Pastor Page: Synod president responds to SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling. St. Paul s Lutheran Church th Street Ceylon, MN 56121

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1 Pastor Page: August & September 2015 St. Paul s Lutheran Church th Street Ceylon, MN Vol XXIV Number 4 Rev. Russell D. Reimers, Pastor Pastor s Cell Phone Mrs. Susan Reimers, Secretary St. Paul s Lutheran Church Office address russellreimers@frontiernet.net Synod president responds to SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress (Psalm 46:1-7). A one-person majority of the U.S. Supreme Court got it wrong again. Some 40 years ago, a similarly activist court legalized the killing of children in the womb. That decision has to date left a wake of some 55 million Americans dead. Today, the Court has imposed same-sex marriage upon the whole nation in a similar fashion. Five justices cannot determine natural or divine law. Now shall come the time of testing for Page -2-

2 Christians faithful to the Scriptures and the divine institution of marriage (Matthew 19:3 6), and indeed, a time of testing much more intense than what followed Roe v. Wade. Like Roe v. Wade, this decision will be followed by a rash of lawsuits. Through coercive litigation, governments and popular culture continue to make the central post-modern value of sexual freedom override the free exercise of religion enshrined in the Bill of Rights. The ramifications of this decision are seismic. Proponents will seek to drive Christians and Christian institutions out of education at all levels; they will press laws to force faithful Christian institutions and individuals to violate consciences in work practices and myriad other ways. We will have much more to say about this. During some of the darkest days of Germany, a faithful Lutheran presciently described how governments lose their claim to legitimate authority according to Romans 13. The Caesar cult in its manifold forms, the deification of the state, is one great form of the defection from the [true] idea of the state. There are also other possibilities of such defection. The government can forget and neglect its tasks. When it no longer distinguishes between right and wrong, when its courts are no longer governed by the strict desire for justice, but by special interests, when government no longer has the courage to exercise its law, fails to exercise its duties, undermines its own legal order, when it weakens through its family law parental authority and the estate of marriage, then it ceases to be governing authority. Raising such a question can lead to heavy conflicts of conscience. But it is fundamentally conceivable, and it has time and again become reality in history, that a governing authority has ceased to be governing authority. In such a case there may indeed exist a submission to a superior power. But the duty of obedience against this power no longer exists. [Hermann Sasse, What Is the State? (1932)] As faithful Christians, we shall continue to be obedient to just laws. We affirm the human rights of all individuals and the inherent and equal value of all people. We respect the divinely given dignity of all people, no matter their sexual preference. We recognize that, under the exacting and demanding laws of God, we are indeed sinners in thought, word and deed, just as are all (Romans 3:9ff.). We confess that the blood of Jesus Christ, God s Son, cleanses us from all our sins (1 John 1:7). We confess that God s divine law of marriage and the entire Ten Commandments apply to all, and that so also the lifegiving sacrifice of Christ on the cross is for all. It is a righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe (Romans 3:22). However, even as we struggle as a church to come to a unified response to this blatant rejection of the entire history of humankind and its practice of marriage, We shall obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29). Christians will now begin to learn what it means to be in a state of solemn conscientious objection against the state. We will resist its imposition of falsehood upon us, even as we continue to reach out to those who continue to be harmed by the ethic of radical sexual freedom, detached from God s blessing of marriage. And we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Christians, churches and people of good will who are resolute on this issue. God help us. Amen. Pastor Matthew C. Harrison Page -3- Page -4-

3 Larry Simpson 9 Arvin Fritz 10 Ruth Bremer 17 Susan Lenort 18 Kaye Schultze 21 Jeffrey Schultze 23 Delores Schultze 26 Michael Thiesse 1 Elaine Fjelsrud 2 Noah Leiding 2 Ella Goebel 3 Tom Beckendorf 13 Verdane Erdman 13 Joel Erdman 13 Mary Milow 13 Kale Fritz 17 Robert Schultze 23 Nicole Simpson 23 Melva Schultze 27 Brenda Laue 28 Grace Simpson 29 Rodney & Debra Laue 9 Joel & Kimberly Erdman 10 Charles & Sharon Rosen 15 Josh and Beth Leiding 15 Ken & Jane Fritz 28 Steve & Linda Schultze 8 Rick and Lisa Stevens 9 Dale & Janet Wempen 18 Nicolas & Nicole Simpson 22 Page -5- Page -6-

