Each new genera on must enter the great contest of the Church Militant, not as a spectator or as a vendor, but as a combatant. Certainly the Church will survive and thrive un l She welcomes Her Lord coming in the clouds of heaven with the glory of His Father. Nevertheless, each new genera on in the Church must wrestle and strive for the Church of its own me and place. It is as we pray in the Small Catechism, that the kingdom of God... may come to us also (SC, The Lord s Prayer). We know that the Gospel will move on and move away when its hearers no longer hear it, or keep it, or struggle for its purity and truth. Protect us from this, heavenly Father. And how does each new genera on claim the Gospel for itself? The short answer: It must hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God s Word for itself. The children must grow up to keep and use God s Word daily in their own lives. They must learn to know and defend the pure doctrine taught in God s Word. They must wrestle against all sin,... all error,... all evil (from the Litany), while praying for God s deliverance. Their struggle takes place within their own lives, their churches, their households, and their communi es. The previous genera on may do this on their behalf while they are young, but then the torch must be passed on to the next runner, the next genera on in the church. In His Word, the Holy Spirit teaches each new genera on this faith, We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:39). He holds before us the great patriarchs and saints of old, the previous genera ons of the faithful including our own loved ones who died in Christ, of whom the world was not worthy (Heb. 11:38). This glorious fellowship in heaven is the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, tes fying by their confession and life of the truth of God s Word (Heb. 12:1 2). Thus each new genera on looks not only to the future but to the past, to the history of the Church throughout the ages, comparing both good and evil to the lessons of God s Word. And each new genera on receives from its fathers and mothers in the church the treasures accumulated over the centuries. We think not only of the sermons, the many wri ngs, the histories, the hymns and liturgy, and the places of worship which have been preserved and passed down to us. We embrace especially the Holy Scriptures they place in our hands, 1

2 and the Lutheran Confessions by which we confess and hold fast to the pure teaching of the Scriptures. We make these confessions our own in doctrine and life a confession that will endure not merely un l the end of me, but which will endure the just and true judgment of Christ on the Last Day. It is here, in the doctrine of God s Word, that we take our stand. With a view to our own genera on and the genera on that now follows, we have established as the Wyoming District theme for this new triennium, Here I Stand on the Word. We intend to remember, imitate, and teach the doctrine and confession of those who have gone before us. The theme is taken from Marn Luther s bold confession before the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, given on April 19, Luther s long trial by the theologians of the Roman Catholic Church had ended with the pope s excommunica on of Luther in The pope had then demanded that Luther be declared an outlaw by the government, his books and wri ngs banned, and Luther himself executed. In spite of the judgment of death hanging over him, Luther obeyed the summons to appear before the imperial court in Worms, Germany. There, it was demanded of him that he recant renounce and repudiate his published wri ngs. Luther understood that it was not his own honor or the ma er of his own personal wri ngs that were at stake. He recognized that God s own Word and honor were being rejected, and that for him to recant would be to repudiate God and His Holy Word, to the damna on of his own soul and the betrayal of his beloved Church. Because he feared God more than kings, shame, imprisonment, and death, he stood firm. The Word of God alone held him and his conscience cap ve. Thus he confessed, Unless I am convinced by the tes mony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have o en erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is cap ve to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. May God help me. (Brecht, and AE Companion Biographies p. 174). Luther s confession gives us this triennial theme, Here I stand on the Word. Over the course of the next three years, we will explore and apply the theme within the three estates given by God. In 2019 we will focus upon the church, in 2020 the home, and in 2021 the world (the civil estate). God grant to us, to our children and our children s children, Luther s bold and faithful confession, I am determined to abide by [this confession] un l my death and (so help me God!) in this faith to depart from this world and to appear before the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luther s 1528 Confession Concerning the Lord s Supper, AE ). Rev. John Hill Mark Your Calendars! Overtures to Synod Convention due FEBRUARY 6 2

3 Lutheran Worship Matters Tell the Good News about Jesus 2019 Wyoming District Tell the Good News About Jesus Convocation January 25-26, 2019 in Casper FRIDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 9 AM 5:30 Trinity Lutheran Celebrating with Reverence ~ Rev. Benjamin Ball New this year! Morning Sessions for Pastors (Laity are welcome!) FRIDAY EVENING BANQUET, 6 9 Ramkota Hotel Lutheran Hymnody ~ Rev. Mark Preus SATURDAY, JANUARY 26TH, 8 AM 4 Ramkota Hotel Early Lutheran Worship History ~ Prof. Joseph Herl $15 Adult Registration Youth are FREE! No Child Day Care available. Banquet Costs: $20 Adult Attendee; $10 Children 10 & under To register online very soon (the preferred method of registration), please visit: OR Make checks payable to: Wyoming District LCMS & Mail to: 2400 Hickory Street, Casper, WY Registration Deadline: January 10,

