Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Newsletter postings moved
As of our May 2018 Newsletter, our newsletter postings will be put up at our website, www.stpaulskewanee.org.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
December 2008
Set Sorrow Aside
One of my own favorite lines from a Christmas Carol in our choir’s repertoire is from the Sans Day Carol “Aye, and therefore be merry; set sorrow aside! Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.” We have even named our recent Christmas CD from those lines: Set Sorrow Aside! St. Paul’s Mixed Chorus at Christmas.
Many people say that Christmas is a more difficult time of year for them, particularly if they have lost loved ones during that time, since at times when families traditionally gather, an absence will be more acutely felt. That is all quite understandable, of course, and our hearts always go out to those who are sad.
For them in particular, a question arises. How are we to set sorrow aside, when it can be so acutely felt at Christmas? What is the secret of doing this? Can it be done?
St. Paul’s answer is to say, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. . . . I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11). So it can be done. To any who find Christmastime difficult, I would suggest first that they come to believe this: there is a way in which contentment can gained, or, to put it another way, Yes, there is a way to set sorrow aside when sorrow wants to descend and intrude during the holidays.
That way is the way of faith. Faith is the Christian heart’s battle and war against sorrow. And faith’s struggle with sorrows is bolstered by attention to the words of the Gospel: “Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.”
If that sounds trite, perhaps it is because it is not quite understood. The appearance of Christ in the flesh, in the humble and troubled times and land around Bethlehem, means that He has most certainly come to the rescue of all who are troubled. He has come to do for us what none of us can do for ourselves. His poverty is to provide us with the otherwise unattainable heavenly riches. His humility is to set us at last in the Kingdom of His glory, where every tear is wiped away. His suffering in our flesh is to bring healing to our flesh. And His resurrection is a foretaste of the resurrection of our own flesh.
So therefore all things—yes, all things—are under the dominion of His grace, so that we may have confidence that every sorrow shall be done away at last. To know this is to find courage to weather whatever sorrow may come to assail us. Think of sorrow as an unwelcome interloper in your heart and then take up the armor of God, and be confident that it can and shall be overcome. If we must sorrow, it will be but for a little while, as He Himself has said.
Christmas is a time of year which is brimming with these tidings. It is the tidings of Christ and His holy nativity which are precisely the balm for sorrowing souls! Here is strength for the battle, and encouragement for the weary fighter.
Aye, and therefore be merry; set sorrow aside! Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.
+ Pastor Eckardt
December Birthdays
12/13 Michael Eckardt
12/13 Lynn Woller
12/15 Andrew Carlson
12/16 Lillian Freeburg
12/20 Peter Eckardt
12/20 Rachel Rowe
12/22 William Dolieslager
12/25 Robert Melchin
12/30 Matthew Woller
12/31 Scott Schoen
December Ushers
Allan Kraklow, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells, Bob Bock
Shut ins
Mary Hamilton at home; Ruth Snider at home; Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker at home. Jack Stewart and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria.
Choir Rehearsals during December
Since Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on Wednesdays this year, thus eliminating choir rehearsals on both of those nights, we had to schedule a couple special choir rehearsals to make up for time which would be lost. Therefore all choir members please note the two special choir rehearsals set for Tuesday evening, December 23rd, and Tuesday evening, December 30th, both at 7:00. PLEASE make every effort to attend: our Choral Vespers is scheduled a little early this year, on January 4th, the first Sunday in January.
December Anniversaries
none
Altar Guild Notes
For Advent, the color is Violet throughout. We will be observing St. Nicholas’ Day at the 5:30 mass on the Saturday, December 6th and St. Lucia’s day at the 5:30 mass on Saturday, December 13th, but since these are not major Saints’ Days (they are Third Class), the altar color will remain violet.
The altar color changes to white beginning on Christmas Eve, December 24th and remains white through the end of the month.
There are three Christ Masses: the first is at 7pm on Christmas Eve, the second follows at Midnight, and the third is at 10 am on Christmas Day.
At the 5:30 p.m. Saturday mass on December 27th, we will observe St. John the Evangelist’s Day (color is white).
On New Year’s Eve, December 31st, we will observe the Circumcision and Name of Jesus at 7 p.m. There is no mass scheduled for New Year’s Day.
Individual cups are in less demand as more people are becoming accustomed to the use of the chalice. Therefore it is only necessary to set out six individual cups on a normal Sunday.
Christmas Choral Vespers
Plan ahead! This year’s Choral Vespers is scheduled a little earlier: Sunday night, January 4th, with two days of Theological Reflection to follow, culminating on Epiphany, January 6th. The Them for the retreat is “A Prophet Like unto Me: The Christology of the Moses and the Exodus.”
Sealing the Driveway
Your trustees have arranged for the patching and sealing of the driveway (it should be done by the time this newsletter is in your hands) for the economical sum of $2,000.00. As economical as this is, it still places a strain on the budget. Any special offering to help offset this cost would be greatly appreciated. -The Trustees
Megan Eckardt Update
Since we learned on November 1st of the diagnosis of Megan Eckardt (Peter’s wife) with cancer, we have been overwhelmed with kind wishes and the news of how many people have been praying for her. We are all confident of God’s lovingkindness and mercy, and do not doubt that He hears our prayers and will grant us His help in time of need, in accordance with His goodwill in Christ.
A website has been set up in Megan’s name for anyone who would like to express well wishes and comments. Click here.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been so thoughtful to our family in this challenging and difficult time.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Poinsettias
To order Poinettias, please contact Judy in the office or sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Cost is $12.00. You may order as many as you like!
Decorating the Church
The decorating of the church is going to happen in stages throughout Advent, as an extension of the idea of lighting a new candle on the Advent wreath each succeeding Sunday.
The first Sunday in Advent (Nov. 30) you will see the garland and Advent wreath only. The second Sunday (Dec. 7) the window decorations will be in place as well. The third Sunday (Dec. 14) the tree will be up, but unlit. The fourth Sunday (Dec. 21) the ornaments will be on the tree and the Nativity will be in place. On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24 in the evening) the poinsettias will adorn the chancel.
Volunteers are sought to help with the putting up of the tree, which is scheduled for Saturday, December 13th at 9:00 in the morning.
Our servers
We have added Phil Johnson to our list of regular acolytes, with Michael Eckardt, Joey Eckardt, and Drew Clapper.
Our Latest Brochure
The latest update to our brochure is inserted in the newsletter this month. Use it! Take it with you and find someone to give it to, with an invitation to join us as a visitor to St. Paul’s!
The Lighter Side
Only in America
Only in America......can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Only in America......are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Only in America......do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
Only in America......do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
Only in America......do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.
Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America.....do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
Making Evangelism Simpler?
Burnell F Eckardt Jr.
A reprint from Gottesdienst Christmas 1997
There have been various attempts, through the years, to condense the fundamentals of the Gospel into simple words for the purposes of evangelism. We think, for example, of the Kennedy evangelism outline, or of the Five Spiritual Laws once quite popular among fundamentalists. Much has also been said about John 3.16 as the Gospel in a nutshell, since it is so simple, which is probably the rationale behind the expenditure of great sums of money on the part of some to get end zone seats at Super Bowls so we can all see such a Bible reference between the goal posts every time an extra point is kicked.
The appeal of making the Gospel simple is great, especially in a culture where virtually everything is made simple. Dinners, computers, cars, and modes of entertainment are all made simple. The pace of our culture does not provide time for the undertaking of too much complicated stuff. Even a consideration of the most popular types of movies suggests that what attracts us most is what is easiest to follow. Complicated, intricate plots might win Academy Awards, but it's the special effects that score at the box office. Instant gratification sells.
It is therefore quite understandable that the culture of the Christian liturgy should be attacked for its increasing irrelevancy, and especially its alleged inability to be helpful for evangelism. It's simply too complicated. Where meditation is required, instant results will not be realized. So, the gurus of contemporary worship claim, we must hit people with sound bites and repeated attention-capturing devices, and above all, keep everything as simple as it can be. Remove all big words, use only familiar, lilting tunes, and, in essence, follow the bouncing ball.
This calls for a reply, especially from a journal which is quite ostensibly dedicated to the preservation of Gottesdienst, the Divine Service, in all its liturgical ceremony.
O.K.
Keep it simple, they insist, at all cost.
Well, what if we follow that line of reasoning, of keeping it simple, in the name of evangelizing, teaching, and helping people to keep the simple faith?
First we'd have to take out all the hymns with any kind of depth, in preference for those with simple mantras repeated over and over. One example which comes to mind is the popular praise song "Alleluia." The first two stanzas go like this:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him.
How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him.
Next, we'd have to remove any Scripture readings which are too complicated or lengthy. (Never mind that it's the Word of God; we're interested in getting people saved!)
As for the sermons, they must take care not to be too scriptural, because the Bible is just too often too deep. Instead, give them simple stories and easy-to-remember outlines. Something bite-sized for the newcomer to take home and retain.
The drift of these instructions, one can easily see, is simplicity. After all, the reasoning goes, Christianity is simple. All ya gotta do is believe, as it has often been opined, against what is thought to be excessive ceremony. Why make it any more complicated than that?
Well then, why stop here? If it's that simple (which, of course, it isn't), perhaps life in the Church would be much easier if we adopted a yet simpler approach to reaching the lost. Maybe we could do something radically simpler.
That is, why have church at all? Whoever insists on raw simplicity above all things will have to answer this question, for the moment one adds anything at all to all ya gotta do is believe, it will have to be justified for anyone who insists on this kind of simplicity. Want to sing a hymn? Whatever for? All ya gotta do is believe! Or why sit there and listen to someone preach a twenty-minute sermon? All ya gotta do is believe! Even the mindless chatter of How I love Him, How I love Him, etc. will have to be justified. What if I should simply decide to stay home altogether? What's wrong with that? All ya gotta do is believe! What if, while having firmly planted in my mind the fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life, I choose to go fishing or golfing? I left home believing, and I returned home believing. See, it's simple! Why, one could even claim that one who goes to church might just be denying the great simplicity of all ya gotta do is believe. If it's that simple, then stay home! Stay in bed! Or go play! But don't come to church, because if you do, you might just be implying that it's not all that simple.
Perhaps, rather than building all those churches, going to all the trouble of conducting all those services, preaching all those sermons, and administering the Sacrament to all those people, we ought simply to appoint phone brigades. The pastor (or telephone minister) of a congregation could simply retain a membership list from which, once a year, to make brief telephone calls to every member. The exchange could go something like this:
Pastor: Hi, this is Pastor Bob. Say, I'm just calling to make sure you still believe in Jesus. Do you?
Member: Yep, still do!
Pastor: Great! Keep it up. I'll call again next year.
Member: Thanks, Pastor!
Imagine all the trouble avoided by such an approach! No delinquent lists, no meetings, no calls, no conflicts, no problems, no organist, no choirs, no preachers. How much simpler life would be for the Church, if we'd all just take to heart the simplicity of all ya gotta do is believe!
