True Wisdom Begins with God s Word.

Transcription

1 / JANUARY 2019 INDIANA True Wisdom Begins with God s Word. Epiphany On Jan. 6, the church traditionally celebrates Epiphany, the beginning of the liturgical season of the church year in which we consider the world-enlightening revelation of Jesus Christ. The season begins with the account of the wise men as recorded in Matt. 2:1. Rev. Dr. Daniel Brege District President Daniel, a wise man Go back 600 years before Christ. Daniel was a captive in Babylon, yet because of his knowledge and wisdom he was used by pagan kings for his sage advice. So wise was Daniel that he was appointed chief of the magicians (Dan. 5:11). Magicians in this verse was translated by the Jews into the Greek word Magone. This is the same word used in Matt. 2:1 for the wise men who, interestingly, came from the east a direction on the compass identifying the location of Daniel s captive residence. As chief of the wise men, would not Daniel have shared his Jewish faith and the wisdom of the Jewish Scriptures, which pointed to the coming Messiah? This seems almost certain. Would some of the wise men under Daniel have come to believe in God s promises? This also seems likely. Would there still be such wise men 600 years later who would seek the Messiah the one promised in Scripture to be born king of the Jews? We do not know, but it is entirely possible. The greatness of the Christ Child: true wisdom It does not matter whether such speculations about Daniel and the wise men are correct, though it may help us understand a possible reason why and how the wise men would have done what they did. What we do know is that these men were wise beyond the wisdom of the world, for they sought the Christ. To be moved to make such a search, they must have heard God s Word. We do know that they fell down and worshiped neither Mary nor Joseph, but only the Christ child. We also know that they gave unto the Christ child their treasures, thus magnifying their faith that in this Child is found their greatest treasure. Indeed, the Christ is the world s greatest treasure, for, as predicted in the Old Testament, this one would be pierced for our transgressions crushed for our iniquities (Is. 53:5a). He would thus earn for all mankind forgiveness and eternal life. Is there any greater treasure? How could this child do this? He is rightly worshiped, for He is God with us, Immanuel of greater value than the entire universe! INDIANA JANUARY 2019 / 1

2 OUTREACH Connect to Disciple guides congregations in creating effective outreach Rev. Geoff Robinson Outreach Executive Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, director of LCMS Outreach & Ministry, created the Connect to Disciple module. Connect to Disciple is a one-day workshop designed for church leaders to develop an effective outreach approach. The workshop, led by trained facilitators, provides resources for creating and mapping each church s pathway for outreach so congregations can invite, welcome and receive people from outside the church. Connect to Disciple is the first module in the re:vitality program, a comprehensive revitalization initiative which provides action-oriented resources for congregations. Developed by Witness & Outreach staff of the LCMS Office of National Mission, Connect to Disciple is the starting point in what will eventually be a 10-module program, all with the intent of helping congregations create connections and build relationships. Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, director of LCMS Witness & Outreach Ministry and creator of Connect to Disciple says: When people show up for an event but nothing after the event, churches are probably not using an effective outreach approach for purposefully engaging them for connection and relationship-building. This approach helps congregations address that. During the seven-hour workshop, facilitators work through the process with congregational leaders and help them develop an intentional outreach plan. Dr. Wood says that if a congregation has difficulty implementing their outreach plan, facilitators provide ongoing coaching. Several LCMS congregations that participated in the Connect to Disciple workshop are experiencing positive results from using an intentional out- reach process. Rev. John Armstrong, senior pastor of Grace, Columbus, says: The outreach funnel concept has helped us clarify that we indeed do a good job of making connections with people outside of our congregation and even developing relationships with some of them, but we have not been intentional about creating a pathway for these people to Word and Sacrament ministry. The process encourages lay leadership and involvement, which is vital for a congregation to grow, and our congregation is blessed with some fantastic lay leaders who are guiding us in this effort. I am grateful to God for the insights our people are gaining because of Connect to Disciple, and we anticipate a fruitful ministry moving forward. Recently, Grace made an intentional decision to hold a Trunk or Treat event inside their facility. More than 1,200 people from the community attended, and Grace members are following up with those who expressed an interest in the church. Rev. David Wiist, pastor of Concordia, Evansville, says the Connect to Disciple process is helpful to his congregation for several reasons: First, its roots are fundamentally Lutheran. I did not have to spend any time trying to sanctify the material. From start to finish, the material was doctrinally grounded and backed up what is taught from our pulpit and lectern. Second, this is a fundamentally optimistic approach to a traditionally uncomfortable topic. Many might shy away because they would expect that such a program by its nature would have to focus on the negative. A pastor may be afraid that a facilitator is going to come in and potentially undermine what he has been working long and hard to establish without ever taking the time to listen. Nothing could be further from the truth. At its heart, this program provides a beautiful and simple visual aid that each congregation can use to better understand the effectiveness of their current ministry and programs and to reveal potential gaps in the important work of making connections, building relationships and making disciples. This is a helpful tool for any and every congregation in our Synod. To find out more about Connect to Disciple, contact Rev. Robinson at geoff.robinson@in.lcms.org. 2 / INDIANA

