Redeemer Revelations A publication of Redeemer Lutheran Church 1658 Roane State Hwy Harriman, TN 37748 Jesus and Other Names Do you like your name? Some people, of course, like their names, both their first and last names. Some may even be proud of their family background and an illustrious ancestor or two. Other people do not like their names, and some may even go so far as to have their names legally changed perhaps in an effort to disassociate themselves from their ancestry. Children may sometimes wish that they had different names, like the name of an actor or athlete they admire. In older times, names, and especially last names, helped identify the people of a town or village. The person called Miller milled wheat into flour. The person named Smith was the local blacksmith or metal worker. Names like Anderson or Johnson described family descent on the father s side. In many ways, our names work the same way for us today. For better or for worse, your name is who you are. Your name identifies you to the world. In Shakespeare s play, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks Romeo to deny his family name for the sake of their love for each other. Juliet says, O be some other name! What s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet! That s probably true enough, but many names do not leave behind a sweet smell at all, and those names are forever linked to the deeds and character of their owners. There are names we associate with the worst kinds of evil, names like Hitler and Stalin and Manson. The names of Benedict Arnold and Judas are synonyms for traitor. But there are good names and identities too, names we associate with great achievements and excellent character, names like Lincoln and Churchill, and even Martin Luther! But there is still another name, the name of the child whose birth we will soon celebrate, the holy Child of Bethlehem. As God s Word declares, His is the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). In Bible times, parents chose names carefully, just as parents do today. Sometimes babies were named after family members. You may recall that, when John the Baptist was born, the relatives expected the baby to be named Zechariah, after his father. But Zechariah and Elizabeth, as instructed by God through the angel Gabriel, named their son John. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary did not have to choose a name for Mary s son. God gave them the name for this son (His Son) too the wonderful name of Jesus. In Matthew 1:21, an angel of the Lord reveals both the name and the reason for the name to Joseph when he says, You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.
Literally, the name Jesus means the LORD (Yahweh) saves. And this name that is above every other name reveals both who this holy Child is and what He has come to do. He is the LORD God Himself God Himself clothed in our human flesh. And what has He come to do? He has come to save us. He has come to purchase and win sinners for heaven by His substitutionary death on the cross and by His victorious resurrection! Jesus is indeed the name that is above every other name. But we call our Savior by many other names and titles too, don t we? We call Him by many other names and titles that have likewise been revealed to us in God s Word. For example, we sometimes refer to Jesus using any of the following: Redeemer, Son of God, Emmanuel, Alpha and Omega, King of kings, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Incarnate Word, Way, Light of the World, Bread of Life, and on and on. Our focus during this Advent season will be on some of these beloved names and titles we use to refer to Jesus. Our focus on Wednesday evenings will be as follows: December 6 Lamb December 13 Shepherd December 20 Emmanuel On Sunday mornings in Advent and concluding at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, we will be working our way through one of the most majestic sections in all of God s Word, the first 18 verses of St. John s Gospel, where Jesus is called the Word. The name Jesus is the name that is above every name, and how blessed you and I are to be called by another of His names, which is really another of His titles Christ ian. May the Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with that name also bless us on our Advent journey! I am Yours in Christ, December Service Schedule Cleaning Communion 3 rd 10 th 17 th 24 th 31 st Spivey OPEN Altar Flowers Advent Advent Advent Advent Open Sanctuary Lamp Pennington Open Open James Open
BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST with your investment. If you knew that you could make an investment that would help bring others to Christ, plus nurture fellow Christians in their faith, what would you do? $100 will help open a Lutheran Church Extension Fund Steward Account that allows you to have easy access to your funds through check writing privileges and an optional Visa/ATM Card, while earning competitive interest rates. Your invested dollars are used to make loans to congregations to build and remodel facilities where the Gospel is preached and taught. For more information about this exciting mission and ministry opportunity, contact Felix Ooten at 717-9944 or call toll-free 1-800-THE-LCEF. Redeemer Church History Recorded by Lewis H. Spivey Chronology continued June 1980 Redeemer Lutheran is the subject of a cover article in The Lutheran Layman entitled The Story of a Small-Town Congregation Love, Warmth, and Witness. Rev. Vogelsang is quoted, We ve been through the healing process ourselves, and now we ve begun to turn this love and comfort outward and share it with our community. 1-1-81 The congregation became self-sustaining, ending nearly 27 years of subsidy by the old Western district and the Mid-South District. 5-24-82 Redeemer Congregation is 30 years old. There are 247 souls and 161 communicants as of December 31, 1982. 10-23-83 The new educational unit and remodeled classrooms, fellowship hall, and Narthex are dedicated to the glory of God in memory of Shannon Crawford and Miss Emma Mehlhorn, whose bequests provided the total funds for the project. Rev. Norman Groteluschen was the speaker. 8-26-84 Rev. William R. Vogelsang, having accepted a call to Mountain Home, Arkansas, preaches his farewell sermon. Rev. R.P. Nerger (retired) of Knoxville, serves as interim pastor for the fifth time. 9-16-84 Observance of the 30 th anniversary of the Redeemer Lutheran Sunday School, which was organized on June 16, 1954. Our second resident pastor, Rev. Wesley Ringhardt, was guest speaker. A luncheon followed the service with Lewis H. Spivey, Sunday School Superintendent, as master of ceremonies and Rev. R.P. Nerger and Rev. W.H. Ringhardt as guest speakers. The afternoon events concluded with an outstanding play presented by the Youth Group, which brought a standing ovation from all in attendance. 7-7-85 Rev. Thomas E. Moyer is installed as the sixth resident pastor. 8-18-85 Lewis H. Spivey is recognized for serving 25 years as Sunday School Superintendent.