(Of course, there would be no funding for the position of telephone minister, but perhaps none would be needed. Such simple phone calls would surely not take up much of his time, most of which could therefore be spent in some other means of self-support. Perhaps he could earn a living working for some firm which employs telephone solicitation, and then his calls could serve both purposes at once.
Pastor: Say, by the way, before I hang up, have you ever given serious thought to putting thermal windows in your home? Prices will never be lower; if I could have just a few minutes of your time . . .)
The flaw in this line of thinking is, in fact, contained within the sentence: All ya gotta do is believe! Since believing is itself the antithesis of doing, as St. Paul makes abundantly clear in his epistle to the Romans, therefore believing cannot be something ya gotta do. Indeed, what ya gotta do is keep the Commandments! And since ya cannot do that as God requires, faith becomes requisite for anyone who would be saved. But faith is not doing; faith is being still and knowing that God is God. Faith is trusting the doing of Another, namely, of Christ.
Moreover, faith is not innate, does not come from within. It is born of the Word: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10.17). Faith and the Word of God are always found together, therefore. Faith, born of the Word, ever desires to hear the Word, as it is written: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes (Song of Songs 2.8).
But the Word, it happens, is not entirely simple. In fact, it is incomprehensible to innate reason. Christian people and pastors must therefore be ever wary of appeals to simplicity, for while it is true that the Gospel may in some respects be called simple (since it is a unity), the simplicity of it is only comprehended by those who believe; as for those who do not believe, it must be maintained that no amount of reasoned simplicity will bring them to faith. Only the Gospel itself will do that, and by its own power. Let us stick to the liturgy, therefore, for therein is the Gospel abundantly and clearly stated, working to bring faith and life to a lost and dying humanity.
St. Paul’s On the Air
Every Sunday morning at 7:35 on WKEI, AM radio 1450. We keep hearing kudos from folks who listen regularly, so tune in, and spread the word!
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm Street
Kewanee, IL 61443
One of my own favorite lines from a Christmas Carol in our choir’s repertoire is from the Sans Day Carol “Aye, and therefore be merry; set sorrow aside! Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.” We have even named our recent Christmas CD from those lines: Set Sorrow Aside! St. Paul’s Mixed Chorus at Christmas.
Many people say that Christmas is a more difficult time of year for them, particularly if they have lost loved ones during that time, since at times when families traditionally gather, an absence will be more acutely felt. That is all quite understandable, of course, and our hearts always go out to those who are sad.
For them in particular, a question arises. How are we to set sorrow aside, when it can be so acutely felt at Christmas? What is the secret of doing this? Can it be done?
St. Paul’s answer is to say, “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. . . . I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11). So it can be done. To any who find Christmastime difficult, I would suggest first that they come to believe this: there is a way in which contentment can gained, or, to put it another way, Yes, there is a way to set sorrow aside when sorrow wants to descend and intrude during the holidays.
That way is the way of faith. Faith is the Christian heart’s battle and war against sorrow. And faith’s struggle with sorrows is bolstered by attention to the words of the Gospel: “Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.”
If that sounds trite, perhaps it is because it is not quite understood. The appearance of Christ in the flesh, in the humble and troubled times and land around Bethlehem, means that He has most certainly come to the rescue of all who are troubled. He has come to do for us what none of us can do for ourselves. His poverty is to provide us with the otherwise unattainable heavenly riches. His humility is to set us at last in the Kingdom of His glory, where every tear is wiped away. His suffering in our flesh is to bring healing to our flesh. And His resurrection is a foretaste of the resurrection of our own flesh.
So therefore all things—yes, all things—are under the dominion of His grace, so that we may have confidence that every sorrow shall be done away at last. To know this is to find courage to weather whatever sorrow may come to assail us. Think of sorrow as an unwelcome interloper in your heart and then take up the armor of God, and be confident that it can and shall be overcome. If we must sorrow, it will be but for a little while, as He Himself has said.
Christmas is a time of year which is brimming with these tidings. It is the tidings of Christ and His holy nativity which are precisely the balm for sorrowing souls! Here is strength for the battle, and encouragement for the weary fighter.
Aye, and therefore be merry; set sorrow aside! Christ Jesus our Savior was born at this tide.
+ Pastor Eckardt
December Birthdays
12/13 Michael Eckardt
12/13 Lynn Woller
12/15 Andrew Carlson
12/16 Lillian Freeburg
12/20 Peter Eckardt
12/20 Rachel Rowe
12/22 William Dolieslager
12/25 Robert Melchin
12/30 Matthew Woller
12/31 Scott Schoen
December Ushers
Allan Kraklow, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells, Bob Bock
Shut ins
Mary Hamilton at home; Ruth Snider at home; Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker at home. Jack Stewart and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria.
Choir Rehearsals during December
Since Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on Wednesdays this year, thus eliminating choir rehearsals on both of those nights, we had to schedule a couple special choir rehearsals to make up for time which would be lost. Therefore all choir members please note the two special choir rehearsals set for Tuesday evening, December 23rd, and Tuesday evening, December 30th, both at 7:00. PLEASE make every effort to attend: our Choral Vespers is scheduled a little early this year, on January 4th, the first Sunday in January.
December Anniversaries
none
Altar Guild Notes
For Advent, the color is Violet throughout. We will be observing St. Nicholas’ Day at the 5:30 mass on the Saturday, December 6th and St. Lucia’s day at the 5:30 mass on Saturday, December 13th, but since these are not major Saints’ Days (they are Third Class), the altar color will remain violet.
The altar color changes to white beginning on Christmas Eve, December 24th and remains white through the end of the month.
There are three Christ Masses: the first is at 7pm on Christmas Eve, the second follows at Midnight, and the third is at 10 am on Christmas Day.
At the 5:30 p.m. Saturday mass on December 27th, we will observe St. John the Evangelist’s Day (color is white).
On New Year’s Eve, December 31st, we will observe the Circumcision and Name of Jesus at 7 p.m. There is no mass scheduled for New Year’s Day.
Individual cups are in less demand as more people are becoming accustomed to the use of the chalice. Therefore it is only necessary to set out six individual cups on a normal Sunday.
Christmas Choral Vespers
Plan ahead! This year’s Choral Vespers is scheduled a little earlier: Sunday night, January 4th, with two days of Theological Reflection to follow, culminating on Epiphany, January 6th. The Them for the retreat is “A Prophet Like unto Me: The Christology of the Moses and the Exodus.”
Sealing the Driveway
Your trustees have arranged for the patching and sealing of the driveway (it should be done by the time this newsletter is in your hands) for the economical sum of $2,000.00. As economical as this is, it still places a strain on the budget. Any special offering to help offset this cost would be greatly appreciated. -The Trustees
Megan Eckardt Update
Since we learned on November 1st of the diagnosis of Megan Eckardt (Peter’s wife) with cancer, we have been overwhelmed with kind wishes and the news of how many people have been praying for her. We are all confident of God’s lovingkindness and mercy, and do not doubt that He hears our prayers and will grant us His help in time of need, in accordance with His goodwill in Christ.
A website has been set up in Megan’s name for anyone who would like to express well wishes and comments. Click here.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been so thoughtful to our family in this challenging and difficult time.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Poinsettias
To order Poinettias, please contact Judy in the office or sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Cost is $12.00. You may order as many as you like!
Decorating the Church
The decorating of the church is going to happen in stages throughout Advent, as an extension of the idea of lighting a new candle on the Advent wreath each succeeding Sunday.
The first Sunday in Advent (Nov. 30) you will see the garland and Advent wreath only. The second Sunday (Dec. 7) the window decorations will be in place as well. The third Sunday (Dec. 14) the tree will be up, but unlit. The fourth Sunday (Dec. 21) the ornaments will be on the tree and the Nativity will be in place. On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24 in the evening) the poinsettias will adorn the chancel.
Volunteers are sought to help with the putting up of the tree, which is scheduled for Saturday, December 13th at 9:00 in the morning.
Our servers
We have added Phil Johnson to our list of regular acolytes, with Michael Eckardt, Joey Eckardt, and Drew Clapper.
Our Latest Brochure
The latest update to our brochure is inserted in the newsletter this month. Use it! Take it with you and find someone to give it to, with an invitation to join us as a visitor to St. Paul’s!
The Lighter Side
Only in America
Only in America......can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Only in America......are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
Only in America......do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
Only in America......do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
Only in America......do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.
Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America.....do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'.
Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
Making Evangelism Simpler?
Burnell F Eckardt Jr.
A reprint from Gottesdienst Christmas 1997
There have been various attempts, through the years, to condense the fundamentals of the Gospel into simple words for the purposes of evangelism. We think, for example, of the Kennedy evangelism outline, or of the Five Spiritual Laws once quite popular among fundamentalists. Much has also been said about John 3.16 as the Gospel in a nutshell, since it is so simple, which is probably the rationale behind the expenditure of great sums of money on the part of some to get end zone seats at Super Bowls so we can all see such a Bible reference between the goal posts every time an extra point is kicked.
The appeal of making the Gospel simple is great, especially in a culture where virtually everything is made simple. Dinners, computers, cars, and modes of entertainment are all made simple. The pace of our culture does not provide time for the undertaking of too much complicated stuff. Even a consideration of the most popular types of movies suggests that what attracts us most is what is easiest to follow. Complicated, intricate plots might win Academy Awards, but it's the special effects that score at the box office. Instant gratification sells.
It is therefore quite understandable that the culture of the Christian liturgy should be attacked for its increasing irrelevancy, and especially its alleged inability to be helpful for evangelism. It's simply too complicated. Where meditation is required, instant results will not be realized. So, the gurus of contemporary worship claim, we must hit people with sound bites and repeated attention-capturing devices, and above all, keep everything as simple as it can be. Remove all big words, use only familiar, lilting tunes, and, in essence, follow the bouncing ball.
This calls for a reply, especially from a journal which is quite ostensibly dedicated to the preservation of Gottesdienst, the Divine Service, in all its liturgical ceremony.
O.K.
Keep it simple, they insist, at all cost.
Well, what if we follow that line of reasoning, of keeping it simple, in the name of evangelizing, teaching, and helping people to keep the simple faith?
First we'd have to take out all the hymns with any kind of depth, in preference for those with simple mantras repeated over and over. One example which comes to mind is the popular praise song "Alleluia." The first two stanzas go like this:
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him.
How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him. How I love Him.
Next, we'd have to remove any Scripture readings which are too complicated or lengthy. (Never mind that it's the Word of God; we're interested in getting people saved!)
As for the sermons, they must take care not to be too scriptural, because the Bible is just too often too deep. Instead, give them simple stories and easy-to-remember outlines. Something bite-sized for the newcomer to take home and retain.
The drift of these instructions, one can easily see, is simplicity. After all, the reasoning goes, Christianity is simple. All ya gotta do is believe, as it has often been opined, against what is thought to be excessive ceremony. Why make it any more complicated than that?
