Herald Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 8600 West 38 th Avenue Wheat Ridge CO 80033 303-424-3161 www.wrlutheran.org Rev. James D. Knapp, Pastor Jonathan V. williams, Vicar He is Risen! And the angel answered and said to the women, Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. (Matt. 28:5,6 NASB) APRIL 2012 Page 1 Pastor s Message Page 2 LWML Page 3 SOWRs Page 3 Stephen Ministry Page 3 VOTERS Page 4 Hymn of Month Page 5 EASTER Easter is recognized by all Christians alike as the most important day in the Church year. For that reason, we find attendance at Easter services increase for that special day. Why? Probably the following story illustrates Why. A wife worked over-time to talk her husband into coming to church with her on Easter. The husband had attend last year, but try as she may she couldn t get him to any other worship services during the following year. Frustrated, the wife began to relentlessly ask her husband to go to church with her on Easter, after all she pleaded, it s only once a year! The husband finally relented and attended the wife s Easter service. After church was over, the wife, hoping that the Holy Spirit had touched his heart, asked her husband what he thought of the sermon. He replied, Yep, I heard the same message last year! Indeed, and what other message should be preached in Christ s church to Christ s holy people! Martin Luther, along with our other great Lutheran theologians like Chemnitz, Conrad, Hollaz and Walther have all said, Every Sunday should be a little Easter celebration. Indeed, every Sunday should bring us back to the Cross and end with the certainty that Jesus is not in the tomb as the angel announced, He is not here, He is risen! What greater comfort can there be for the Christian than the certainty that death has been defeated and the grave has lost its sting. Amazingly, many today have not heard this Easter message. They have heard what many false religions have taught, practiced yoga, tried Transcendental Meditation, and attended strange New Age services. However, the simple saving truth, THAT JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED ON GOOD FRIDAY, BUT ROSE VICTOROUS FROM THE GRAVE ON EASTER MORNING, has somehow escaped their hearing. Their understanding from the Bible that death is not the end of life, but rather the beginning of eternal life in Jesus Christ has evaded them. Could the husband s comment after hearing the joy-filled Easter message of the resurrection be more revealing about the darkness that so many live in today! These simple words, He has risen! has echoed down through generations, and remain as fresh and powerful, and personal, as ever. Jesus, dying for our sins and rising from the dead is the basis for our faith. It comforts each of us until we come face to face with the Savior, Who, above all else, cares about us. The profound simplicity of Easter, Christ s death and resurrection, is the most amazing act of love humanity has ever known. Should this not be our personal vision; that is to share with all this Gospel truth in all we say and do. A blessed Easter, Pastor Knapp
Jesus -- the Reason We Give! You aren t giving dollars you re giving the hope of salvation and the love of Jesus when you pray for, and support, our 19 Mission Grants and our Mission Goals through the Mite Sunday offerings. During the month of April you may add your prayers of thanksgiving as you place your offerings in your Mite Box as you acknowledge: April 8 Easter Christ has Risen! Put Children s Mite Box in each Easter basket - tell your children they can share the message of Christ with their offerings. April 16 Federal Income Taxes due. Give prayers of thanks to God, for all we have comes from Him. April 22 National In God We Trust Day. Thank God that this statement remains on our currency as you deposit it in your Mite Box. Mite Sunday is April 15 Thank you for your continued support! North Central Zone Spring Prayer Service There is power in Prayer. Saturday, April 21,2012 Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Northglenn Fellowship Breakfast at 9:00 a.m. Worship at 10:00 a.m. All women of the congregation are invited to attend. We can car pool from church. The next regular meeting of the Ladies guild will be held Saturday, May 12 at 9:00 am at the church. We would love to have you join us for Bible Study and fellowship. "Living the Grande Life" The 2012 Rocky Mountain District LWML Convention will be held at the El Paso Marriott on June 22-24, 2012, for all LWML Women of the Rocky Mountain District. Those attending will attend Worship, Bible Studies, enjoy great fellowship, and plan to hear humorous and inspirational Speaker Elaine Bickel There will be a Gifts from the Heart gathering, LWML HUGS, Shopping, and more. BAKE SALE To help pay the registration and travel expenses of our delegate for the convention we will host a bake sale on Sunday, April 22. The congregation will have a Voters meeting that day so here is your opportunity to get some fresh baked goods for quick energy to make it through the meeting and at the same time support the LWML. We would welcome any and all contributions of items for the sale. Contact the church office for more information. Count your blessings Instead of your crosses Count your gains Instead of your losses Count your joys Instead of your foes Count your friends Instead of your foes Buried with Him through baptism that we may live a new life Romans 6:4 2 P a g e