3 Learn to effectively share the Gospel Every One His Witness kit Gives groups everything they need to implement this evangelism program at their church, school, or organization! Designed to serve groups of 12. $ cph.org/everyonehiswitness Every One His Witness is a six-session course that helps Lutherans to share the Gospel naturally in their everyday lives. Created by Rev. Dr. Mark Wood, director of LCMS Witness & Outreach Ministry, the program uses the acronym LASSIE as a framework that teaches Lutherans how to witness to those God has placed in their lives. The best way to share the story of Jesus is understanding who we are sharing it with. LASSIE helps with that, says Dr. Wood. God has crafted relationships in our lives and these are the people he intends us to be witnesses to. LASSIE stands for listen, ask, seek, share, invite and encourage, and emphasizes a how-to approach to personal witnessing. The framework can be used with friends, neighbors and co-workers, and gives Lutherans the opportunity to share the Gospel of Christ through their various vocations. The program does not use a canned script, but rather emphasizes listening to the other person s story and looking for points of connection with Jesus story, according to Dr. Wood. Witnessing is something we are all called to do. OUTREACH You have a mission field and can use this approach with the people that you know. The kit for Every One His Witness is available through Concordia Publishing House and includes one DVD plus materials for 12 people. The cost of the kit is $ (plus shipping). The program can be used with both small or large groups and comes with a leader s guide and stepby-step instructions. The program provides maximum flexibility because it can be used as a weekly course or completed as a one-day workshop. Participants also get access to free resources at the Every One His Witness website so they can go deeper into specific context modules. This additional resource gives participants the chance to learn more about using LASSIE in specific contexts like witnessing to Muslims, dechurched adult children, Mormons and Jewish people. More than 40 modules are planned for the website. To order copies or find out more about Every One His Witness, visit cph.org/ everyonehiswitness. January Prayer List Week of January 7 Rocky Mountain District Circuit 16 Indianapolis North Cornerstone, Carmel/ Fishers Journey, Fishers Holy Cross, Indianapolis Messiah, Indianapolis Christ, Noblesville Epiphany, Westfield Lord of Life, Westfield Mission: Kenya Compassionate Care, Emanuel, New Haven RSO: Lutheran Special Ed Ministries, Fort Wayne Week of January 14 SELC District Circuit 18 Seymour Lord of Life, North Vernon Emanuel, Dudleytown Immanuel, Seymour Peace, Seymour Redeemer, Seymour Zion, Seymour Mission: TIM Support First Timothy/Messiah, Indianapolis RSO: Siberian Lutheran Mission Society, Fort Wayne Week of January 21 South Dakota District Circuit 3 Valparaiso St. Paul, Chesterton St. Paul, Kouts Immanuel, Michigan City St. Paul, Otis St. Peter, Portage Faith Memorial, Valparaiso Heritage, Valparaiso Immanuel, Valparaiso Prince of Peace, Valparaiso Mission: African American Assistance First Timothy/ Messiah, Indianapolis Other Ministries, Valparaiso University Week of January 28 South Wisconsin District Circuit 7 Fort Wayne North Faith, Churubusco Suburban Bethlehem, Fort Wayne Emmanuel, Fort Wayne Holy Cross, Fort Wayne Praise, Fort Wayne St. Augustine, Fort Wayne St. Paul, Fort Wayne St. Michael, Fort Wayne Trinity, Fort Wayne Our Hope, Huntertown Mission: Foreign Mission, Concordia, Fort Wayne RSO: Wittenburg Village, Crown Point JANUARY 2019 / 3