Well then, why stop here? If it's that simple (which, of course, it isn't), perhaps life in the Church would be much easier if we adopted a yet simpler approach to reaching the lost. Maybe we could do something radically simpler.
That is, why have church at all? Whoever insists on raw simplicity above all things will have to answer this question, for the moment one adds anything at all to all ya gotta do is believe, it will have to be justified for anyone who insists on this kind of simplicity. Want to sing a hymn? Whatever for? All ya gotta do is believe! Or why sit there and listen to someone preach a twenty-minute sermon? All ya gotta do is believe! Even the mindless chatter of How I love Him, How I love Him, etc. will have to be justified. What if I should simply decide to stay home altogether? What's wrong with that? All ya gotta do is believe! What if, while having firmly planted in my mind the fact that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life, I choose to go fishing or golfing? I left home believing, and I returned home believing. See, it's simple! Why, one could even claim that one who goes to church might just be denying the great simplicity of all ya gotta do is believe. If it's that simple, then stay home! Stay in bed! Or go play! But don't come to church, because if you do, you might just be implying that it's not all that simple.
Perhaps, rather than building all those churches, going to all the trouble of conducting all those services, preaching all those sermons, and administering the Sacrament to all those people, we ought simply to appoint phone brigades. The pastor (or telephone minister) of a congregation could simply retain a membership list from which, once a year, to make brief telephone calls to every member. The exchange could go something like this:
Pastor: Hi, this is Pastor Bob. Say, I'm just calling to make sure you still believe in Jesus. Do you?
Member: Yep, still do!
Pastor: Great! Keep it up. I'll call again next year.
Member: Thanks, Pastor!
Imagine all the trouble avoided by such an approach! No delinquent lists, no meetings, no calls, no conflicts, no problems, no organist, no choirs, no preachers. How much simpler life would be for the Church, if we'd all just take to heart the simplicity of all ya gotta do is believe!
(Of course, there would be no funding for the position of telephone minister, but perhaps none would be needed. Such simple phone calls would surely not take up much of his time, most of which could therefore be spent in some other means of self-support. Perhaps he could earn a living working for some firm which employs telephone solicitation, and then his calls could serve both purposes at once.
Pastor: Say, by the way, before I hang up, have you ever given serious thought to putting thermal windows in your home? Prices will never be lower; if I could have just a few minutes of your time . . .)
The flaw in this line of thinking is, in fact, contained within the sentence: All ya gotta do is believe! Since believing is itself the antithesis of doing, as St. Paul makes abundantly clear in his epistle to the Romans, therefore believing cannot be something ya gotta do. Indeed, what ya gotta do is keep the Commandments! And since ya cannot do that as God requires, faith becomes requisite for anyone who would be saved. But faith is not doing; faith is being still and knowing that God is God. Faith is trusting the doing of Another, namely, of Christ.
Moreover, faith is not innate, does not come from within. It is born of the Word: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10.17). Faith and the Word of God are always found together, therefore. Faith, born of the Word, ever desires to hear the Word, as it is written: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes (Song of Songs 2.8).
But the Word, it happens, is not entirely simple. In fact, it is incomprehensible to innate reason. Christian people and pastors must therefore be ever wary of appeals to simplicity, for while it is true that the Gospel may in some respects be called simple (since it is a unity), the simplicity of it is only comprehended by those who believe; as for those who do not believe, it must be maintained that no amount of reasoned simplicity will bring them to faith. Only the Gospel itself will do that, and by its own power. Let us stick to the liturgy, therefore, for therein is the Gospel abundantly and clearly stated, working to bring faith and life to a lost and dying humanity.
St. Paul’s On the Air
Every Sunday morning at 7:35 on WKEI, AM radio 1450. We keep hearing kudos from folks who listen regularly, so tune in, and spread the word!
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm Street
Kewanee, IL 61443
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
November 2008
Stewardship?
So this stewardship guy gets up and chides the seminaries for not teaching stewardship, suggesting that this is the reason our offerings are low. I'm sitting in the back of the room thinking, Nope.
I don't preach stewardship sermons. Ever. You know, the standard "Look at all Jesus has done for you, now what are you going to give Him in return?" I've always had a sense that your basic stewardship sermon is really a neatly disguised (or not-so-neatly, if you've heard it all before) plea for cash. The old "time, talents, and treasures" outline was really nothing but a ruse. You knew you were really only shooting for that last one about the treasures. The time and talents part was a way of trying to convince people that the whole stewardship gig was really oh, so much more than money. Bah. It's all about money, and who is being fooled?
November Ushers
All Souls Mass
So this stewardship guy gets up and chides the seminaries for not teaching stewardship, suggesting that this is the reason our offerings are low. I'm sitting in the back of the room thinking, Nope.
I don't preach stewardship sermons. Ever. You know, the standard "Look at all Jesus has done for you, now what are you going to give Him in return?" I've always had a sense that your basic stewardship sermon is really a neatly disguised (or not-so-neatly, if you've heard it all before) plea for cash. The old "time, talents, and treasures" outline was really nothing but a ruse. You knew you were really only shooting for that last one about the treasures. The time and talents part was a way of trying to convince people that the whole stewardship gig was really oh, so much more than money. Bah. It's all about money, and who is being fooled?
Anyhow, I don't preach them. Once long ago, a fellow pastor, on hearing me say this, complained, "Well, what are you going to replace them with?!" To which I, having just seen the old black-and-white Luther film with a similar scene, replied, "Christ!"
But to return to the point, there was a false premise in this guy's question. I don't know about you, but our offerings are not low. I mean, overall they're not anything great, because our parish is rather small, but when that factor is taken into account, our people do quite well, I'd say. And why? Because they love their parish. They rejoice over the preaching of Christ in their church. They want to see their church thrive and the Gospel to be given free course, to the joy and edifying of Christ's holy people.
Eat your heart out, stewardship guy. I don't preach stewardship sermons. And my people are really exemplary in their offerings. Can you explain that? I can.
Pastor Eckardt
Added thoughts . . .
Although, as I said, I don’t preach about this, I’ll add a guideline here for the benefit of any who might be wondering how much they ought to give.
My own general rule of thumb has always been a rough ten per-cent, a tithe, for all charitable giving. This is no hard rule, of course, but it is a nice guideline, I think.
The Apostle does speak of setting aside a proportion of one’s income “on the first day of the week,” which means it ought to be more than the giving of mere pocket change as an afterthought.
It seems to me that most of our active membership is already well aware of these guidelines.
-BFE
Food Pantry
Kewanee Food Pantry has indicated that there is a shortage in their supply. Our own food pantry is in a box in the hallway. Items are occasionally taken by needy people who come for help; when the box gets full, the items are taken to the Kewanee Food Pantry. It’s a good way to help the needy in our community. Our alms box is also available for cash donations.
November Birthdays
11/2 Jane Melchin
11/10 Cassandra Krueger
11/11 Ruth Melchin (92)
11/13 Shannon Peart
11/14 Carol Robinson
11/15 Kami Boswell
11/19 Steve Kraklow
11/20 Jewneel Walker
11/27 Evelyn Heinrich (102)
11/30 Adam Sovanski
11/30 Charlene Sovanski
November Anniversaries
11/5 Steve and Berniece Harris
11/11 Gayle and Phil Beauprez
November Ushers
Otis Anderson Scott Clapper, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson
Thanksgiving to be observed November 26th
As usual, we will celebrate Thanksgiving the night before Thanksgiving Day, Wednesday, November 26th, at our regular 7 pm hour. Come and worship, giving thanks to almighty God for His rich benevolence and grace.
All Souls Mass
Between our regular first Monday Altar Guild an Elders meetings this month, we will observe All Souls Mass (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed) at 7 p.m. Join us!
Shut ins
Mary Hamilton at home; Ruth Snider at home; Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker at home. Jack Stewart and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria. Carole Sanders is no longer a shut in.
Altar Guild Notes
All Saints Day will be observed Saturday evening, November 1, at our 5:30 hour. Color is red. All Souls Day (The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed) is a First Class Feast, but never observed on a Sunday. Therefore Sunday, November 2nd will be the 24th Sunday after Trinity. Color is green. The following Day, November 2nd is All Souls Day; Mass is scheduled for 7 pm (during first Monday meetings). Color is white. For Wednesday Mass that week, November 4th, the color is green.
Thanksgiving is observed Wednesday night, November 26th. Color is White.
First Sunday in Advent is November 30th. Color is Purple beginning on Satuday, November 29th.
The Lighter Side
Ole Olson's Ten Commandments:
1. Der's only vun God, don't ya know.
2. Cussing ain't
3. Go to church even vhen you're up nort' fishin'.
4. Take care of dah folks vhen dey get old.
5. Don't kill. Practice catch and release.
6. Der's only vun
7. If it ain't your lutefisk, don't take it.
8. Don't be talkin' about Sven behind his back
9. Keep your mind off Sven's new vinyl siding.
10. Keep your mind off Sven's wife, Hilda, and his farmhand Lars, and their cleanin' lady, Selma, and Bessie, his best milker, and his new boat and all of Sven's odder stuff, too.
Responding to Romaphobia: The Reason for Liturgical Piety
Reprinted from Gottesdienst 2008:4, by Pastor Eckardt
Legalism! Legalism! So runs the protest of a horde gathering outside the walls of liturgical piety and renewal, a cry of outrage growing ever louder, either due to an increase in numbers, or (more likely), intensity. The intensity increases as it gains false conviction that its cause is just, which seeks to oppress and suppress a liturgical life being renewed among us. They shudder when they hear Christian people being instructed in the traditions of faith which they have grown to despise, probably for no greater reason than that they find themselves unaccustomed to those traditions. They were not themselves raised making the sign of the holy cross, so they look askance at those who do. They never saw a Lutheran pastor genuflect at the altar, and were never taught to genuflect themselves, so they assume he must be a closet Romanist. And they certainly never saw a Lutheran pastor commune himself, so they conclude he thinks too highly of himself to let someone else do that for him.
So even though no such Lutheran pastorsCat least neither your scribe nor anyone he has ever knownC have ever thought of themselves in these terms, yet the others, who themselves either misunderstood the liturgical renewal or refused to consider its purpose, routinely find the cry of Alegalism@ a convenient mantra to repeat, enabling them to dismiss the whole enterprise as a charade.