4 In our Prayers: August 2 nd : Sherry Bremer; The Dennis Bremer family; & Edward Bremer Jr. August 9 th : August 16 th : Ehtan Bremer, Jeremy Bremer, & Lorene Bremer. Lyla Bremer, Marlan Bremer, & Staci Bremer. ««««««««Bible Class will begin at Our Savior s Lutheran on September 8 th at 9:30 am. Come join us at together we grow in God s Word. August 23 rd : Mary Detert, Phyllis Detert, & The David Ehlert family. ««««««««August 30 th : The Dwayne Ehlert family, The Rick Ehlert family, & The Joel Erdman Family. Sept. 6 th : Sept. 13 th : Sept. 20 th : Sept. 27 th : Verdane Erdman, Terry Erdman, & Elaine Fjelsrud. Joan Fjelsrud, Arvin Fritz, & Chelsea Fritz. The Daniel Fritz family, Agnes Fritz, & The Gerald Fritz family. Mary Gellert, Ella Goebel, & Callie Hartmann family. Offerings for August: August 2 nd - Home & Debt Reduction Sunday August 9 th - Home August 16 th - Building and Repair August 23 rd - Home + August 30 th - Home Offerings for September: Sept. 6 th - Home & Debt Reduction Sunday September 13 th - Home + September 20 th - Missions September 27 th - Home Offerings for October: Oct 4 th - Home & Debt Retirement Oct 11 th - Home + Oct 18 th - Building & Repair Oct 25 th - Missions Page -7- Page -8-

5 Sunday School and Sunday Morning Bible Class will begin once again on September 13 th at St. Paul s at 8:30 am. Come join us this year as together we grow in God s Word MEMORIALS: L In memory of Jay Whitehead - $20.00 to General Fund. L In memory of Bill Beckendorf - $ to Undesignated. L In memory of Bill Krick - $10.00 to General Fund. L In memory of Martin Laue - $15.00 to Organ Fund; $ to Perpetual Care Fund; $ to General Fund. ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` NO CHURCH ON JULY 19 TH AT ST. PAUL S LUTHERAN THANK YOU FOR all the kind words, hugs, memorials, and support from our fellow members here at St. Paul's. It is great to have so many caring people in our lives. Also want to thank the ones who worked for the funeral. Now he can see---god is good all the time. Blessings to each and everyone of you. Family of Martin Laue. A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who help to make our 125 th Celebration a great success. Words can t begin to express the joy in the hearts of all who came to share in this celebration. Many people had great things to say about all parts of the day. To each of you who help in different parts of this celebration, a big thank you for all your help. The day was perfect and truly the Grace of God was upon us as we gave Him thanks for all His blessings upon this congregation in the 125 years of our history. May God truly bless each of you as we move forward in the years to come. LWML LADIES Group II will need to have cookies to the church basement by noon on Tuesday August 18 th. If anyone else would like to donate cookies for Valley Vue, you are welcome to have those cookies also at the church. Please bring you cookies on Sunday August 16 th and someone will take them done for us. WE ARE GOING TO JOIN WITH OUR SAVIOR S IN CEYLON THAT SATURDAY NIGHT JULY 18 TH FOR WORSHIP. MARK YOUR CALENDAR Page -9- Page -10-

6 St. Paul s LWML Minutes of June 11, :00 PM Our meeting began with singing "For Many Years. O God of Grace". Lola Schultze had the devotions entitled "God's Hands". May God bless and hold you in the palm of his hand. As our topic, Pastor Reimers, did a powerpoint presentation on the 125th anniversary of our church which is to be celebrated on June 28 th. Sandy Beckendorf, president, thanked Lola, Verdane, and Pastor, and Mary Detert and Deb Laue as hostesses. Sandy called the business meeting to order. There was no correspondence. The secretary's report was accepted as printed. The treasurer's report was filed for review. The treasurer began with a balance of $1, with income of $ and expenses of $ leaving a new balance of $1, Mites were $ members were present along with pastor and 5 visitors. Myla Tietje was changed from an inactive member to active. We sang the birthday song for Janet Wempen, Barbara Fellerson, and Duane Ehlert. Meeting adjourned. Evelyn Laue, secretary From the Mission Field: Dear Friends, Thank you all for your continued prayers for us and our ministry. We know that this work does not go forward because of our own efforts, but solely because of God s great mercy and His control of all things. Thank you for your intersession on our behalf. Work continues to go forward. I mentioned last month that Tim, Splash, and Moses were using Tim s Toyota Hilux for recording 1,200 verses for use in the AudiBibles. Well, as of this past week the recording is all done, and a few things doublechecked with the community to make sure things are the way the Khwe people want them. Now the recording will be sent down to our colleague, Rob Veith, to be mastered. Hopefully the recording has been done well and Rob won t have any problems with it. After that the recording will be sent back to Tim and he will load the new recordings onto the AudiBibles we have here, which will then be exchanged for AudiBibles already in the communities. We would like to start getting these AudiBibles with the new selections on them out into the community this month, we pray everything will work out. Besides all this, another concern of ours is printing the Scripture portions we have ready. The people love the AudiBibles, but they still keep asking when they will be getting something that is printed. Money was given to us for this Page -11- Page -12-

