WYOMING DISTRICT ROUND-UP Wyoming District LCMS 2400 Hickory St., Casper, WY 82604 SPRING 2019 (307) 265-9000 mgrant@wylcms.org website: wylcms.org Letter from the District President Here I Stand ~ April 2019 In his famous confession before Emperor Charles V at Worms, April 19, 1521, Dr. Mar n Luther referred to his conscience: I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is cap ve to the Word of God. People today rarely talk about their conscience. When they do, they usually speak of the freedom of the conscience and join it with freedom of religion as a fundamental human right. What they mean is that their conscience is a lawgiver that cannot be overruled by others. A er all, who can argue with another person s unseen conscience? But is this understanding of the conscience true? In our day, the conscience has become a part of the autonomy of the individual and an expression of a person s freedom to do whatever he wants. Children are raised to express themselves freely and make good choices based on their own self-interest, their consciences unfe ered by external rules and norms. Iden ty is supposed to be self-determined, as we see in feminist theology and the recent transgender movement. The external rules and social norms of the past are rejected as immoral limita ons on the freedom of a person s conscience to do and be what he wants. We moderns (or postmoderns) believe that our conscience should be free from all bonds. But Luther confessed before all the world that His conscience was bound by the Word of God. When you read Luther s lectures, sermons, and wri ngs (or our Lutheran Confessions), you will see that he o en spoke about the conscience. He recognized with Holy Scripture that the conscience is a courtroom witness and judge that God created within us. Our conscience uses its knowledge of God s law to accuse us or to excuse our ac ons and thoughts (Romans 2:12 16). The conscience of all people, including unbelievers, is bound by the law which God wrote into our hearts and minds when He created us, part of what is called Natural Law, or jusce. The knowledge of this law is corrupted by our sin and can be further perverted or denied by each individual sinner. Even so, all have a conscience. We appeal to that conscience when we confess and teach God s Word to our unbelieving family members and neighbors. But the conscience of the Chris an is corrected, instructed, formed, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. The Spirit strengthens and magnifies the power of the law to convict us of our guilt and shame, awakening in us the terrors of sin and our desperate need for our Savior. For the Word of God is living and ac ve, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and inten ons of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Through the Word, the Spirit then bestows comfort, peace, and rest to the conscience burdened and bounded by the turmoil and guilt of sin. How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). And again, Let 1
us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22; see also 1 Peter 3:21). Finally, the Spirit teaches the Chris an to understand and keep God s law so that his now-freed conscience may live unburdened in Christ s peace and joy (Acts 23:1, 24:16; 2 Corinthians 1:12). The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Luther s words before Charles V teach us to confess that only God s Word may bind and keep the Chrisan conscience in the truth of the Holy Spirit s doctrine. Pastors and leaders in the church are expressly commanded to hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience (1 Timothy 3:9; see verse 16). True doctrine neither arises in the conscience of man, nor in his opinions or reason or thoughts or desires. The mystery of the faith, the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), is taught and learned only from the Holy Scriptures, which are in every way profitable for doctrine, for rebuke, for correc on, and for discipline in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Here alone is true freedom. The conscience that is informed and bound by God s Word is free from the terrors of sin, free from the uncleanness of guilt and shame, free from the lies and false doctrine of the devil, free from the tormen ng tempta ons of the world, free from slavery to personal lusts, free from uncertainty regarding our favorable standing with God. The clean and free conscience of the Chris an is full of happiness and joy in the atoning blood of Christ his Savior. And we should add one more truth: The free conscience of the Chris an, bound by Holy Scripture and cap ve to the Word of God, is a bold conscience. The courage of a heart set free in God s Word is able to endure suffering, withstand mockery and ridicule, and confess gladly what God has done for us in Christ. We confess with Luther, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is cap ve to the Word of God. Rev. John Hill SPRING PASTORS CONFERENCE MAY 13-15, 2019 @ TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, ROCK SPRINGS Speaker: Dr. Martin Noland Topic: Unionism, Syncretism, and Cooperation in Externals in the LCMS Watch your mail for the spring packet arriving by mid-april. Contact Rev. Marcus Baikie of Our Savior, Cheyenne at 307.632.2580 with questions. 2