By Alegalism@ they generally mean a loveless enforcement of rules without regard for the Gospel, where the Gospel is defined as freedom from the straitjacket of tradition. Those who promote the historic liturgical tradition are not unfrequently labeled as arrogant or lacking humility. It is odd that Roman Catholic priests, whom we are accused of being like, are not generally labeled as arrogant or lacking humility. Rather, they are expected to act the way they do, and when they do not act that wayCas has been more frequently seen since
Stories are still told among the laity about the days of a generation or so ago when in your typical Midwestern town having a Catholic church at one end and a Lutheran church at the other, schoolboys from one side would engage those from the other in some serious snowball fights on the
The problem is far more serious than aesthetics, however, since it is notCcontrary to what they are sayingCa love of
It is informative, I believe, that one will often find a well-entrenched receptionism alongside the low-church mentality which opposes liturgical renewal. The receptionist position holds that the words of Christ apply only to those parts of the elements which are actually received. Lutheran pastors can easily be found who say that the Sacrament is truly Christ=s Body and Blood, as He said, but only if it is eaten and drunk. That is, whatever remains is mere bread and wine, since it is not included in the entire sacramental action. They like to point to the Formula of Concord=s Article VII (AOf the Holy Supper@) which declares that this blessing, or the recitation of the words of institution of Christ alone does not make it a sacrament if the entire action of the Supper, as it was instituted by Christ, is not observed (as when the consecrated bread is not distributed, received, and partaken of, but is enclosed, sacrificed, or carried about), but the command of Christ, This do (which embraces the entire action or administration in this Sacrament, that in an assembly of Christians bread and wine are taken, consecrated, distributed, received, eaten, drunk, and the Lord=s death is shown forth at the same time) must be observed unseparated and inviolate, as also St. Paul places before our eyes the entire action of the breaking of the bread or of distribution and reception, 1 Cor. 10,16. . . .
If the institution of Christ be not observed as He appointed it, there is no sacrament. This is by no means to be rejected, but can and should be urged and maintained with profit in the
By a careful examination of this passage, one can ascertain that what the Formula means to reject is the abuse of the Sacrament, inasmuch as This do refers to the entire sacramental action. The
Yet the receptionists among us believe this very thing, and although we don=t really know why, we are hard-pressed not to suspect Romaphobia driving also this belief. For if the Sacrament is truly Christ=s Body, according to His words, then no amount of (mis)reading of the Formula of Concord can alter the fact that it is not only that portion which is actually eaten that is Christ=s Body, but also that which is left, that which remains, that which sits on the altarB-even before, after, and apart from the distribution. For it is indeed meant for distribution, and hence no abuse can be found here, such as what the Formula rejects. And therefore we are left having
It is surely no accident that liturgical piety remains strongest among churches who have the strongest view of what the Sacrament is. Nor is it happenstance that liturgical renewal is found among those of us who have learned to take Christ=s words seriously. No amount of insistence on the part of low-church receptionists that they really, really do believe in the Real Presence can countervail the contradictory message they send loudly and clearly. Their obstinate refusals to take some lessons in how to behave reverently at the altar tell us they must think that there=s really nothing extraordinary going on up here. Their use of plastic individual communion cups will never permit us to take them too seriously when they say it truly is Christ=s own very blood in there. That these cups are disposable demands one of two points of view: that the element they contain is only wine and nothing more, or that there is an unspeakable sacrilege at work among them. It must be the former view which prevails here, for it surely cannot be the latter. Yet the former must simply be recognized for what it is: wrong. And then, when this recognition begins to sink in, perhaps we will begin to see more knees touching the ground.
But now we are called legalists for encouraging such things and speaking this way. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is faith and confession which are at stake here: faith in Christ=s own words and confession of the same. We take Him at His word: This is my body. But Christians are free, comes the retort. Yes, we reply, free indeed, free to take Him at His word. He does not say This is partly My Body, or This is My Body if you eat it, or This will become My Body as soon as it passes through your lips, or, This is My Body in such a bizzare way that you needn=t bother thinking about it too much. He simply says is, is! Thus we are free to believe Him, and we begin to learn by this a certain freedom from idolatry in all its forms. We died to sin! How can we live in it any longer? How can weChow dare weCcarry on as if Christ were absent? Does our freedom mean we may reject His Word and Sacrament? Are we free to abandon Him? Imagine Moses, on coming down the mountain and seeing the Israelites frolicking around their golden calf, saying to them, AIt=s all right, folks! You=re free to do that!@ Now consider the Divine Service. Are we free to pay little or no attention to ChristCChrist on the altar? What does our posture say? What do our actions say?
And how, for that matter, is honoring Christ a show of arrogance? Who is truly being arrogant but the one who refuses, maybe just because he=s afraid he might have to admit he could have been wrong about some of his long-held stereotypes, to give an honest consideration and evaluation of these most sacred things. These things most certainly do need careful consideration, rooted as they are in a conviction that Christ meant what He said when He said,This is My Body. We mean no one harm in confessing these things in words and actions. We mean only to be true to Christ in every way. Liturgically, this means in particular that we must behave at the altar in such a way as to reflect our convictions about what sits on it. Our liturgical actions portray our confession of faith.
In short, since we believe, teach, and confess that Christ=s Body and Blood are truly present in the Sacrament, therefore we also believe, teach, and confess that the Holy Liturgy of the Church is most certainly not a matter of indifferent things.
Monday, September 22, 2008
October 2008
Oktoberfest!
Sunday, October 12, is the opening day of our thirteenth annual Oktoberfest. At 5 p.m. is our Autumn Choral Vespers, followed by our annual bratwurst banquet (we call it the best party in town!). Members, if you’ve never yet come to this gala affair, it’s past time you did. Let’s see all of our members enjoying the festive occasion together this year!
On Monday morning, following Holy Mass at 9:30, the Oktoberfest seminar runs until 3:15 p.m.
On Tuesday, a liturgical seminar is again planned for a roundtable discussion seeking uniformity in our worship practices. Informed Lutheran clergy are particularly invited to provide input and exchange of ideas, although all are invited to stay for the day.
This year we are pleased to welcome four guests who have in recent years taken the walk across the rickety bridge from Wisconsin to Missouri. Our conference theme is “A Tale of Two Synods.”
Several years ago the Reverend Fr. Peter Berg, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Chicago, having been removed from the roster of the WELS, was received into the LCMS. This year his brother, the Reverend Fr. John Berg, pastor of Hope Ev. Lutheran Church in Fremont, California, has taken the same trek. In the meantime the Reverend Fr. Aaron Moldenhauer, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, made the same move during his seminary training. He will be accompanied by his wife Tabitha, a scholar in her own right, who will provide a confessional Lutheran perspective on women’s issues. This year both Berg brothers became associate editors of Gottesdienst, and Fr. Moldenhauer received the journal’s Sabre of Boldness award for 2008.
REGISTRATION: $25 per person (students $20) $40 per couple — includes Sunday banquet and Monday continental and luncheon; no charge for children with parents.
To register, send an email with Oktoberfest as the subject. Give us your name, title, address, and intentions: coming Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, or portions thereof. We'll sign you up; you may pay the registration fee when you arrive. Click here.
October Ushers
Steve Peart, Grant Andresen, Larry Campbell
October Birthdays
10/1 Richard Melchin
10/1 Clara Murphy
10/2 Diana Shreck
10/3 Matthew Fisher
10/5 Michael McReynolds
10/9 Mary Ann Hamilton
10/9 Kevin Thompson
10/10 Stanley Janik
10/10 Paul Rowe
10/15 Dennis Schoen
10/20 Ed Woller
10/24 Robert Jones
10/24 Corey Peart
10/28 Carmen Sovanski
10/28 Collin Van Stechelman
10/30 Sharon Hartz
10/31 Marjorie Lamb
October Anniversaries
10/4 Linda and Larry Rowe
10/23 Otis and Deanne Anderson
Shut ins
Carole Sanders at home (update: expected to move back home Sunday, September 28th; hoping to be back in church the following Sunday!);
Mary Hamilton at home; Ruth Snider at home; Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker at home. Jack Stewart and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria.
Mary Hamilton at home; Ruth Snider at home; Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker at home. Jack Stewart and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria.
First Monday Meetings
Our first Monday meetings for October will not be in session; all Altar Guild members and Elders are urged to attend Oktoberfest the following weekend.
Altar Guild Notes
The Altar Guild met on Monday, September 15th. The number of hosts to put out for Wednesdays was set at 14. Some calendar adjustments were discussed, but not all matters were decided; and since the Altar Guild will not be meeting in October, the following schedule is needed.
Special note: at two Saturday masses (5:30 pm), October 18th and November 1st, special saints’ days are going to be observed. The altar color is red for those days, and changes to green for the following day, Sunday
Wednesday, October 1: of Michaelmas: White
Sat and Sun, October 4 and 5: Green
Sat and Sun, October 11 and 12 (am): Green
Oktoberfest: October 12 (pm) and 13, Mission Festival: Red
Octoberfest: Tuesday, October 14: Green
Wednesday, October 15: Green
Saturday, October 18 (5:30 Mass only), St. Luke: Red
Sunday, October 19: Green
Sat and Sun, October 25-26, Reformation: Red
Wednesday, October 29, SS Simon and Jude: Red
Saturday, November 1 (5:30 Mass only), All Saints: Red
Sunday, November 2: Green
Wednesday, November 5, All Souls: White
Then Green until Wednesday, November 26: Eve of Thanksgiving: White
Sat and Sun, Nov 29 and 30, Advent: Purple
Know Anyone Who Might Need a Visit?
If ever you become aware of a member who might have a special need or desire for a pastoral visit, please contact Pastor to let him know. 852-2460.
A Letter from Siberian Lutheran Mission Society
Dear friends at St. Paul’s,
Your continued support is a blessing. Thank you for your faithfulness. Your recent donation of $100.oo has been designated for the congregation in Chita.
I’ve enclosed a copy of a recent newsletter from Siberia [this is posted in the hallway] that chronicles Bishop Lytkin’s recent visit to Eastern Siberia, including the congregation in Chita. The enclosed photos show the entry into the village of Edininie and parishioners in Edininie, parishioners after the worship service in Chita and a view of Edininie. Bishop Lytkin, Pastor Igor Kizyaev and Pastor Khramov can be seen in these shots. The second page includes a photo of an outdoor site where pagans worship even today, a shot of at Trans-Siberian railroad station, a picture of Pastor Pavel Zayakin with t ever present statues of the communist era, reminders of the dictatorship of the proletariat and finally, an example of the dirt and gravel roads that must be traversed to reach some of these remote parishes.
Thank you, especially for remembering the SLMS at this time. I can assure you that your gift will be used very carefully by Christ’s stewards in Siberia and will help to support them in their most basic daily needs. Please keep these faithful servants in your prayers.
In Christ,
Elizabeth A. Meyer
Secretary/Treasurer
Junior Catechism on Saturdays
Beginning September 13th, Catechism class has been held at 9 a.m. on Saturdays. Anyone is welcome to join us.
Kimball Organ Available
Anyone interested in a Kimball organ for home use, contact Duane Sanders, who has one to unload.
The Lighter Side
Ya Gotta Luv The South
ALABAMA
The Sheriff pulled up next to the guy unloading garbage out of his pick-up into the ditch. The Sheriff asked, 'Why are you dumping garbage in the ditch? Don't you see that sign right over your head'. 'Yep', he replied. 'That's why I'ma dumpin it here, cause it says 'Fine For Dumping Garbage'.
LOUISIANA
A senior at LSU was overheard saying... 'When the end of the world comes, I hope to be in Louisiana.' When asked why, he replied he'd rather be in Louisiana because everything happens in Louisiana 20 years later than in the rest of the civilized world.