4 REFORMATION 500: 1519 in Review In early January of 1519, Luther traveled to Altenburg to nego ate with the papal chamberlain, Karl von Mil tz, regarding the Roman church s charges against Luther. These efforts to reconcile the conflict in the church were soon overshadowed by the death of Emperor Maximilian on January 12. The elector Frederick the Wise, Luther s ruler, received the news on January 24. The elec on of a new emperor was set for June 17. These events changed the poli cal landscape of the Reforma on, not only because Frederick was one of the seven electors of the Holy Roman Empire, but also because papacy opposed the elec on of Charles of Spain. Charles was nevertheless elected June 28, The nego a ons in Luther s trial before Rome effec vely ceased un l the fall of God s gracious defense of the Gospel is seen again in the me provided by this delay, me in which Luther con nued to study, write, and later in the Spring, debate the errors being promoted by the Roman church....remembering YOU IN MY PRAYERS... (Eph. 1:16) For Nelda Simonson, wife of Rev. Duane Simonson, who is mostly homebound and in the advanced stages of cancer. For Rev. Vernon Boehlke, who is receiving treatments for cancer. For Rev. Richard Boche, in thanksgiving for a successful surgery, as he heals and regains strength a er heart surgery. For Rev. Ralph Jaeger (emeritus, Laramie), who is making a good recovery a er a heart a ack in early December. PASTORS AND CONGREGATIONS Rev. James Mar n (Emmanuel, Green River) will be installed at Trinity, Rock Springs January 13 at 4:00 PM. Emmanuel and Trinity have entered a mul -point parish agreement. The District is invit- ed to join this joyful occasion. The parish of Zion, Grover and Grace, Pine Bluffs is being served in a vacancy arrangement by Rev. Lincoln Winter (Trinity, Wheatland). Trinity, Cheyenne has a call mee ng scheduled for December 17. Trinity is being served by Rev. Marcus Baikie (Our Savior s, Cheyenne) during its vacancy. St. Paul s, Sidney is studying the doctrine of the Divine Call and the Holy Ministry as part of its precall process. Rev. Allen Strawn (St. Paul s, Bridgeport) is serving St. Paul s during the vacancy. Rev. Travis Sherman (Grace, Gordon, NE) is serving Grace, Merriman, NE (Nebraska District) while it considers its future. Rev. Kenneth Mars (Immanuel, Burns and St. John s, Kimball) declined a divine call to Victory in Christ Lutheran Church, Newark, Texas. Rev. David Bo (Redeemer, Jackson and Christ Our Savior, Star Valley) has declined a divine call to Emmaus Lutheran Church, Redmond, OR. Announcements Trinity Lutheran Church, Riverton, is hos ng an open house Saturday, January 19 from 12:00 2:00 p.m. for Rev. Vernon Boehlke, celebra ng the 25 Anniversary of his ordina on. Lunch will be served with a short program to follow. th SAVE THE DATE! SPRING PASTORS CONFERENCE MAY ROCK SPRINGS 4