Board of Directors Update This update from the Wyoming District Board of Directors reports the annual budget work of the district in January 2019. The annual process begins with your congrega onal pledges to district and an assessment of the previous year s numbers. The two commissions (Mission Services and Congrega onal Services) prepare proposals for their por ons of the budget. The Board of Directors then considers these numbers and the needs of the new year, makes the needed decisions, and approves the budget. This is a Biblical labor of our congrega ons. The congrega onal offerings described in 1 Corinthians 16:1 4 and 2 Corinthians 8 9 were being collected for use outside the congrega on. This pa ern is expressed in the congrega onal offerings today that are sent on to district, Synod, and other mission efforts of our churches. St. Paul teaches us to give generously, cheerfully, and propor onally in our personal offerings, so that the same may be done by our congregaons and districts. This is how God provides for the physical support of the preaching of the Gospel throughout the na ons (Ma hew 28:19 20), star ng with our own congrega ons, district, and Synod. In recent decades the trend has been for congrega ons to send a shrinking percentage of their offerings to the district, and for districts to send a shrinking percentage of their funds to Synod and its mission. This may also reflect a trend in the personal offerings of giving a shrinking percentage of household income to the church. We are all tempted to keep more for ourselves. In the Wyoming District, we seek to resist this trend in both our congrega ons and the district. God has graciously moved our congrega ons to con nue to give generously even while facing their own very challenging financial circumstances. This generosity shows the zeal of our congrega ons, their faithfulness to God s Word, and their love of their brothers and sisters in the church outside of their own congrega on. The financial picture of the district con nues to be stable and healthy, even as we con nue to plan for future challenges. Here is a summary for the completed 2018 fiscal year and the budget for 2019. See also the included chart. Final congrega onal receipts for 2018 were $605,000, represen ng 69% of the 2019 budget. This is a slight increase over the previous fiscal year, but s ll one of the lowest in the past 24 years. Final budget expenditures for 2018 were $831,832 of the budgeted $904,317. Congrega onal pledges for 2019 are $631,000. God be praised! District budget expenditures for 2019 are $940,194. The district mandates a balanced budget. This report con nues on the following page. 3
Here are some further trends for the 24 years from 1996 2019: * *Fiscal Year 2018 only 50 weeks Congrega onal pledge receipts have declined an average of just under 1% annually. Receipts have ranged from a high of $698,300 in 2003 to a low of $600,452 in 1997. Other income (assessments, conference/camp fees, etc.) has increased annually a li le under 4%. Total district income has increased a li le under half of one percent. And here are a few notes on the 2019 budgeted expenditures (see the chart below): Synod Support, $147,000, has changed very li le in recent years. St. Andrew s Lutheran Church and Campus Center, $102,140, is our commitment to the budget for our campus ministry. The balance of St. Andrew s annual budget is provided by the offerings of St. Andrew s members. Major maintenance of the campus center and parsonage are in a separate budget category. Wind River Lutheran Mission, $132,137: This amount increased significantly this year because we found it necessary to ask our missionary to purchase his house instead of providing a parsonage (see included WRLM report). The increase represents our obliga on to provide his housing. Student Aid, $46,650: This number represents a conven on mandated 6% of the congrega onal receipts. This fund provides scholarship grants for church work students and the reduc on of debt for current church workers from or in the district. The remaining expense items on the pie graph are the district president and ecclesias cal visita on expenses, staff, district mee ngs, conferences and camp, the 2019 Synod conven on, and the physical support expenses for all the district proper es and services. This report con nues on the following page. 4