MISSISSIPPI
The young man from Mississippi came running into the store and said to his buddy, 'Bubba, somebody just stole your pickup truck from the parking lot!' Bubba replied, 'Did you see who it was?' The young man answered, 'I couldn't tell, but I got his license number.'
GEORGIA
A Georgia State trooper pulled over a pickup on I-75. The trooper asked, 'Got any I. D.?' The driver replied, 'Bout whut?'
TENNESSEE
A man in Tennessee had a flat tire, pulled off on the side of the road, and proceeded to put a bouquet of flowers in front of the car and one behind it. Then he got back in the car to wait. A passerby studied the scene as he drove by and was so curious he turned around and went back. He asked the fellow what the problem was. The man replied, 'I got a flat tare.' The passerby asked, 'But what's with the flowers?' The man responded, 'When you break down they tell ya to put flares in the front and flares in the back. Hey, it don't make no sense to me neither.'
ARKANSAS
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North!
The Lutheran Variation of the Canon of the Mass
Preliminary matters for discussion at our liturgical seminar at Oktoberfest at St. Paul’s, Tuesday, October 14th, 2008.
The Roman Canon of the Mass
Since the time of Gregory the Great (AD 590-604), the liturgy of the Western Church, centered in Rome, has been marked by a uniform liturgy with respect to the consecration and distribution of the Holy Sacrament. This liturgy has been called the Canon of the Mass, probably because the term “canon” means rule. This is the regulation by which all their churches are to celebrate the Mass.
The canon is introduced by the Preface, which centers in the words “Lift up your hearts” and concludes with the Santus (“Holy, holy, holy,” etc.).
The entire canon is set into the form of a prayer, and is structured as follows:
I. The prayers before the consecration
A. Te Igitur. “We therefore humbly pray . . . accept and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted Sacrifices, which . . . we offer Thee for Thy holy Catholic Church . . . with N. our Pope, and N. our Bishop, and all orthodox believers . . .
B. Commenorations for the Living [including intentions for the sick and others]
C. Invocation of the saints [including the B.V.M., the twelve apostles, and twelve early saints]
D. Proper communicantes for the season
II. the prayers at the Consecration
A. Hanc igitur. “We therefore beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously to accept this oblation of our service . . .
B. Quam oblationem. “Which oblation . . . make worthy . . . that it may be made for us the Body and Blod of thy most beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
C. Consecration of the Host. “Who, the day before He suffered, took bread in His holy and venerable hands, and with His eyes lifted up toward heaven . . . blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, Take and eat . . . FOR THIS IS MY BODY.
D. Concecration of the Wine. “In like manner . . . FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD . . .”
E. Oblation of the victim to God. “Wherefore, L Lord, we Thy servants . . . do offer unto Thy most excellentMajesty of Thine own Gifts bestowed upon us, a pure Host . . and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.
F. Supra quae propitio. Upon this vouchsafe to look . . . as thou wert graciously pleased to accept the gifts of thy just servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our patriarch Abraham, and that which Thy high priest Melchisedech offered to Thee, a holy Sacrifice, an unspotted Victim.
G. Supplices te. We most humbly beseech Thee, almighty God, command these offerings to be borne by the hands of Thy holy Angels to Thine altar on high . . .
III. The prayers after the consecration.
A. Commenoration of the dead.
B. Invocation of the Sants [including fifteen other early saints]
C. Minor elevation.
D. the Communion: “Let us pray. Instructed by Thy saving precepts . . . bold to say: Our Father . . .
E. Libera Nos and Division of the Host “ . . . grant peace in our days . . .
F. Mixture of the Body and Blood. [the Pax, then, “May this mixture and consecration . . .”
Then follows the Agnus Dei, etc.
The Lutheran Variation
Anyone familiar with the Lutheran Liturgy will be able, upon even a cursory consideration of the Roman Mass, to see that what Luther did was radically to reduce and omit entire sections of this canon. In his mind the greatest obstacle to the freedom of the Gospel was its obscuration by the layers upon layers of mystery and regulation. Much of what the priest said was in a low voice, barely heard, and all of it was in Latin, which, while once the language of the people, had by his day become another layer of impediment. One had to learn Latin in school in order to understand the Mass.
Hence, when he learned of the free gift of the mercy of God in Christ and His Gospel, and found that the entire medieval labyrinth of various levels of merits and works was working directly against the proclamation of Christ, he not only rejected the system of merits altogether, but took himself to removing the impediments to this proclamation in the Mass as well.
And so by this bold move of stripping away all of what he saw as unnecessary preparations and prayers, he sought to leave only the words of Christ at the heart of the Mass.
When seen in the context of his other reforms, it is perhaps not too difficult to see him as having done this not merely because he thought the mass was too long or laborious as it was, but because he saw it as having too much by way of preliminaries. Rather like our Lord Himself who drove the moneychangers out of the Temple, Luther drove away indulgences, merits, works of supererogation, and, in the same vein, the extraneous prayers of the canon.
All that remained when he was finished were the Words of Institution (the Verba) and the Our Father, the latter of which he moved in front of the Verba and more as an ingredient or summary of the Prayer of the Church than as a part of the Canon.
A Lutheran Canon
Though it is commonly said that Luther thus removed the Canon of the Mass in its entirety, it bears remembering that the original sense of the term canon was likely to have been behind its use here: something uniform and regulated.
In our day this has been largely lost, and even among confessional Lutherans there is a considerable amount of variation regarding what constitutes the invariables of the Mass.
In the name of Luther many have slashed away much more than he did, and replaced it with the fruits of their own whims and imaginations. Here is where the battle is being raged in our day. Therefore it has become necessary for us Lutheran Christians, who desire, in the spirit of the Gospel which Luther sought to promote and proclaim, to seek to recover some of the uniformity which has eroded or become altogether lost.
The Lutheran Liturgy has been abandoned in many of our own circles.
The pendulum has, as it were, swung too far in the other direction. Hence our desire and efforts to begin in earnest to determine what we might agree upon for the reestablishment of a common liturgical rule and uniformity for our celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
September 2008
The Carole Sanders Story
No one expected her to live this long, let alone improve. But Carole Sanders continues to defy the predictions and prognostications of everyone, whether family or medical personnel.
Several years ago she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a rare lung disease that gradually (so we are told) renders the lungs nonfunctional, bit by bit, as scars continue to replace healthy tissue. We watched her go downhill, just as they said she would. They gave her two years to live at the most.
And so we began to pray for her, as Christians do, both privately and at Mass, for we knew that her dear Lord would deal with her as He saw fit, according to His own unsearchable wisdom and infinite power. With God all things are possible.
Soon she became confined to her home, and unable, except on a rare occasion, to go out. She loved her church, but was now a shut-in. Once in a great while we’d see her in church, if only on a Saturday night when less people are present. Yet her determination to keep up the fight was always evident, as we saw her, oxygen tank and all, approach the altar for the Blessed Sacrament. I could have brought it to her in the first pew, as I customarily do for some who have difficulty walking, but she preferred if at all possible to approach, climb the three steps, and make it to the altar.
Usually she had to receive her communion at home, where her husband Duane waited on her daily, an unflinching if weary angel always at her side. Duane was better for her than any nurse could have been, around the clock, constantly there for her, to be her stay. Months passed. Soon she entered Hospice care. She was losing her breath, she was going downhill. She was dying.
And so our prayers for her continued, even as we continued to expect the inevitable.
But she did not die. Six months passed, and so did the Hospice nurse. They don’t keep people on longer than six months; they’re expected to be dead by that time. And Duane and Carole decided it was easier and cheaper to manage things without Hospice, staying in close touch with medical personnel. I remember opining that none of us has any business predicting when she will die. Only God knows, in spite of what any professionals might think.
So she kept on at home, yet still going downhill. She routinely fell, even though she had a walker, and even though she never had far to walk. She just didn’t have the strength, because she didn’t have the breath. Her lungs were giving out. She fell, and bruised, and once or twice even cracked a bone. Her pain was mitigated some by pain medications, which made her groggy. I remember thinking that I had never seen someone dying so slowly.
Then one day last winter I got a call late in the evening from Duane. He couldn’t wake her. It seemed as though the end was finally at hand. I raced over to the house. Poor Duane was beside himself. We prayed. I brought to bear some of the most comforting passages of Scripture, of psalms, and of hymns. The nurse arrived, as did a family friend or two. After two or three hours, she did not stir, and her breathing was shallow. I had been at deathbeds before. Some days prior, she had already received her last communion, her viaticum, and now we were bidding her farewell. We were bracing ourselves for her last breath. Finally, when several people were keeping vigil, I decided I could leave for awhile, fully expecting to be called back shortly when death was more clearly at hand.
The call never came.
Next morning I puzzled over this, and went back to the house. There she was, to my great surprise, sitting up and smiling at me. Her hour had not yet come. Somehow, miraculously, she had revived during the night. Now doubly I know that nobody knows the hour of death. She had defied all predictions distant and recent. It was already well over the two years they had given her; I think it was almost twice that long. And still she drew her breath, and continued doggedly on.
Winter turned to spring, and spring to summer. My visits settled roughly into a weekly pattern. But my prayers, and the church’s prayers, continued at a daily pace, as ever.
Then came July. Another frantic call brought me out quickly to the house. This time she was losing her mind, quite literally. She was delirious, and completely unlike the Carole I knew. Suddenly she trusted no one but me, yet even I could not reason well with her. It was evident to me that her brain needed more oxygen, as I explained to her distraught husband. She was not herself.
Duane came to realize that she had to be moved, as she would not even let him care for her. This was the last thing this dedicated husband wanted to do; he had promised himself he would not let her live out her days in a nursing home somewhere, yet now he had no choice. It was a heartbreaking and agonizing decision. The years of care, and his labor of love, had taken their toll on him already. He had lost altogether too much weight, and was reduced to a mere shadow of himself. Now, in spite of his valiant determination month after month to continue the marathon, he was faced with defeat. Poor Duane! Poor Carole!
Yet we continued to pray, daily.
Then, in the past several weeks, something astounding began to happen. We had thought the move to Toulon Health Care would be the last straw. Perhaps it was for this reason, because every earthly prop had given way, that all at once things changed. She began the transformation from someone who was dying to someone who was living. Every time I saw her, which at first was daily, she was better than the time before. Not only was she no longer dying, she began improving, to the amazement of everyone. This was not supposed to happen. So extraordinary is her progress that even Duane, who visits her daily, is again gaining weight and strength.
Today Carole Sanders is again in her right mind, having not only accepted her lot in life, but rejoicing continually in the mercy of her Savior. Jesus has been with her, not only to comfort, but to strengthen both in body and soul. In therapy she walks farther than they tell her to walk. She is no longer waiting to die. She is living and breathing, and improving daily. She even hopes to return home some day, and to start coming to church again. Her remarkable convalescence to date really gives her no reason to expect otherwise. I can scarcely believe my eyes.