5 Board of Directors Update The quarterly expanded version of the Roundup will include brief notes and summaries from the District Board of Directors (BOD). Our hope is to give you a be er understanding of the workings and needs of the District. The BOD is the custodian of all the financial, legal, and physical support of the District. It oversees the needs of the Lutheran Ministries Center, including the District President (Pr. Hill) Office Manager and LCEF Vice-President (Jeff Snyder) Office Secretary/Administra ve Assistant (Mary Grant) Wind River Lutheran Mission and its missionary (Pr. Sonnenschein) St. Andrew s Lutheran Church and Campus Center with its pastor (Pr. Mark Preus). Budget: A major task of the BOD is se ng the annual District budget. We are pleased to report that we con nue to approve and maintain a balanced budget. This is achieved by preparing a very trim budget and keeping careful spending. Even more, it is achieved through the generosity and faithful giving of the congrega ons of the Wyoming District. As of December 15, congrega ons have given $548,369 of the $580,188 pledged for A very big THANK YOU to you all for your love and care for one another, for our mission congrega ons, for those who support your physical needs, and for your ecclesias cal visitors. We thank God for His mercy to us. Financial Decisions: The BOD has decided to simplify our Fiscal Year and align it with the calendar year, star ng January 1. In past years it ran to January 15. As a result, the 2018 Fiscal Year will be 15 days shorter. The change will not affect the congrega ons, and we will con nue to process the 2018 pledges into January as needed. The BOD is also making changes in a number of endowments that have been given to support the Wind River Lutheran Mission, St. Andrew s, and some of our seminary student scholarships. We are consolida ng various funds and reposi oning them to use them more effec vely for financial support. We welcome addi ons to these funds from donors who support this work. The BOD is looking to leverage the resources of the church to maintain our mission efforts into the long term, even when funds are ght in our congrega ons. Wind River Lutheran Mission: A more extensive report will follow in a future Roundup. If you would like to receive the quarterly Wind River Lutheran Mission Newsle er in the mail (complete with ar cles and pictures), please contact Mary Grant at the Lutheran Ministries Center (mgrant@wylcms.org or ). There are many supporters throughout the District and Synod who provide financial support for this mission. Your support is very important! Thank you. Communica ons: You are reading the first edi on of our quarterly expanded edi on of the Roundup. The shorter version will con nue to be published in February, March, May, June, July, September, November, and December. We are gradually upda ng and improving our communica ons from the District. District Facebook pages have been consolidated for be er management. In the near future we hope to revamp the District Website (wylcms.org). Among the desired improvements are the ability to register for convocaons and camp online, as well as pay conference fees and give dona ons to our missions or the District online. Look for more news later in the year, including a summary of the 2019 budget. God s richest blessing to you all this Christmas and for a New Year of God s grace in Jesus Christ. +Pr. John Hill on behalf of the Wyoming District Board of Directors 5

6 STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCES Pastors and Lay Leaders: Does your parish struggle to meet the budget? Does the thought of hearing (or preaching) a sermon on financially supporting the church make you cringe? How do we encourage cheerful, generous living without becoming legalists? On Monday, March 11 at Trinity Lutheran in Casper and Tuesday, March 12 at St. Paul in Thermopolis, the LCMS Coordinator for Stewardship, Rev. Heath Curtis, will present answers to these questions through the Philippians Workshop. Bring your Bible, your questions, and your love for your church. Pastors should arrive at 3:00pm, and lay leaders should arrive at 5:30pm for dinner. The workshop will conclude by 8:30pm. There is no cost for the workshop, but please register through the Wyoming District website by the end of February. Thank you! Powder River Youth Retreat! FEBRUARY at PRINCE OF PEACE in Buffalo Youth 5th-12th Grades ~ $10 per person Deadline to Notify Rev. Heinecke: February 17 Want some winter study and fun with other Lutherans? Come learn with other Wyoming District youth as we study "The not so minor Minor Prophets and observe the daily offices of Evening Prayer, Compline, and Matins. Enjoy eating together, playing games at night and skiing or sledding at the Meadowlark Ski Lodge during the day! Please contact Rev. Gerald Heinecke at pastorheinecke@gmail.com or with approximate numbers of youth and adults who will attend and any questions you have. Pro-Life News and Events On November 16, the Wyoming District welcomed our first ever Snowflake baby a baby born through embryo adop on. On December 25, Chris ans around the world marked the holy day when God first showed His human face. Jesus had been growing inside the Virgin Mary and protected by Joseph for the previous nine months. From January 7 to February 27, 2019, the Wyoming Legislature will be in session. Pray for the legislators and for the state. Use the occasion to educate yourselves and others on the pro-life and family bills which will be discussed. On January 17-19, the LCMS s biannual conference, Joyfully Alive Body and Soul, will take place in conjunc on with the Na onal March for Life in Washington, D.C. Rev. Jonathan Lange will be presen ng on Being a Pro-Life Congrega on. You, too, can par cipate and march for life in Wyoming on Saturday, January 19, Casper: The March for Life in Casper will meet at City Park (711 S. Center) at 2:00pm. Cheyenne: The March for Life will meet at the historic depot (121 W. 15 th). The program begins at 11:00am. Lincoln, NE: The Walk for Life will be held on January 26, 2019 at 10:00am beginning at the State Capitol(14th & K. St.). ~ Rev. Jonathan Lange 6

