Photo by Adrià Crehuet Cano on Unsplash 

Dear Saints of First Lutheran,

The time around a new year is a good time to reflect on the old year while awaiting the new. For many this includes looking ahead to ways we can better use the many gifts God has blessed us with it in service to Him, His church, and His creation – some call them “resolutions.” We generally know what God has given us – the problem is having the wisdom and resolve to use them as God calls us to. 

This wisdom and resolve comes from God Himself; another of His gifts. When King Solomon began his reign, succeeding his father David, God asked him, “Ask what I shall give you.” Solomon didn’t ask for more power, money, influence, or anything of material value. Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God’s people in accord with God’s will (1 Kings 3:4-9). Solomon, heeding the psalmist’s words, “Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me” (Psalm 119:97-98), understood his gifts and the wisdom and resolve to us them properly comes from one place – God and His word. 

Just as God’s people needed leaders in Solomon’s day, we need leaders in the church today! God has given each of us talents to be used in His church. This year, First Lutheran will be looking to fill many leadership positions on the Board of Directors (Chair and Executive Secretary), Mission Board (Worship Chair, Humancare Chair, and Fellowship Chair). We are also looking for people to serve as Ushers, Altar Guild members, Bible Study facilitators, and elsewhere. God has indeed given you the gifts to serve in these roles. I urge you to resolve to seek His wisdom – listen to His calling – and have the courage to step out in faith to use your gifts in His church.

I look forward to a new year, 2022, filled with God’s grace and mercy as we join together with all our gifts to serve Him, His church, and His creation.

                                                                                        Happy New Year!

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Dear Fellow Saints,

The end of our Advent journey is near. If I was driving to visit relatives in Michigan, I’d be turning onto SR-52. I’d see the sign, “Manchester 5 miles.” Almost to my cousin’s house and the warm embraces. I’ve passed many signs – turnpikes, construction zones, exits, and the Michigan state line. Almost there. But I’ve got a couple miles to go.

The end of our Advent journey is in sight. We’ve passed mileposts along the way – Hope, Peace, and Joy. Today we light the final candle, the “Love Candle.” Many of us are getting excited as we see the circle of light growing. In truth, it might be because with each new candle, Christmas Day celebrations are that much closer. 

However, this excitement may have diverted our attention from Christmas’ deeper meaning. It is good to be excited about the gifts we’ll receive Christmas Day. But think also about the many gifts we receive throughout the year. These gifts are signs of love from those around us. 

The toys, clothes, gift cards, noodlecraft art, and homemade fruitcake express love from others. But they don’t compare to the ultimate love we celebrate on Christmas. The baby Jesus wrapped in His Bethlehem manger is the ultimate expression of our Father’s love for us. However, like any gift – if it isn’t unwrapped, it doesn’t fulfill its purpose. It’s worthless. Jesus unwrapped and used Himself for us. Jesus was born to die on the Cross for our sins – and then rise to new life on Easter – so we could receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life. This is the ultimate gift of love anyone can receive.

We thank God by sharing this and all the gifts He’s given us with others – showing His love to the world. It is through us that God gives His love to others.

I pray you find time in these last days of Advent to remember the gift of God’s love we’ve already received and to thank Him for the hope, peace, joy, and love we have through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

                                                                                        Merry Christmas,

                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the third week of Advent, as we wait for Christ’s return, we light the pink candle of “Joy”. As we do – imagine the “joy” of healing. Imagine Delta and Omicron – gone. Imagine cancer and dementia – gone. Just imagine – the joy that will likely burst forth in that day.

John the Baptist is hopelessly imprisoned under the oppressive Herod Antipas regime. John and his disciples imagined the joy of the Messiah’s return. They thought Jesus might be that person. But now, with John in prison, they weren’t sure. Their joy began to slip away. Coming to Jesus, they asked, “Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20) Jesus responds with a demonstration of His divinity – healing and restoring sight to the blind. He told John’s disciples, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.” (John 7:22) Despite John’s situation, imagine the joy he must’ve experienced knowing God’s promises are being kept!

St. Paul was also in prison when he wrote the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) From prison, knowing the fate awaiting him, a death sentence, Paul still called on God’s people to rejoice! No matter the circumstance in this present world, Rejoice! Whether suffering from illness or injury – Rejoice! Whether imprisoned behind bars or in a difficult situation – Rejoice! How can we do that? Just imagine …

Because of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, we don’t need to imagine what it’s like for our sins to be forgiven – sins which separate us from God. We are forgiven all our sins! Due to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we also live in the certainty that one day we’ll be raised to new life. Our current circumstance, regardless of what it might be, is only temporary. We rejoice now because we live now – in the promise of the kingdom of heaven where mourning, crying, pain, and death will be no more (Revelation 21:4). Imagine the inexplicable joy on that day!

                                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                         Pastor Jim

Photo by Warren Coetzer on Unsplash 

Dear Disciples of Christ,

You may have noticed that there’s generally a familiar ring to the beginning of my sermons. I often start with something like, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:2) It’s not an original idea. Paul begins his letters, sermons if you will, with a similar greeting. Letting His hearers know God’s “peace” is with them, providing comfort to the young, persecuted, and troubled early church. The same comfort God provides to us today. 