To be sure, it doesn’t generally happen like this. Faithful Christians die daily; they fall asleep in Jesus, and we mourn their loss, with the assurance that, as St. Paul has said, if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable. So we don’t despair when earthly things are passed; we know of a life of the world to come; we know Jesus the Crucified, who was raised from the dead, and lives and reigns to all eternity. And we know we shall reign with Him. So we learn not to sorrow as others who have no hope, no matter whether we live or die. And we learn that this life is a vale of tears. Disease strikes and mortality makes itself known to us all.
Yet once in a while our Lord deigns to remind us, in sometimes remarkable ways, that He is in command of all things, and that He does indeed hear our prayers. In Him we live and move and have our being. And so it is that He has determined in His wisdom and mercy that it is not time for Carole Sanders to die. Not yet. In fact, she’s even showing signs of beginning to thrive.
If you wish to pay her a call, feel free. She’ll gladly visit with you and tell you all these things herself. She is a living miracle, and reminder to us all that our God is always able to do abundantly more than we either ask or think.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Announcing the Thirteenth Annual
Oktoberfest
and
Second Annual Liturgical Seminar
St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Kewanee, Illinois
October 12-14, 2008 (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday)
Conference theme: A Tale of Two Synods
This year we are pleased to welcome four guests who have in recent years taken the walk across the rickety bridge from Wisconsin to Missouri.
Several years ago the Reverend Fr. Peter Berg, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Chicago, having been removed from the roster of the WELS, was received into the LCMS. This year his brother, the Reverend Fr. John Berg, pastor of Hope Ev. Lutheran Church in Fremont, California, has taken the same trek. In the meantime the Reverend Fr. Aaron Moldenhauer, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, made the same move during his seminary training. He will be accompanied by his wife Tabitha, a scholar in her own right, who will provide a confessional Lutheran perspective on women’s issues. This year both Berg brothers became associate editors of Gottesdienst, and Fr. Moldenhauer received the journal’s Sabre of Boldness award for 2008.
Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. is our Autumn Choral Vespers, followed by our annual bratwurst banquet (we call it the best party in town!). Then on Monday morning, following Holy Mass at 9:30, the Oktoberfest seminar runs until 3:15 p.m.
On Tuesday, a liturgical seminar is again planned for a roundtable discussion seeking uniformity in our worship practices. Informed Lutheran clergy are particularly invited to provide input and exchange of ideas, although all are invited to stay for the day.
Lodging: AmericInn, 4823 US Hwy 34. 800-634-3444
Super 8 Motel, 901 S Tenney (Rt 78). 309-853-8800
Aunt Daisy’s B&B, 223 W Central Blvd. 888-422-4148
Kewanee Motor Lodge, 400 S Main St. 309-853-4000
Days Inn, I-80 & Rt 40, Sheffield. 815-454-2361
Holiday Inn Express, I-80 & Rt 78, Annawan. 309-935-6565
REGISTRATION: $25 per person (students $20) $40 per couple — includes Sunday banquet and Monday continental and luncheon; no charge for children with parents.
email the information to eckardt@kewanee.com, or call 309-852-2461.
PLEASE INDICATE:
Title
Email
Name(s)
Church
Wife’s first name if applicable
Attending (check all that apply): Sun, Mon, Tue
Address
Phone
Flowers
Our flower lady is Trista Schoen, who has provided a flower chart for members to sign. If you wish to provide flowers for any particular weekend, check the chart and sign up. Your signature means that you will provide the flowers for that weekend, whether by contacting a florist, or by providing your own arrangement. If you wish to provide your own, please speak to Trista about how to do this.
July and August Ushers
July: Steve Peart, Grant Andresen, Larry Campbell
August: Otis Anderson, Scott Clapper, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson
September Anniversaries
9/18/1976 Tom and Sue Ann Wells
9/24/1977 Dennis and Janice Schoen
September Birthdays
9/1 John Ricknell
9/1 Laticia Van Stechelman
9/6 Alice Rosenberger
9/9 Barbara Murphy
9/10 Jan Schoen
9/15 Charles Russell
9/17 Mary Beth Jones
9/18 DeAnne Anderson
9/19 Jaclyn Kraklow
9/19 Jamie Kraklow
9/24 Stephanie Davis
9/26 Duane Sanders
9/28 Allan Kraklow
Rally Day September 7
A new Sunday school session begins, new midweek catechesis, and new adult Bible Class: St. Matthew. Plenty of opportunities await!
Shut ins
Carole Sanders at Toulon Health Care; Mary Hamilton at home; Jack Stewart, and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria., Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker (temporarily) also at home.
First Monday Vespers
This service, held on the first Monday of every month, includes as a special focal emphasis prayers for this parish and her members. In September it is moved to the second Monday, due to Labor Day. Anyone may attend this service, which normally lasts about 20 minutes.
The schedule for September 8th:
6 pm Altar Guild meets in Conference Room
6:45 Vespers (open to all)
Following Vespers: Elders meet
Altar Guild Notes
The Altar Guild met on Monday, August 11th. Among items discussed was the desire of the women to find a way to beautify our chancel. No one seems to like the large vertical panels on the wall. It was suggested that if we should get to the point of seriously considering their removal, the entire congregation should be involved, at a future voters’ assembly.
Crystal Stoll Recovering
Early this summer Crystal (now living in Kenosha, Wis.) had a little fall, and after tests learned that she had a fracture in her pelvic bone, for which no surgery could be helpful. She has been taking meds for pain and slowly healing at home. It’s been a tough summer, but she’s doing better now, hoping soon to get off the pain medication altogether. If you’d like to give her a call, the number is (262) 551-7635.
Junior Catechism on Saturdays
Beginning September 13th, the Saturday after Rally Day, Catechism class will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturdays. Anyone is welcome to join us.
Keeping the Feast: A Study of the Holy Liturgy (continued)
The history of the liturgy
Gregory the Great
St. Gregory was the Bishop of Rome from AD 590-604, and is remembered most of all for his codifying and reform of the Roman Mass. His Mass stayed constant for Rome until Vatican II in the 20th century, a truly remarkable thing. Much controversy still exists as to the exact extent of Gregory’s reforms of the Roman Liturgy, but all admit to certain changes he ordered (for instance, he ordered that the Our Father be recited before the breaking of the bread rather than afterwards).
A millennium later, the sixteenth-century Council of Trent affirmed Gregory’s Mass, which has given to it the name “Tridentine,” literally, “pertaining to Trent.” The Roman Tridentine Mass, also called the “Latin Mass,” is really Gregory’s. Although in the 1960s, Vatican II made some rather wholesale changes, there remains a healthy regard and desire among many of the people for a revival of the Tridentine Mass, for which Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 began to make provisions.
The Lutheran rite, as it is found in The Lutheran Hymnal, and in Lutheran Service Book, is based on the Tridentine Mass, that is, St. Gregory’s Mass, though of course not in Latin. Nor is it by any means identical. Luther’s own conservative reforms are incorporated. Yet it is helpful to know the basis upon which our masses rests, since it is often that our own rubrics and altar books do not provide details we would like to see when planning the service or learning our own conduct of the liturgy. For these we look beyond them to the tradition, and that we find in the Tridentine Mass of Gregory.
This is an important thing to know, for if we relied solely on what is specifically “Lutheran” in name, we would not only be true to what is Lutheran in spirit (since our Lutheran forefathers made it their point to keep what was laudable and edifying wherever they could), but would be left with a less than complete understanding of the conduct of the liturgy. True Lutherans seek to be catholic in outlook, that is, having an eye to the universal conduct of the Church of all time.
So we hold St. Gregory in high regard. Not only did he codify and catalog the liturgy of his time for posterity, but he was himself a conservative reformer, taking what he had and making adjustments for the good of the people, yet always with an eye to preserving the integrity of the tradition he had received. The same may be said of Martin Luther.
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm Street
Kewanee, IL 61443
No one expected her to live this long, let alone improve. But Carole Sanders continues to defy the predictions and prognostications of everyone, whether family or medical personnel.
Several years ago she was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a rare lung disease that gradually (so we are told) renders the lungs nonfunctional, bit by bit, as scars continue to replace healthy tissue. We watched her go downhill, just as they said she would. They gave her two years to live at the most.
And so we began to pray for her, as Christians do, both privately and at Mass, for we knew that her dear Lord would deal with her as He saw fit, according to His own unsearchable wisdom and infinite power. With God all things are possible.
Soon she became confined to her home, and unable, except on a rare occasion, to go out. She loved her church, but was now a shut-in. Once in a great while we’d see her in church, if only on a Saturday night when less people are present. Yet her determination to keep up the fight was always evident, as we saw her, oxygen tank and all, approach the altar for the Blessed Sacrament. I could have brought it to her in the first pew, as I customarily do for some who have difficulty walking, but she preferred if at all possible to approach, climb the three steps, and make it to the altar.
Usually she had to receive her communion at home, where her husband Duane waited on her daily, an unflinching if weary angel always at her side. Duane was better for her than any nurse could have been, around the clock, constantly there for her, to be her stay. Months passed. Soon she entered Hospice care. She was losing her breath, she was going downhill. She was dying.
And so our prayers for her continued, even as we continued to expect the inevitable.
But she did not die. Six months passed, and so did the Hospice nurse. They don’t keep people on longer than six months; they’re expected to be dead by that time. And Duane and Carole decided it was easier and cheaper to manage things without Hospice, staying in close touch with medical personnel. I remember opining that none of us has any business predicting when she will die. Only God knows, in spite of what any professionals might think.
So she kept on at home, yet still going downhill. She routinely fell, even though she had a walker, and even though she never had far to walk. She just didn’t have the strength, because she didn’t have the breath. Her lungs were giving out. She fell, and bruised, and once or twice even cracked a bone. Her pain was mitigated some by pain medications, which made her groggy. I remember thinking that I had never seen someone dying so slowly.
Then one day last winter I got a call late in the evening from Duane. He couldn’t wake her. It seemed as though the end was finally at hand. I raced over to the house. Poor Duane was beside himself. We prayed. I brought to bear some of the most comforting passages of Scripture, of psalms, and of hymns. The nurse arrived, as did a family friend or two. After two or three hours, she did not stir, and her breathing was shallow. I had been at deathbeds before. Some days prior, she had already received her last communion, her viaticum, and now we were bidding her farewell. We were bracing ourselves for her last breath. Finally, when several people were keeping vigil, I decided I could leave for awhile, fully expecting to be called back shortly when death was more clearly at hand.
The call never came.
Next morning I puzzled over this, and went back to the house. There she was, to my great surprise, sitting up and smiling at me. Her hour had not yet come. Somehow, miraculously, she had revived during the night. Now doubly I know that nobody knows the hour of death. She had defied all predictions distant and recent. It was already well over the two years they had given her; I think it was almost twice that long. And still she drew her breath, and continued doggedly on.