(Con nued from prior page) I join with all our congrega ons in rejoicing over their commitment and generosity to the district. I may apply the words of the Apostle Paul to you also: For in a severe test of afflic on, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can tes fy, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us (2 Corinthians 8:2 5). ~Rev. John Hill SNAPSHOT: WIND RIVER LUTHERAN MISSION From a recent Wyoming District Board of Directors Report published in the WRLM Newsle er ~ Jesus teaches us that our confession before Him on the Last Day is one of both words and deeds. He says in Ma hew, Truly I say to you, as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me. His words teach us to have compassion on those in need. We especially care for our own in the Church (Gala ans 6:10), and we support our pastors with our prayers and offerings. In the Wind River Lutheran Mission at Fort Washakie and Crowheart, we keep the words of Jesus as we help those without the Gospel by providing them a missionary pastor while also helping clothe them. Challenges to the physical needs of the WRLM were high in 2018. An inadequate and failing sep c system, par cularly for the parsonage immediately next to the mission, has prompted ongoing concern. A sudden sinkhole also appeared last July on the property, caused by an old sep c tank that flooded from runoff from nearby irriga on canals. Various op ons to amend or fix these problems were deemed unworkable or too expensive. Recognizing that a change must be made to care for our missionary s family, the Board gave Pastor and Mrs. Rachel Sonnenschein its blessing to purchase their own family house, which they did in early October. The home is s ll located on the reserva on but only four miles from the town of Lander. The district now provides a monthly home ownership allowance to the Sonnenscheins. Recent renova ons occurred in the women s bathroom of the chapel due to decay from water under the building. The chapel s sep c system is also aging. The Board con nues to explore op ons for the physical needs of the Mission and hopes that the chapel can be sustained. Despite the challenges, the opportunity to preach the Gospel on the Reserva on is a blessing. Please thank Pastor and Rachel Sonnenschein and family for their dedicated service to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and thanks to all readers who support the WRLM with your prayers and financial gi s. If you would like to receive the quarterly WRLM Newsle er in the mail, please contact Mary Grant at the Lutheran Ministries Center (mgrant@wylcms.org or 307-265-9000). Save the Date, Pastors Wives! WHAT: Annual Retreat WHO: Current & emeritus Wyoming District pastors wives Speaker ~ Kelly Schumacher, artist and founder of Agnus Dei Liturgical Arts WHEN: Thursday, June 6 Saturday, June 8 WHERE: C mon Inn in Casper WHY: For learning, support, and encouragement. Please contact Mrs. Vickie Mars at 308.235.4273 or evmars73@gmail.com with questions. Made possible in part through generous support from the Wyoming District LWML. 5
REFORMATION 500: 1519 in Review We have been observing how Pastor Mar n Luther gave careful a en on to the faith and piety of the average members of the church. In April 1519 he published a li le work en tled, An Exposi on of the Lord s Prayer (AE 42.19 81). We know Luther s teaching on the Lord s Prayer from the Small Catechism, which we memorize from childhood and should recite regularly as adults. Luther s Large Catechism (1529) is from his cateche cal preaching and shows his growing understanding as a pastor and teacher. In this work from ten years earlier, Luther gave a cateche cal explana on of each pe on, correc ng errors that had been taught in the past. In the conclusion he formed each pe on into a conversa on with God. Here are a few excerpts from this concluding summary, the first three pe ons (AE 42.78 79): The First Pe on [ Hallowed be Thy name ]: My Father, unfortunately that is true [that we do not hallow your name]. We acknowledge our guilt. Be a merciful Father and do not take us to task, but grant us your grace that your name may be hallowed in us. Let us not think, say, do, have, or