Seniors Of Wheat Ridge S.O.W.R.s Our Stephen Ministers are trained and are prepared to be caring, skilled Christian friends in a helping relationship. Stephen Ministers meet about once a week with their care receivers, engage in Small Group Supervision, and receive continuing education. Each person s suffering is a separate story. Some people are ambushed by a sudden crisis. Others are shackled with chronic problems. Some may have quiet, nagging pain that has accumulated over decades and that is only now recognized. Since every person s pain is unique, each possible care receiver s story is distinct, and each person will need an explanation about Stephen Ministry that is appropriate to his or her situation. In our congregation, the way that you ask for a Stephen Minister for yourself or that you refer someone else, is to contact one of the Stephen Ministry Leaders; Judy Kugler, Joe Broscheit or Eady Broscheit. If you are referring someone else, please be sure to get his or her permission first. The Stephen Leader will evaluate the potential care receiver s needs and will assign a Stephen Minister if the person would benefit from it. VOTERS MEETING APRIL 22 The name of this congregation shall be: Wheat Ridge Evangelical Lutheran Church, affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. This congregation shall be represented by, and administer all its affairs through, its Voting Membership. Any communicant member of this congregation who is 18 years of age or over, both male and female, shall be eligible to apply for Voting Membership. SEE YOU ALL THERE!! Did you hear about the new pasta diet? Just walk pasta bakery without stopping. Just walk pasta candy store without stopping. Just walk pasta ice cream shop without stopping. BUT!! You will not want to go pasta this invitation. You WILL want to stop for lunch at the ELIOT STREET CAFÉ Thursday, April 26 Mary Reed a contributor for Your Hub writes: Three of us went out to lunch last week and I thought the Eliot Street Café would be a great article for foodies. The meals were presented beautifully, reminding me of plates on a cruise ship. The soup was unusually good. My husband had the grilled salmon, done to perfection with molasses pepper glaze, arranged artfully with asparagus and red cabbage coleslaw. I had lasagna with fluffy cheese, meats and a savory tomato sauce with fresh basil on top. Dessert was pecan pie a la mode, displayed artfully with sauces on our glass plates. We were charmed by the enthusiastic teenager serving us. Okay, here s the surprising part. This was at the Eliot Street Café in the Denver public School s Career Education Center. Even though it is in a school building, the room is fixed up like a restaurant, complete with table cloths. What a great way to support the youth and have a fantastic meal as well. Won t you join us for this special day out for fellowship over a great meal. Sign up on the sheet in the narthex where you will pick the meal of your choice. Price includes the meal, drink, tip, tax, transportation. 3 P a g e
HYMN OF THE MONTH by Valetha Smith MY CONFIDENCE! Christian Fuchtegott Gellert was born at Hainichen in the Saxon Erzgebirge in Germany on the 4th of July,1715. He completed his study at Leipzig University in 1739 as a student of theology. Because of his shyness and weak health, Gellert gave up all ideas of entering the ministry, but took a job at the University oif Leipzig as a lecturer on poetry, rhetoric and literary style. In 1751 he was appointed extraordinary professor of philosophy which he held until his death in 1769. His many poems were set to music by such as Beethoven, and were used in both the Christian and Catholic churches in Germany, for he wrote the poems to raise the religious and moral character of the people. Our hymn this month by Gellert is an Easter hymn with an unusual meter - 78, 78, 77 - "Jesus Lives! The Victory's Won" (LSB 490). At end of each verse, the same words are sung "This shall be my confidence," except in verse 5, which makes it certain. JESUS IS my confidence! What shall be our confidence? This reflects back to the first two words of each stanza - "Jesus Lives!" In stanza 1, we are declaring that death has been conquered by Jesus and He will raise us to "Brighter Days" in heaven. Stanza 2 says that Jesus is on the throne in heaven and we will be with Him in heaven. Stanza 3 tells why He died - for us, that our sins may be forgiven, so we can praise Him and give Him glory. Stanza 4 declares that nothing can take us apart from Jesus, because God will be our defense against all evil. Stanza 5 says that death will be the gate to life immortal and at the time of our death we should be confident because of our saving faith in Jesus. (This hymn is one in which we must watch punctuation for if there is no comma, semi-colon or period, the sentence continues on the next line. Try it and see if it is clearer to you!!) 1. Jesus lives! the vict'ry's won Death no longer can appall me; Jesus lives! Death's reign is done! From the grave will Christ recall me. Brighter scenes will then commence; 2. Jesus lives! To Him the throne High above all things is given. I shall go where He is gone, Live and reign with Him in heaven. God is faithful; doubtings hence! 5. Jesus lives! And now is death But the gate of life immortal; This shall calm my trembling breath When I pass its gloomy portal. Faith shall cry, as fails each sense. Jesus IS my confidence! 3. Jesus lives! For me He died. Hence will I, to Jesus living, Pure in heart and act abide, Praise to Him and glory giving. All I need God will dispense; 4. Jesus lives! I know full well Nothing me from Him shall sever. Neither death nor pow'rs of hell Part me now from Christ forever. God will be my sure defense; 4 P a g e
Theme for April: Christ s Resurrection Victory And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen (Luke 24:4-6) Sunday April 8, 2012 7:00 am SONrise worship 8:00 am Breakfast served by the Youth Group 9:00 am Sunday School activities and egg hunt 10:00 am Celebration worship H O L Y W E E K Palm Sunday, April 1 Worship with Holy Communion 10:00 am Sunday School 8:45am Maundy Thursday, April 5 Worship with Holy Communion 10:30 am & 7:00 pm Good Friday, April 6 Worship 10:30 am & 7:00 pm 5 P a g e