Winter turned to spring, and spring to summer. My visits settled roughly into a weekly pattern. But my prayers, and the church’s prayers, continued at a daily pace, as ever.
Then came July. Another frantic call brought me out quickly to the house. This time she was losing her mind, quite literally. She was delirious, and completely unlike the Carole I knew. Suddenly she trusted no one but me, yet even I could not reason well with her. It was evident to me that her brain needed more oxygen, as I explained to her distraught husband. She was not herself.
Duane came to realize that she had to be moved, as she would not even let him care for her. This was the last thing this dedicated husband wanted to do; he had promised himself he would not let her live out her days in a nursing home somewhere, yet now he had no choice. It was a heartbreaking and agonizing decision. The years of care, and his labor of love, had taken their toll on him already. He had lost altogether too much weight, and was reduced to a mere shadow of himself. Now, in spite of his valiant determination month after month to continue the marathon, he was faced with defeat. Poor Duane! Poor Carole!
Yet we continued to pray, daily.
Then, in the past several weeks, something astounding began to happen. We had thought the move to Toulon Health Care would be the last straw. Perhaps it was for this reason, because every earthly prop had given way, that all at once things changed. She began the transformation from someone who was dying to someone who was living. Every time I saw her, which at first was daily, she was better than the time before. Not only was she no longer dying, she began improving, to the amazement of everyone. This was not supposed to happen. So extraordinary is her progress that even Duane, who visits her daily, is again gaining weight and strength.
Today Carole Sanders is again in her right mind, having not only accepted her lot in life, but rejoicing continually in the mercy of her Savior. Jesus has been with her, not only to comfort, but to strengthen both in body and soul. In therapy she walks farther than they tell her to walk. She is no longer waiting to die. She is living and breathing, and improving daily. She even hopes to return home some day, and to start coming to church again. Her remarkable convalescence to date really gives her no reason to expect otherwise. I can scarcely believe my eyes.
To be sure, it doesn’t generally happen like this. Faithful Christians die daily; they fall asleep in Jesus, and we mourn their loss, with the assurance that, as St. Paul has said, if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable. So we don’t despair when earthly things are passed; we know of a life of the world to come; we know Jesus the Crucified, who was raised from the dead, and lives and reigns to all eternity. And we know we shall reign with Him. So we learn not to sorrow as others who have no hope, no matter whether we live or die. And we learn that this life is a vale of tears. Disease strikes and mortality makes itself known to us all.
Yet once in a while our Lord deigns to remind us, in sometimes remarkable ways, that He is in command of all things, and that He does indeed hear our prayers. In Him we live and move and have our being. And so it is that He has determined in His wisdom and mercy that it is not time for Carole Sanders to die. Not yet. In fact, she’s even showing signs of beginning to thrive.
If you wish to pay her a call, feel free. She’ll gladly visit with you and tell you all these things herself. She is a living miracle, and reminder to us all that our God is always able to do abundantly more than we either ask or think.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Announcing the Thirteenth Annual
Oktoberfest
and
Second Annual Liturgical Seminar
St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church, Kewanee, Illinois
October 12-14, 2008 (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday)
Conference theme: A Tale of Two Synods
This year we are pleased to welcome four guests who have in recent years taken the walk across the rickety bridge from Wisconsin to Missouri.
Several years ago the Reverend Fr. Peter Berg, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Chicago, having been removed from the roster of the WELS, was received into the LCMS. This year his brother, the Reverend Fr. John Berg, pastor of Hope Ev. Lutheran Church in Fremont, California, has taken the same trek. In the meantime the Reverend Fr. Aaron Moldenhauer, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Beecher, Illinois, made the same move during his seminary training. He will be accompanied by his wife Tabitha, a scholar in her own right, who will provide a confessional Lutheran perspective on women’s issues. This year both Berg brothers became associate editors of Gottesdienst, and Fr. Moldenhauer received the journal’s Sabre of Boldness award for 2008.
Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. is our Autumn Choral Vespers, followed by our annual bratwurst banquet (we call it the best party in town!). Then on Monday morning, following Holy Mass at 9:30, the Oktoberfest seminar runs until 3:15 p.m.
On Tuesday, a liturgical seminar is again planned for a roundtable discussion seeking uniformity in our worship practices. Informed Lutheran clergy are particularly invited to provide input and exchange of ideas, although all are invited to stay for the day.
Lodging: AmericInn, 4823 US Hwy 34. 800-634-3444
Super 8 Motel, 901 S Tenney (Rt 78). 309-853-8800
Aunt Daisy’s B&B, 223 W Central Blvd. 888-422-4148
Kewanee Motor Lodge, 400 S Main St. 309-853-4000
Days Inn, I-80 & Rt 40, Sheffield. 815-454-2361
Holiday Inn Express, I-80 & Rt 78, Annawan. 309-935-6565
REGISTRATION: $25 per person (students $20) $40 per couple — includes Sunday banquet and Monday continental and luncheon; no charge for children with parents.
email the information to eckardt@kewanee.com, or call 309-852-2461.
PLEASE INDICATE:
Title
Name(s)
Church
Wife’s first name if applicable
Attending (check all that apply): Sun, Mon, Tue
Address
Phone
Flowers
Our flower lady is Trista Schoen, who has provided a flower chart for members to sign. If you wish to provide flowers for any particular weekend, check the chart and sign up. Your signature means that you will provide the flowers for that weekend, whether by contacting a florist, or by providing your own arrangement. If you wish to provide your own, please speak to Trista about how to do this.
July and August Ushers
July: Steve Peart, Grant Andresen, Larry Campbell
August: Otis Anderson, Scott Clapper, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson
September Anniversaries
9/18/1976 Tom and Sue Ann Wells
9/24/1977 Dennis and Janice Schoen
September Birthdays
9/1 John Ricknell
9/1 Laticia Van Stechelman
9/6 Alice Rosenberger
9/9 Barbara Murphy
9/10 Jan Schoen
9/15 Charles Russell
9/17 Mary Beth Jones
9/18 DeAnne Anderson
9/19 Jaclyn Kraklow
9/19 Jamie Kraklow
9/24 Stephanie Davis
9/26 Duane Sanders
9/28 Allan Kraklow
Rally Day September 7
A new Sunday school session begins, new midweek catechesis, and new adult Bible Class: St. Matthew. Plenty of opportunities await!
Shut ins
Carole Sanders at Toulon Health Care; Mary Hamilton at home; Jack Stewart, and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria., Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker (temporarily) also at home.
First Monday Vespers
This service, held on the first Monday of every month, includes as a special focal emphasis prayers for this parish and her members. In September it is moved to the second Monday, due to Labor Day. Anyone may attend this service, which normally lasts about 20 minutes.
The schedule for September 8th:
6 pm Altar Guild meets in Conference Room
6:45 Vespers (open to all)
Following Vespers: Elders meet
Altar Guild Notes
The Altar Guild met on Monday, August 11th. Among items discussed was the desire of the women to find a way to beautify our chancel. No one seems to like the large vertical panels on the wall. It was suggested that if we should get to the point of seriously considering their removal, the entire congregation should be involved, at a future voters’ assembly.
Crystal Stoll Recovering
Early this summer Crystal (now living in Kenosha, Wis.) had a little fall, and after tests learned that she had a fracture in her pelvic bone, for which no surgery could be helpful. She has been taking meds for pain and slowly healing at home. It’s been a tough summer, but she’s doing better now, hoping soon to get off the pain medication altogether. If you’d like to give her a call, the number is (262) 551-7635.
Junior Catechism on Saturdays
Beginning September 13th, the Saturday after Rally Day, Catechism class will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturdays. Anyone is welcome to join us.
Keeping the Feast: A Study of the Holy Liturgy (continued)
The history of the liturgy
Gregory the Great
St. Gregory was the Bishop of Rome from AD 590-604, and is remembered most of all for his codifying and reform of the Roman Mass. His Mass stayed constant for Rome until Vatican II in the 20th century, a truly remarkable thing. Much controversy still exists as to the exact extent of Gregory’s reforms of the Roman Liturgy, but all admit to certain changes he ordered (for instance, he ordered that the Our Father be recited before the breaking of the bread rather than afterwards).
A millennium later, the sixteenth-century Council of Trent affirmed Gregory’s Mass, which has given to it the name “Tridentine,” literally, “pertaining to Trent.” The Roman Tridentine Mass, also called the “Latin Mass,” is really Gregory’s. Although in the 1960s, Vatican II made some rather wholesale changes, there remains a healthy regard and desire among many of the people for a revival of the Tridentine Mass, for which Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 began to make provisions.
The Lutheran rite, as it is found in The Lutheran Hymnal, and in Lutheran Service Book, is based on the Tridentine Mass, that is, St. Gregory’s Mass, though of course not in Latin. Nor is it by any means identical. Luther’s own conservative reforms are incorporated. Yet it is helpful to know the basis upon which our masses rests, since it is often that our own rubrics and altar books do not provide details we would like to see when planning the service or learning our own conduct of the liturgy. For these we look beyond them to the tradition, and that we find in the Tridentine Mass of Gregory.
This is an important thing to know, for if we relied solely on what is specifically “Lutheran” in name, we would not only be true to what is Lutheran in spirit (since our Lutheran forefathers made it their point to keep what was laudable and edifying wherever they could), but would be left with a less than complete understanding of the conduct of the liturgy. True Lutherans seek to be catholic in outlook, that is, having an eye to the universal conduct of the Church of all time.
So we hold St. Gregory in high regard. Not only did he codify and catalog the liturgy of his time for posterity, but he was himself a conservative reformer, taking what he had and making adjustments for the good of the people, yet always with an eye to preserving the integrity of the tradition he had received. The same may be said of Martin Luther.
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm Street
Kewanee, IL 61443
Thursday, June 26, 2008
July-August 2008
Pirate Christian Radio
There’s no telling what the future of audio media will be, because it’s happening so fast. But it so happens that now, by a rather happy turn of events, we at St. Paul’s suddenly find ourselves on the cutting edge of it. Back in March of this year, the St. Louis radio station KFUO, which is owned by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, abruptly and unexpectedly cancelled its most popular program, “Issues, Etc.”, hosted by Rev. Jeff Wilken and produced by Jeff Schwartz. An outcry ensued, and because of it, the program immediately became even better known, now among people who had never heard of it.
Then in May, the program found its own privately owned niche, a new radio home in Southern California. Now it would be free of Synodical shackles, but as dedicated as ever to producing sound confessional Lutheran theology on the air.
Not only on the air, as it turns out, but on the internet. Now, under the new name Pirate Christian Radio (I still haven’t found out the reason for that name), it is not merely a radio program, but a radio station, hoping to broadcast and podcast (streaming on the internet) every day, sixteen hours a day.
And, as it turns out, they need material to fill those hours. So it was that I was contacted in the middle of June by Rev. Craig Donofrio, who is now onboard there to come up with material, who had heard that I had some recorded sermons which had gained some popularity (among pastors looking to sharpen their own preaching skills by listening to others). Did I have any material to offer?