7 Serving at St. Andrew s The Lutheran Church cannot escape the campus; she was born in 1517 on the academic turf of a German university at Wi enberg. Throughout her history, she has not forsaken the campus either. So reads Tuesday evenings. I take new students out to coffee or lunch to get to know them and encourage them to a end church and Bible study. I also walk to campus almost every day to get coffee and see students. part of the history on the website of St. Andrew s Lutheran Church and Student Center in Laramie, one of primary missions of the Wyoming District of the Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod. Five hundred years have passed since the Reforma on s campus origins, but St. Andrew s con nues to bring Christ and Lutheran doctrine to students. Pastor Mark Preus, who has served at St. Andrew s since 2014, recently shared insights about the campus ministry and its current state. Below are his edited remarks. Tell us about St. Andrew s history in Laramie. Zion Lutheran in Laramie, which was founded in 1934, always sought to serve the students at the University of Wyoming. Eventually, parishioners and others realized another congrega on was needed. A house was bought where the students could meet, and a pastor was called to Zion to serve them. Eventually Zion voted to start a new congrega on--st. Andrew s Lutheran. So student ministry has been the purpose of St. Andrew s from the beginning. How many students a end St. Andrews, and how many different Wyoming District and neighboring LCMS district churches are represented by your students? About forty students regularly a end St. Andrew s, with another forty showing up throughout the year. On a given Sunday, about 60% or more of the congrega on are students. Between twenty and thirty congrega ons from Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Student events occur throughout the year. At the the Midwest and around the country are represent- end of every September, St. Andrew s hosts a fall ed on any given Sunday. retreat in the mountains, and in the spring, we a end an Estes Park retreat to meet other Colorado What do you do to specifically serve college stustudents. We also enjoy a paintball war with students? dents in the fall; this past autumn, we had Lutherans Mainly, the way I serve college students is that I versus Catholics. That was fun. During Advent, we go preach and I teach. I conduct Ma ns on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings and a spoken Dicaroling in front of the Student Union and at a local vine Service on Wednesday mornings, and an even- nursing home. My wife, Becky, and I host a parsoning Vespers service on Thursday evening, in addi on age party then, too, in addi on to lots of informal to Sunday morning Divine Service. I usually get gatherings. In January, five St. Andrew s students are around six students at each weekday morning sergoing to the LutheranU retreat in Fort Wayne, Indivice. I teach Bible Study on Sunday mornings and ana. So there s a lot going on. Con nued on the next page 7

8 What are your greatest challenges at St. Andrew s? What do students most need there, and at home, to be encouraged to remain faithful to their confirma on vows? The biggest challenge St. Andrew s faces is a endance and reten on. About 70% of students don t come to church regularly, and over half of them don t a end at all and I m talking about Lutheran students I ve met with and who hold membership in district churches. The main factors that contribute to this is that these students don t think church is important, and this probably started before they ever arrived in Laramie they likely didn t a end church regularly in high school. I see this a lot. Also, college students enjoy their freedom and being away from home, and so church isn t a priority. They re basically falling away, and there is li le I can do about it besides pray for them and speak the Word to them when God gives me the opportunity. Students need family and they need private devo ons. They need to be taught how to have devo ons at home before they ever go away to school. If the parents don t show a desire for God s word, then the kids won t. If the parents don t go to church, or pray, or read God s word, then the kids will do it even less. That s the reality. Pastor Preus and UW Students at St. Andrew s Students at a Western-themed Dance ~ November 2018 At St. Andrew s, students can find Christ and a community of believers. They need to have Lutheran friends and not isolate themselves. That s one of the reasons St. Andrew s has so many opportuni es for students to congregate together. They need to unite in God s Word and Sacrament, and in other ways, too. My greatest challenges are the challenges of every pastor: to remain faithful and to rejoice in the Lord when you see so many not have anything to do with the church and not cherishing God s word. What is your greatest joy at St. Andrew s? What can other believers do to support St. Andrew s? My greatest joy at St. Andrew s is seeing students hear and believe the Gospel and showing forth that fruit in their lives. My favorite three pe ons of the Lord s Prayer are terrific to pray for the support of the church: hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done. Christ will always be faithful to us. This is our eternal comfort.+ Please con nue to keep St. Andrew s, Pastor Preus, and UW students in your prayers. Photos Courtesy of the St. Andrew s Facebook Page 8