7 purpose, so that is not holding us back. The problem is finding a printer that will do a good job. We have had so many problems in this area that we have decided that we need to do our own inhouse printing, but the stumbling block is getting the actual machine which will do the printing. The Botswana field actually did buy a machine, but the wrong machine was sent, not what we ordered at all, and the customer support was abysmal. So, the machine went back and we still have no way of printing our own things. Please pray with us that this situation can get worked out sooner rather than later. We have people here who really want to read God s Word. Otherwise, Tim, Splash and Moses are planning to spend most of this month checking and community checking what they have already drafted. The Botswana field is scheduled to have our translation consultant, Rev. Larry Johnson, come later this year and we would love to have a whole lot for him to check through with us. Also, at the end of the month we are planning a bit of a family vacation and will go visit Namibia for a few days. (Yes, I realize many people think that an eight-month furlough is a long vacation, but trust me, it was a working 'vacation'.) Prayers: * Please pray that Tim, Splash, and Moses would get a lot of work done and Rev. Johnson would have a lot to check. * Please pray that the recording is well done, easily mastered, and able to be in the hands of the people quickly. * Please pray that we can get the printing situation sorted out with a good machine and great technical support. Praises: - Thanksgiving that the recording is done! - Thanksgiving that work is going forward. - Thanksgiving for all of you! Your prayers and gifts propel this work forward. Thank you again for all of your prayers on our behalf, Tim, Lisa, Aaron & Andrew Beckendorf Page -13- Page -14-

8 Joy of Family From President Harrison, Lutheran Witness I was just a boy. Our life was simple, our house small, our family inauspicious. But Mom and Dad never failed to find ways to add a little fun to life. One Christmas, Dad brought home a snowmobile to two boys, gazing, mouths agape out the front window. It was only minutes later that my brother and I were dressed for the weather and climbing about this sleek machine, itching for the first shot at it. It was a brilliant move for the family. Every weekend or holiday when snow prevailed in Northwest Iowa, we d haul the machine out to Cousin Larry s farm and spend the afternoon together. Dad would pull us via rope on an old truck tire inner tube over snowcovered hill and dale. We d try to hang on, only to lose the battle higgledy-piggledy in a tumble of arms, legs, snow and laughter. I can see in my mind s eye my dad on that machine, one knee kneeling on the seat (as he liked to ride), head held high above the windshield, grinning ear to ear, glasses fogged, circling to give us another go at it. Do it again, Dad! Again! My little sister, who to this day retains something of her unique combination of timidity and total self-confidence, had decided it was time for her to solo on the snow machine. Dad cautiously consented, offered the requisite instruction and warnings. He pointed her in a safe direction. My brother and I braced for the boredom, reduced to making snow angels. Little Sis took her first spin at the speed of a glacier, tediously consuming our treasured minutes of icy rough and tumble racing and daring. As she pulled away, Dad watched her traverse every snowcovered inch. I noticed him growing anxious as Sister increased to moderate speed and headed in the direction of a barbed wire fence at the edge of the property. Concerned for her safety, he cupped his hands and began to shout her name, warning her away from the fence, already leaning and stepping toward her. Then (and I shall never forget it because it is the only time I d ever seen my father run flat Page -15- out) fearing for her safety he took off at full speed, shouting her name. Of all my childhood memories, this one stands forever uniquely etched upon the palette of my mind. I saw my father in dark, green coveralls, gloves and snow boots, running as fast as he could over an uneven fallow field, through a foot of snow, anxiously screaming my sister s name. I was face-to-face with the depth of love of a father for his child. I know to this day that this man, so very understated and in many ways so un-animated, is animated by an incomprehensively deep love for my mom, my sister, my brother and me and for Jesus. And it has always given me profound joy to realize it and recall it. As if his running angst were itself a prayer, my sister completely oblivious to her father s snow-muffled shouts was gently carried out of danger.... He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary (Is.40:29 31).... There are many accounts in the Bible of saints running at the joy of seeing Jesus. Zachaeus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him (Luke 19:3). Peter rose and ran to the tomb (Luke 24:12). The women departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples (Matt. 28:8). There are also accounts of false saints running with pseudo-joy. The demoniac, when he saw Jesus from afar, ran and fell down before him (Mark 5:6). Even the rich young man ran to Jesus to pose his horrid, Gospeldenying question: A man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17). But Jesus parable of the prodigal son provides the grandest sprint ever recorded. It unveils for us the heart of God the Father in Christ. Our God rejoices over sinners and sprints to show it. Page -16-