4 INSTALLATIONS Kendallville Circuit welcomes two new pastors Jason Reed accepts call to Messiah, Wolcottville On Oct. 28, the Rev. Jason Reed was installed as pastor of Messiah, Wolcottville. Pastor Reed, a 2006 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, served a three-point parish in the Southern Illinois District prior to accepting the call to Wolcottville. He also has served St. John s, Matton, Wis.; and Messiah, Beloit, Wis. He and his wife, Emily, have three children. Participating in the service were, from left, Rev. Herbert Gerken, Aiden Hoffman (crucifer), Rev. Jonathan Nack, Rev. Thomas Dunbar, Reed, Rev. Peter J. Brock (officiant), Rev. Jerry Winegarden, Rev. Phil Rigdon and Rev. Pat Kuhlman. Philip Rigdon accepts call to St. John, Kendallville On Nov. 4, the Rev. Philip J. Rigdon was installed as senior pastor at St. John, Kendallville. Pastor Rigdon is no stranger to Indiana. He served as a teacher at Bethlehem Lutheran School, Fort Wayne, prior to entering Concordia Theological Seminary. Upon graduation in 2008, he was called by Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, Avon, as associate pastor and served there until He then accepted a call to First Lutheran Church, Clearwater, Fla. Pastor Rigdon is married to Jamelyn, a native of Indianapolis. Participating in the installation were, from left, Rev. Jason Reed, Rev. Dr. Daniel J. Brege (officiant), Rev. David Easterday, Rigdon, Rev. Patrick Kuhlman, Rev. Randall Glander and Rev. Jonathan Nack. 4 / INDIANA

5 CELEBRATIONS & EVENTS Calendar of Events Mielke receives leadership award Jon Mielke received the 2018 Indiana Non-Public Education Association (INPEA) Outstanding Leadership Award in recognition of all he has done with INPEA as well as Indiana District Lutheran schools. Mielke (holiding award) is pictured with INPEA representatives, from left, John Elcesser (executive director) and Mark Muehl (president). Mielke, who retired in December, received the award during the 2018 INPEA Conference, held Oct at the Indianapolis Convention Center. 60 years of ministry During the Fall Pastors Conference Nov. 5 in Noblesville, three pastors were recognized for 60 years of service. Rev. Thomas Going, Rev. Luther Strasen and Rev. Theodore Taykowski were ordained in 1958 representing 180 years of ministry. Praise God! Pastor Going (in photo) of Columbus, was the only honoree able to attend. Rev. Strasen lives in Fort Wayne, and Rev. Ted Taykowski completed his work here on earth and was called to his heavenly home on Nov. 14. May God continue to bless these men and may they continue to proclaim His love and grace as they are able. January 13 January 14 January Epiphany Evening Prayer, 2019 Lenten Preaching Workshop, 34 th Annual Symposium on Exegetical Theology, January Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions, January 27- National Lutheran Schools Week February 2 February 8-10 Katie Retreat, Inn at DePauw, Greencastle February 12 Seminary Guild, February February 17 February March 1 March 12 March March 20 April 9 April 28 April 29 April 30 May 1 May 6-8 May May 17 June June July July Christ Academy Confirmation Retreat, Choral Vespers, National LEA Administrators Conference, Washington, D.C. Deadline for Vicarage and Call Documents to District President for Spring Placement Seminary Guild, Prayerfully Consider Campus Visit, Lecture/Recital Convocation, Seminary Guild Spring Luncheon, Easter Evening Prayer, Vicarage Assignments, Call Service, Vicarage and Call Services, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis Southern Pastors Conference, Camp Lakeview Northern Pastors Conference, Oakwood Resort Graduation Day, Christ Academy: Timothy School, Christ Academy: Phoebe School, National Youth Gathering, Minneapolis LCMS Convention, Tampa JANUARY 2019 / 5