This peace isn’t a simple “absence of conflict” though. God’s “true peace,” coming from the Hebrew word “Shalom (שָׁלוֹם)” has a sense of “completeness, intactness, and unity” associated with it. Only if something is truly “complete, intact, and unified” with all that is around it, can “true peace” be achieved. God mourns that, because of our sin, we don’t have true peace with Him and each other. However, in His infinite love, He has given us a way to find true peace.

Advent is a time of preparation. We prepare, of course, to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace – the means God the Father uses to give us “shalom.” Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, He defeated sin’s power to create eternal conflict. His gift of forgiveness is what we need to have God’s true peace. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by calling people to turn away from and receive  forgiveness of their sins (Luke 3:2-3). As we confess our sins to God, He forgives them completely and totally. He removes the source of conflict between us and Him. Further, when we confess our sins to and forgive each other, as God has forgiven us – true peace begins to take hold. By our witness of God’s mercy, true peace grows – killing Satan’s seeds of conflict.

 We are lights of God’s true peace in the world. Therefore, spread God’s true peace in your words and deeds to all you meet now AND throughout the “Advent” life He calls you to live until Jesus glorious return.

                                                                               In God’s Peace,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash 

Dear Servants of the King,

Happy New Year! I know we’re barely past Thanksgiving and Christmas is still a few weeks away. But the Advent season is the start of a new year - the new church year. “Happy New Year!”

On new year’s we remember the past year while looking to the future. First, we take stock of all God has given us – thanking Him for His abundant provision and for the strength to endure the hardships we’ve encountered. Then we look forward in hope to the future and how we can better use the time, talent, and treasure God provides to us each day to serve Him and His creation.

The new church year begins with Advent, a season of waiting for the coming of Christ and the hope He brings. For many, the focus of their waiting is Christmas. However, for Christians, we know Jesus has already been born. What are we hopefully waiting for? His return. As we wait, we hope. In His return, Jesus will deliver on the hopes Christians have had, and still have, since Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:6-11). We live in hope, knowing He’ll return to bring all who believe Him into His kingdom forever.

His promise is found in His word; delivered by prophets like Jeremiah, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah …  In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely” (Jeremiah 33:14, 16). As God’s people today, we are the new Jerusalem. We are the inheritors of this promise. We live in the sure and certain hope that God will fulfill this promise just as He has fulfilled all His promises.

This new year we continue to wait. We wait in hope trusting God’s promises, knowing He’ll return. God has promised to save us. Jesus, born over 2000 years ago on the first Christmas, will return to save us. And when He does, our hope will become our reality. Happy New Year!

                                                                                                        Waiting Hopefully,

                                                                                                        Pastor Jim

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Dear Children of God,

This time of year includes great anticipation. Some are anticipating the celebrations, festivals, and feasts to come – Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, Christmas, and New Year’s along with all the happiness, joy, and fun which attends them. Others are anticipating … the difficulty, trials, and even sadness coming with these same events. For whatever reason – perhaps the loss of loved ones and friends, maybe conflicts with others, or a simple lack of energy – these days are hard to deal with. But we see the calendar turn to November. We know they’re coming, so we prepare as best we can.

The calendar also tells us we are coming to the end of the church year. And we hear in our readings a lot about another day we anticipate – the Day of the Lord, Jesus’ promised return at the end of the ages. However, unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and the various parties along the way, this day is not marked on a calendar. We know it’s coming, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him …” (Revelation 1:7a). But only one person, God our Father in heaven knows when that day will actually arrive (Mark 13:32).

Some anticipate this day with dread. For those who don’t believe in Christ and His promises, the fear of the end of all things as they know it can be a terrible thing to ponder. Rather than face the reality of God’s promise, many in this boat simply ignore the reality – pretending it won’t really happen. But for others, in spite of the tribulations to come – darkened suns and moons and stars falling from the heavens and the world shaking and quaking (Mark 13:24-25), we anticipate Christ’s return with joy. Why? Because on the great Day of Christ’s promised return, He will gather all who believe in Him into His holy and eternal presence (Mark 13:26-27). On that great Day, we know we will be welcomed with all the Children of God into His new creation, the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.

                                                                                                        Patiently Waiting In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                        Pastor Jim

Photo by Josh Campbell on Unsplash 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The other day my wife and I hosted the church youth group for an afternoon of fellowship. We had a great time playing frisbee golf, roasting hot dogs and making S’mores on the firepit, and hanging out. The best part of the whole afternoon was that last part, hanging out. Why? Because God created us to be in relationship with one another … not to be a bunch of “lone rangers” stuck on our little islands.

At the center of our gathering was the firepit. Here we warmed up after our games, roasted our hot dogs and S’mores, and sat around sharing stories and fellowship. In the firepit was a cool image of God’s word, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). The collection of many logs and burning coals provided the warmth needed to warm us and cook our food. And when the coals began cooling off, a little stir reignited them. 

God calls on each of us to come together not just to share the latest news and have fun – though that’s part of it – but more importantly to encourage and exhort each other through our many gifts by lovingly helping each other through challenging situations we face during our journeys of faith. We also come together to help each other understand what God is calling us to do in His creation with these gifts as we worship Him, study His word, and pray together.

We aren’t created to stand alone in faith. God creates us to come together in a community of faith. Don’t let your brothers and sisters in Christ stand alone. Invite them into the circle of fellowship to join us in experiencing the warmth of God’s presence while He strengthens our faith through worship and life in the community of all believers as “the Day” draws near. 

                                                                                                        In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                                                Pastor Jim