undertake anything unless it redounds to your honor and glory. Grant that we may enhance your name and honor above everything else and that we not seek our own vainglory nor further our own name. Grant that we may love and fear and honor you as children do their father. The Second Pe on [ Thy kingdom come ]: O Father, that is true. We realize that our members incline to sin and that the world, the flesh, and the devil want to reign in us and thus banish your name and honor from us. Therefore, we ask you to help us out of this misery and to let your kingdom come so that sin may be expelled and we become righteous and acceptable to you, so that you alone may hold sway in us and we may become your kingdom by placing all our powers, both inner and external, in your service. The Third Pe on [ Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven ]: We deplore that we do not understand or accept your helping hand. O Father, grant us your grace and help us to allow your divine will to be done in us. Yes, even though it pains us, con nue to punish and stab us, to beat and burn us. Do as you will with us, as long as your will, and not ours, is done. Dear Father, keep us from undertaking and comple ng anything that is in accord with our own choice, will, and opinion. Your will and ours conflict with each other. Yours alone is good, though it does not seem to be; ours is evil, though it gli ers....remembering YOU IN MY PRAYERS... (Eph. 1:16) For Rev. Vernon Boehlke, who is receiving treatments for cancer. For Rev. Richard Boche, as he con nues to heal and regain strength a er heart surgery. For Rev. Ralph Jaeger (emeritus, Laramie), who is recovering a er a heart a ack in early December. For Rev. Jeff Grams (St. John s, Sco sbluff), who connues to heal. Rev. Richard Neugebauer (Faith, Gering), assisted by Rev. Phil Found, is serving St. John s during Pastor Grams medical leave. For Rev. Robert Oberheu (emeritus, Riverton) as he deals with medical issues. Pastors and Congrega ons Update on next page. 6
PASTORS AND CONGREGATIONS The parish of Zion, Grover and Grace, Pine Bluffs is being served in a vacancy arrangement by Rev. Lincoln Winters (Trinity, Wheatland). Trinity, Cheyenne: Rev. John Preus (Clinton, Iowa) has accepted the divine call to Trinity. His installa on will be scheduled for a er Easter. Trinity is being served by Rev. Marcus Baikie (Our Savior s, Cheyenne) during its vacancy. St. Paul s, Sidney members joined in the recently held seminar Go and Be Reconciled. 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. Mount Hope, Casper (Rev. Dr. Chris an Preus) on February 24 called Rev. Andrew Richard (St. Silas, North Liberty, IA) as assistant pastor, headmaster, and teacher. He announced his acceptance of the call on March 10 and will be installed in late May or early June. Wyoming District FATHER/SON RETREAT Who: All Wyoming District Men (Especially fathers and sons, but all men are welcome!) Featured Speaker: Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher of Concordia Theological Seminary Ft. Wayne on How to Hear & Understand Sermons When: Friday, June 21 to Sunday, June 23, 2019 Where: Camp Roberts near Buffalo Area Opportunities: Fish, hike, shoot, golf, tour historic sites and more! Divine Service @ 9:00am at Prince of Peace, Buffalo on Sunday morning. Online registration coming soon. Contact the District Office at 307-265-9000 with any questions! SAVE THE DATE FOR LANDER YOUTH CAMP! Who: Wyoming District Youth ages 10-18 When: August 4-8, 2019 What: Worship, learn, and play in God s beautiful creation! Rev. Dr. Christian Preus will lead a study of the book of Judges, including topics such as types of Christ in the Old Testament; dating and marrying; controversy in families; and roles of men and women in the family, church, and society. More information to come! Contact Pr. James Rockhill @ 308.665.2058 or james.l.rockhill@gmail.com with questions. 7
~WyoDistrict Happenings~ And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? The Installation of Rev. James Martin at Trinity Lutheran Church, Rock Springs, in January 2019. Rev. Martin also serves at Emmanuel, Green River. L-R: Rev. Dan Mulholland, Rev. Kevin Rose, Rev. James Martin, Rev. Roger Sterle, Rev. John Hill, Rev. Jonathan Lange. Romans 10:14-15 Dr. Joseph Hurl of Concordia University Seward, presen ng on Early Lutheran Worship History Rev. Mark Preus regaling Banquet a endees on Lutheran Hymnody and other insights Tell the Good News about Jesus Convoca on January 2019 Casper Rev. Benjamin Ball, speaking on Celebra ng with Reverence Powder River Youth Retreat in Buffalo ~ February 2019 8