6 STEWARDSHIP Giving to the Lord As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold; As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright; So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led by Thee. Ken Schilf Council of Resources The above verse (from As with Gladness Men of Old LSB#397) of course refers to the Magi, who followed the star to visit the Christ Child in Bethlehem. They were the first of many Gentiles to worship Jesus. Today, through His Word, God the Father guides people of all nations to Christ. Jesus is the star the Father provides so that we can see our Savior. The Holy Spirit works faith in our hearts through the Gospel, and like the Magi, we joyfully offer our gifts of thanksgiving to the Holy One. Unlike the Wise Men, we don t have gold, frankincense or myrrh. But our gifts of thanksgiving come in the form of money, time and talents. These treasures truly are not ours, but God s. The entire world is His, as Gen. 1:31 states: And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. As you calculate your personal budget for 2019, what will your treasurers be? We, who have been blessed far more abundantly than most of God s people in the world, should make a conscience decision in giving to the Lord. I cannot tell you what or how much to give that s between you and the Lord. But I can tell you that Christians today give only 2.5 percent of their income. Compare that to the days of the Great Depression when it was 3.3 percent. In this time of abundance, please check your hearts in this new year to see how you can more fully serve our Lord. Then we can sing more fervently the third verse of As with Gladness Men of Old : As they offered gifts most rare At Thy cradle, rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin s alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King. 50 years! Organist recognized in Kokomo On Nov. 4, the congregation of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Kokomo, recognized Florence Moeller with a reception for her 50 years of service as organist. By God s grace she is still playing! May God continue to bless her service to His Glory. From left, Rev. William Allison, senior pastor; Florence Moeller and Rev. Barry Akers, associate pastor. 6 / INDIANA

7 CELEBRATIONS January Anniversaries January 1 Mr. and Mrs. Will Doehrman 64, Holy Cross, Fort Wayne Mr. and Mrs. Bob Nehrt 64, St. Peter s, Brownstown January 4 Mr. and Mrs. Dave Reed 50, Cornerstone, Carmel January 5 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rodenbeck 64, Holy Cross, Fort Wayne January 6 Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Kovener 67, Immanuel, Seymour January 9 Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nieman 54, Immanuel, Seymour January 11 Mr. and Mrs. Don Hartig 66, Our Redeemer, Evansville January 12 Mr. and Mrs. Gene Woodard 62, Immanuel, Seymour January 15 Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wheeler 53, Immanuel, Seymour January 16 Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Hancock 59, St. John, Lanesville Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hoffman 59, Zion, Decatur January 18 Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hall 61, Immanuel, Seymour Mr. and Mrs. Larry Brothers 52, Emmanuel, Fort Wayne January 19 Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Young 50, Holy Cross, Fort Wayne January 21 Mr. and Mrs. Allen Harvey 53, St. Peter, North Judson Mr. and Mrs. Gwin Kahl 52, Grace, New Albany Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Mockler 52, Our Shepherd, Avon January 24 Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hiser 66, St. John, Lanesville January 25 Mr. and Mrs. Frank Zoll 66, Heritage, Valparaiso Mr. and Mrs. Don Lantz 61, Holy Cross, Fort Wayne Mr. and Mrs. Don Schuppert 61, Grace, New Albany Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hoesli 50, Emmanuel, Tell City Mr. and Mrs. William Pipes 50, Grace, New Albany January 27 Mr. and Mrs. Ken Carrier 60, Epiphany, Westfield Mr. and Mrs. John Willenbrock 56, Cornerstone, Carmel Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ray 51, Holy Cross, Fort Wayne January 28 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Minick 58, Trinity, Hobart January 29 Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Osterman 53, Zion, Seymour January 30 Mr. and Mrs. Phillip DeBolt 60, St. John (Bingen), Decatur Mr. and Mrs. David Brooks 54, Immanuel, Seymour January 31 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Garretson 65, Our Shepherd, Avon Belated Anniversaries November 25 Mr. and Mrs. Stan Wagner 64, Zion, Garret October 11 Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Diederich 66, Zion, Garrettt January Birthdays January 1 Sigrid Haertel, 92 Redeemer, Louisville January 2 Ruth Kunkel, 92 Zion, Decatur Melba Stuckwisch, 90 Immanuel, Seymour January 4 Vern Samson, 97 Our Redeemer, Evansville Ruth Nicolet, 96 Emmanuel, Fort Wayne January 7 Helen Brooks, 91 Trinity, Hobart January 11 Virginia Peck, 93 St. John, Monroeville Norma Holst, 91 Heritage, Valparaiso January 12 Dr. Richard Schnute, 92 Cornerstone, Carmel Delores Butler, 90 St. John, Monroeville January 14 Betty Reinking, 95 Emmanuel, Fort Wayne January 15 Elmer Klinstiver, 94 Grace, New Albany Erwin Mueller, 91 Holy Cross, Fort Wayne January 16 Lucille Wessel, 92 Immanuel, Seymour January 17 Shirley Yager, 90 Cornerstone, Carmel January 19 William Knipstein, 92 Zion, Fort Wayne Richard Bohnke, 90 St. John, Monroeville January 21 Libby Lantz, 99 Emmanuel, Fort Wayne Janet Kuehner, 92 Grace, New Albany January 22 Fred Roeder, 91 Our Redeemer, Evansville Herbert Schortemeyer, 93 Our Shepherd, Avon January 23 Elvira Preuss, 95 Immanuel, Seymour January 24 Jeannette Wobith, 91 St. Peter, North Judson January 25 Jewell Wehmiller, 90 Emanuel, Dudleytown January 26 Mildred Schroer, 98 Zion, Seymour Raymond Steinkuhl, 91 Trinity, Darmstadt January 29 Ken Ranney, 91 Calvary, Plymouth January 30 Ralph Imler, 92 Holy Cross, Fort Wayne January 31 Betty Wade, 90 Calvary, Plymouth Belated Birthdays December 24 Don Ortel, 90 Zion, New Palestine November 15 Herbert Kleeman, 94 Zion, Garrett October 10 Harold Kleeman, 92 Zion, Garrett October 16 Leola Reinoehl, 92 Zion, Garrett JANUARY 2019 / 7