SOME THOUGHTS ON BIBLICAL GIVING (from the LCMS Department of Stewardship) Christmas is coming. It is a joyous time of feasting. The Church feasts upon the Word of God in sermon, song, and sacrament. We hear the proclamation of the message of the angels: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10 11). We mingle our voices with theirs as we sing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased (Luke 2:14)! We receive the proclaimed Savior, Christ the Lord, not wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in manger, but wrapped in bread and wine placed into our mouths for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. We feast in great joy indeed because of this great blessing from our Lord and God. God s people in ancient Israel also feasted with great joy. The Lord showered His abundant blessing on His people. And He commanded them to feast upon it (Deut. 16). The people were to go to the place appointed, where the Lord would make His name dwell, and give offerings, each man as he was able, according to the blessing of the Lord that He had given them (Deut. 16:10, 15, 17). And there the Lord would bless them with joy as they feasted upon what the Lord had provided. They ate of the choice parts of their offerings. They enjoyed the company of all the people of God as they together heard His promises of blessing, sang of His bountiful goodness, and partook of what He gave. We feast on the Word who became flesh to dwell among us, not just during Christmas, but throughout all the year. We feast not just on the salvation He has wrought for us in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, but we feast also on all the temporal blessings that God gives out of His fatherly divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us. We enjoy the rich bounty that God provides, not only in Word and Sacrament, but also in house and home, property and income, family and friends. Let us then, as did our brothers in the faith from ancient Israel, give as we are able, according to the blessing of the Lord our God that He has given us. Let us, like them, give generously of the first fruits of our income, which He gives, so that all may know and enjoy the salvation He gives and the joy we have in the Savior born in the city of David, who is Christ the Lord.
PLEASE INCLUDE IN YOUR PRAYERS Lucille Anderson, aunt of Kathy Moore, who is in declining health. Richard Cantrell, brother-in-law of Judi Owens, who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Mike Dunaway, friend of Dee Brock, who is experiencing heart problems. Patrick Engkall, friend of the Cordell family, who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Monique Hester, granddaughter of David and Monika Pennington, who is being treated for epilepsy; Marika Kirby, former member of Redeemer, who is in poor health. Madeline Faith Plemons, grandniece of Paul and Virginia Schubert, who was born with VACTERL syndrome. Donna Powell, who has multiple health concerns. Peggy Trammel, sister of Judy Bardill, who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. And please pray for our shut-ins: Karin Cordell (Home) If you know of someone who may be removed from this prayer list, please leave a note in the Newsletter Editor mailbox.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 Children s Christmas Service Rehearsal, 9:15 am. Adult Sunday School, 9:15 am 4 John of Damascus, Theologian and Hymnwriter Pastor s Day Off 5 6 Nicholas of Myra, Pastor Soup Supper, 6:00 pm Advent Midweek Worship, 7:00 pm 7 Ambrose of Milan, Pastor and Hymnwriter 8 Prayer Breakfast at Harriman Care, 7:30 am 9 Decorate Chrismon Tree, 9:00 a.m. Junior Confirmation, 12:00 noon 10 Food Pantry Sunday Children s Christmas Service Rehearsal, 9:15 am 11 Pastor s Day Off 12 13 Lucia, Martyr Soup Supper, 6:00 pm 14 15 16 Listening Hearts Support Group, 10:00 am Adult Sunday School, 9:15 am Advent Midweek Worship, 7:00 pm Junior Confirmation, 12:00 noon 17 Children s Christmas Service Rehearsal, 9:15 am 18 Pastor s Day Off 19 Adam and Eve 20 Katharina von Bora 21 St. Thomas, Apostle 22 23 NO Sunday School Classes Children s Christmas Service, 10:30 am Soup Supper, 6:00 pm Advent Midweek Worship, 7:00 pm Circuit Meeting at Redeemer, 9:30 a.m. 24 NO Sunday School Classes 25 The Nativity of Our Lord 26 St. Stephen, Martyr 27 St. John, Apostle and Evangelist 28 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs 29 David 30 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7:00 pm 31 NO Sunday School Classes The Lord s Supper will be celebrated on December 3, 24 [twice], and 31 (1 st, 4 th, 5 th Sundays and Christmas Eve).
Michael M. Miller Redeemer Lutheran Church 1658 Roane State Highway Harriman, TN 37748