9 What You Should Know About...Wyoming District Financial Aid The purpose of the Student Financial Aid fund is to provide scholarships for the men and women of the Wyoming District to train for full- me service in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) and debt reduc on assistance to rostered church workers of the LCMS. The objec ves of Student Financial Aid are to cover five areas of needed assistance in order of importance: 1) Scholarships for those studying for full- me church work at one of our synod s seminaries or universi es. 2) Educa on Loan Debt Reduc on for Wyoming District graduates (first er). 3) Assistance covering the one- me costs of prospec ve students looking into full- me Church work to visit a seminary, university or college. The Fund will provide registra on and/or travel funds for official visits at ins tu ons up to $ For instance, the Fund will cover a one- me visit to a college or university and a one- me visit to a seminary and a one- me a endance to Christ Academy per prospec ve Student. 4) Educa on Loan Debt Reduc on for graduates coming into the Wyoming District (second er). 5) Support to any LCMS seminary, college, or university as recommended by the CCS and approved by the Wyoming District Board of Directors. Informa on about Wyoming District Financial Aid, scholarships and debt reduc on can be found at the Wyoming District website. If you have any ques ons, please contact Rev. Richard Mueller at doulos63@gmail.com or LWML WYOMING DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIPS Four (4) scholarships for the school year will be awarded to students who are members of the Wyoming District Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and will be attending a Lutheran school. The amount of each scholarship is $1000, which will be equally divided between the first and second semesters. Two alternates will be chosen as recipients in case one of the original recipients becomes ineligible. In addition, one (1) scholarship in the amount of $1000 will be awarded to an applicant who meets the above requirements. If there are no qualified applicants, this scholarship may be awarded to a descendent of Alex and Leora Pitsch and studying for full-time church work. To obtain an application form, please write or * Shurie Scheel OR access an online form Wyoming District LWML at VP of Human Care 527 Warren St. Thermopolis, WY82443 shuriescheel@gmail.com APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 31,

10 SAVE THE DATE! Featured Speaker: What: FATHER/SON Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher RETREAT When: June 21-23, 2019 Who: Wyoming District Men Where: Camp Roberts near Buffalo (Father and Sons) Look for more information soon! Registration opens in February. Attendees at the 4th Annual Wyoming Pastor s Network (WPN) Conference, Standing Together For Life, held at Trinity in Casper in November Speakers included Rev. Dr. William Weinrich of CTS-Fort Wayne. The current president of the WPN is Rev. Jonathan Lange of Evanston. Stamps for Tubfrim is a service program to aid handicapped and disabled Norwegian children. It was begun in 1928 to assist the Norwegian Health Association in its efforts to eradicate tuberculosis. Over 20 years ago, the Wyoming District and the LWML elected to collect used postage stamps for the Tubfrim program. As of October 2018, over 203 pounds of stamps have been collected for the Tubfrim Mission Project. Please continue to send used stamps to our collection center for the district: Tubfrim Mission Project c/o Christ the King Lutheran, P.O. Box 355, Cody, WY Reminder: Stamps for Tubfrim requests a ½ inch margin of envelope be left around used stamps when salvaging. The primary reason for the margin is to protect the integrity of the stamp. Any stamp with a compromised integrity (otherwise called perforation trimmed) we must throw out. The Tubfrim brochure speci ies any stamp with that condition is trash and not to be shipped. Thank you for your care! 10

11 ~WyoDistrict Happenings~ On Sunday, October 21, 2018, the congrega on of St. Paul s Lutheran at Po er, Nebraska, celebrated its centennial. Both a morning and a ernoon Vespers service were held, with the Rev. Dr. Ronald Garwood preaching in the morning and the Rev. Ted Bourret preaching in the a ernoon (see photos). A celebratory supper was held a er the Vespers service. Glory be to God for all of His faithfulness to the saints at St. Paul! Pastors serving at the a ernoon Vespers service, from le to right: Rev. James Mueller (son of the congrega on, lector); Rev. John Hill (current Wyoming District President, liturgist); Rev. Ted Bourret (current pastor, preacher). The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ~Lamenta ons 3:22-24 From le to right: Rev. Craig Muhlbach (pastor ); Rev. Ted Bourret (pastor 2000-present); Rev. Dr. Ronald Garwood (Past Wyoming District President - guest preacher); Rev. Robert Koch (pastor ); Rev. Daniel Jones (pastor ); Rev. James Mueller (son of the congrega on - lector); Rev. Bruce LaKamp (pastor ). 11

12 ~WyoDistrict Happenings~ In 1943, a mother wrote a hear elt le er to the Mission Board of the Northern Nebraska District to request a pastor for her family (Bridgeport News-Blade). Seventy-five years later, on September 9, 2018, pastors and members of St. Paul s in Bridgeport gave thanks for the Holy Spirit s enduring work of bringing faith in Christ to saints in this part of the Cornhusker panhandle. To God alone be the glory! From le to right: Rev. John Hill (current Wyoming District President), Rev. James Rockhill, Rev. George Naylor, Rev. Allen Strawn (current pastor), Rev. Craig Neimeier (former pastor), Rev. Tim Schnare, and Rev. Richard Neugebauer. The St. Paul s 75th Anniversary Commi ee. From le : Lyle Blase, Laura Douthit, Becky Blase, Bonnie Franklin, Jan Aus n, Rev. Strawn. From le : Rev. Hill, Rev. Strawn, Rev. Neimeier. 12