8 DISTRICT NEWS Help for new parents When Trinity Lutheran Church, Darmstadt, observed its annual Loyalty Sunday on Oct. 21, the Rev. Michael Salemink, executive director of Lutherans For Life, served as after-dinner speaker. For several weeks, prior to the event, a wooden cradle stood in the narthex ready to receive bibs, bottles and any other items for new parents in need. The collected items were then donated to a local agency. From left, Cleoramae Stunkel, Salemink, Valerie Eberhart and Rev. Stanton Temme, Trinity pastor. Church-worker scholarships available Applications are now available for $500 scholarships for the academic year, awarded from the LWML Indiana District Scholarship Fund. Eligible for the scholarships are those students who are preparing for full-time church work in The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Students must demonstrate a need for financial assistance, have a good scholastic aptitude and be enrolled in an LCMS college or seminary. Applicants need to be a communicant member of an LCMS Indiana District congregation for at least 18 months prior to filing for a scholarship. Share Your News! Pastoral candidates line up for the distribution of calls at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., last April. Applications are posted on the LWML district website at lwmlindiana.org. Go to the Resources tab and select Do you have exciting news you d like to see published in the Indiana District Lutheran Witness? We d love to share your news and see photos of what s happening in our district! Be sure to send in your submissions. Your stories and photos are welcomed and most appreciated. Please send all submissions to Jan Koenig at: jan.koenig@in.lcms.org or Lutheran Witness Editor Indiana District LCMS 1145 South Barr St. Fort Wayne, IN The deadline for the March issue of The Lutheran Witness is Jan. 10. Applications & Forms from the drop-down menu. Applications may also be received by contacting Iris Wittman at mariawit35@gmail.com, or at LWML Scholarship Chairman; N County Road 1200 E.; Evanston, IN The deadline for applications is March 15. Last year, 14 scholarships were awarded. Scholarships are funded through donations and gifts given as memorials or in honor of a special occasion. Contributions should be sent to Arlene Wolfgang, LWML Financial Secretary; 440 S 325 E.; Lagro, IN Your gift can be a blessing to one person who will soon be a blessing to many! 8 / INDIANA