Did I? Little did he know that I had not merely sermons, but well over a year of previously recorded radio programs, each 25 minutes long! So I am right now in the process of sending these to him, that he may have material to fill the hours.
In addition, our little radio program will begin producing programs tailor-made for Pirate Christian Radio, as well as continuing to go out on our local radio station WKEI (1450 on the AM dial, 7:38 a.m. every Sunday). In short, our little program has suddenly gone into syndication! We’re going out to all the world.
Pirate Christian Radio begins broadcasting on June 30th, and its shows may be accessed all day long, in realtime, by going online to www.piratechristianradio.com. Right now they have no set scheduling, as it is very new, but we will be prominently featured, and may expect to become a regularly featured program on their station very soon. Stay tuned.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Foster Care Needed
Recent correspondence with Catholic Charities of Peoria has indicated a need for foster caregivers. Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent may contact pastor for further information and brochures.
Flowers
Our new flower lady is Trista Schoen, who has provided a flower chart for members to sign. If you wish to provide flowers for any particular weekend, check the chart and sign up. Your signature means that you will provide the flowers for that weekend, whether by contacting a florist, or by providing your own arrangement. If you wish to provide your own, please speak to Trista about how to do this.
July and August Ushers
July: Steve Peart, Grant Andresen, Larry Campbell
August: Otis Anderson, Scott Clapper, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson
Quarterly Voters Meeting
will be on the second Sunday in July (the 13nd), at 7 pm. Council to precede, at 6:30. Mark your calendars!
Private Confession is always available to anyone between 6 and 6:30 pm on these Wednesdays (and also, as always, by appointment).
Altar Guild Notes
The altar guild met on Monday, June 2nd. Among items discussed was the fact that a CD player has been placed in the sacristy to provide plainchant of psalms while altar guild members perform their duties. Follow the instructions provided and you will have meditative material to accompany your work. The next meeting is scheduled for July 7 at 6 pm. The August meeting is set for August 4 at 6 p.m.
July and August Birthdays
July:
7/1 Brittany Grier
7/2 Jean Russell
7/2 Dana McReynolds
7/4 Jacki Boswell
7/5 Sandra Verplaetse
7/7 Joyce Baetens
7/7 Andrew Clapper
7/7 Stephen Harris
7/9 Michelle Parks
7/10 Otis Anderson
7/10 Dale Baker
7/13 Gayle Beauprez
7/14 Pastor Eckardt
7/16 Robert Schoen
7/20 Julie Janik
7/23 Donna Harlow
7/24 Melinda Grier
7/29 Jack Stewart
7/20 Anna Baker
7/30 Peggy Janik
August:
8/1 Philip Beauprez
8/1 Robert Bock
8/2 Shania Kraklow
8/2 Joyce Long
8/7 Jessica Grier
8/8 Lorraine Mohr
8/9 Donald Kegebein
8/11 Samuel Fisher
8/11 Judy Thompson
8/13 Donald Murphy
8/15 Elva Garrison
8/16 Trista Schoen
8/17 Steven Peart
8/19 Amy McReynolds
8/20 Nicholas Grier
8/21 John Sovanski
8/24 Rebecca Russell
8/24 Ruth VerShaw
8/27 Leland Heaton
8/27 Steve Peart
8/30 Alyssa Van Stechelman
Calling all Singers!
Start tuning up your voice again, as the choir will be meeting for regular rehearsals again beginning the second Wednesday in August: August 13th, at approximately 7:45 pm, right after midweek mass.
We have a lot of preparation to do for Oktoberfest, which will be hear before we know it.
Make a note on your calendar! August 13th: First choir rehearsal!
July, August Anniversaries
July:
7/1/1951 John and Emilie Ricknell
7/23/1955 Donald and Carol Kegebein
7/30/1965 Jewneel and Don Walker
August:
8/2/ 1975 Raymond and Carol Robinson
Shut ins
Carole Sanders and Mary Hamilton at home; Jack Stewart, and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert, at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria., Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker (temporarily) also at home.
First Monday Vespers
This service, held on the first Monday of every month, includes as a special focal emphasis prayers for this parish and her members. Anyone may attend this service, which normally lasts about 20 minutes.
The schedule for July 7th and August 4th:
6 pm Altar Guild meets in Conference Room
6:45 Vespers (open to all)
Following Vespers: Elders meet
America
Excerpt from “The Times that Try Men’s Souls,” Burnell F Eckardt Jr., Gottesdienst 2001:4
America is an historical anomaly, being the first successful experiment in civic republican liberty, though the evolution of this system of government can be traced as far back as the days of the Magna Carta (1297), whose preamble declares certain liberties under law "to the advancement of holy Church, and amendment of our Realm . . . to be kept in our kingdom of England for ever, the very first of which is that the Church of England shall be free, and shall have her whole rights and liberties inviolable." Out of the religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries arose the dictum cuius regio, eius religio, allowing that whoever rules a region, his is its religion. But inasmuch as this was intolerable for many who found themselves living in the wrong region, what soon evolved out of this was migration to the New World. The colonies there had been established by Englishmen who brought with them charters patterned after the Magna Carta, charters which guaranteed that they and their heirs would Ahave and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects.
A few generations later, when their heirs raised arms against their mother country, they were fighting not for new freedoms but to preserve liberties that dated to the thirteenth century, freedoms guaranteed by the very monarchy against whom they were now constrained to oppose, as it had by now turned tyrannical. As the Magna Carta had placed even the king beneath the law (with the king's own consent), so now, the law, in particular, English common law as evolved from the Magna Carta, dictated that their revolution was in truth not a matter of rebellion but of loyalty.
There is a kinship in spirit between that kind of thinking and the thinking of Martin Luther and his followers against the pope and the king, although in their case the loyalty was not to common law, but to the Gospel of Christ. Martin Luther was not a disobedient radical, but ever a loyal son of the Church catholic. The tyranny of the pope had robbed the people of Christ. That tyranny was itself a long time in evolving, and can be traced over hundreds of years of the enlargement of papal power. When the time was ripe for the Reformation, that power had waxed fully perverse, and the children of the Reformation learned that it was necessary for them to disavow the tyranny if they would be faithful to Christ.
It is always dangerous to paint broad historical strokes. Yet what emerges from such strokes can be both compelling and worthy of acceptation. In this case, what emerges is the case for a certain link between the Reformation and the formation of the United States of America. The link is certainly not an identification of one with the other, as we are speaking here of two separate kingdoms, pertaining to the right hand and to the left hand of God. In both cases, however, what has emerged is opposition to tyranny. When the pope placed himself above the Gospel and oppressed the churches, the churches by recourse to the Gospel recognized new bishops; when the king placed himself above the law and oppressed the people, the people by recourse to the law established new government.
This is why America is beautiful. It is not the spacious skies and amber waves of grain that are germane to her beauty, but the fact that God shed His grace on her. Nor is the grace that God shed evident in the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. This grace is preached only in the Gospel, which the law of the land insists must have free course, that it might be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ's holy people. The republic's liberty does not guarantee that the Gospel is preached; it only allows for its preaching. But since this republic does allow for it, we must thank God for the special character of this republic, just as I'm sure Luther and his Saxon friends thanked God for Elector Frederick the Wise. There is something exceedingly good about America, in spite of all her flaws, and it is not simply her wealth or prosperity. It is the fact that she is free.
Most Americans, it is true, do not know what is most especially glorious about American freedom. Far above all other things, it is that the Gospel may sound forth here unhindered by tyranny. What the pope refused to permit, Lady Liberty insists on permitting. The Lutheran Confessors would gladly have submitted to the pope if only he would allow the Gospel. He did not, so they could not. How bitter was the struggle for their freedom only for this one thing, to have the Gospel. And here we stand, on America=s free soil, not only unhindered by tyranny, but living under a constitution which guarantees perpetual liberty from it. . . .
For my part, therefore, I will laud patriotism while rejecting all idolatry. I will count all patriots my compatriots, but I will not be partaker with men who deceive with vain words (Ephesians 5:6-7). I will kneel in my church as an American Christian, but I will stand up in the public square as a Christian American. There will I gladly wave my flag with the rest of America, as I cheer her soldiers on to victory. From childhood I have pledged allegiance to that flag, and to the republic for which it stands; we must always take our vows seriously if we are to retain our integrity. But the flag does not coerce my veneration of it; most gladly do I stand with my hand on my heart when the flag marches by, for I perceive something very good, very blessed, about this nation which transcends the sum of its parts: here my government pledges to me that its purpose is to defend me in my free confession of Christ my Lord. I would, of course, have to confess Him even if the government forbad it, as tyrannical governments often have; how much better a government it is which supports my freedom to have my convictions.
But that goodness, that freedom, is not itself the freedom of the Gospel, and therefore I will not adore the flag or its republic, nor does the flag seek to exact adoration; this one nation is rightly said to be under God, since adoration, as we know, is due only to God Himself: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Therefore I must stand opposed to every infraction of His Second Commandment: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. My country provides me the freedom thus to stand, confessing the name of Jesus against all who would do it dishonor. For in that name alone is the salvation of the world.
The Lighter Side
These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins
or were announced in church services: They’re oldies, but they make me chuckle every time. . .
Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
Announcement in a church bulletin for a national PRAYER & FASTING Conference: "The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals."
The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water."
The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again", giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
The Lutheran men's group will meet at 6 pm. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 pm - prayer and medication to follow.
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use back door.
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
Keeping the Feast: A Study of the Holy Liturgy (continued)
The history of the liturgy
The Early Church, continued
Already as early as the end of the first century, there is evidence of a fixed order for the Eucharist. Ignatius of Antioch (d 107) insists on the one Eucharist in a way that implies a uniform rite. He renounces the Docetists, early heretics who denied the incarnation, by holding their sin to be that they abstain from the Catholic liturgy held in communion with the bishop According to Fortescue, the evidence of a constant belief among the early Fathers that even the arrangement of the liturgy was a tradition from Christ and His Apostles. Whether they were right about this is not as significant as the fact that they could not have thought so unless there was already in their time a fixed order. (Fortescue 15, 51-52).
This is not surprising, inasmuch as the heart of what it meant to be Christian was to be at worship. Anglican scholar Gregory Dix has aptly demonstrated that the very term “church” was not used in reference to the building, but rather to the solemn assembly for the liturgy, until the third century (Dix, the Shape of the Liturgy [London: Continuum, 2003; first printing 1945], 19-20).
Even though in the first three centuries there were no books or officially stereotyped rites, if we assume that very early there was primarily an oral tradition, a younger bishop when his turn came to celebrate, could do no better than to continue to use the very words, as far as he remembered them, of the venerable predecessor whose prayers the people, and perhaps himself as deacon, had so often followed and answered with reverent devotion. The strong feeling of loyalty to the mother-church from which they had received the faith is noticed in all the early missionary churches. (Fortescue, 55-56)
There is compelling evidence that the introductions of variations in the rite resulted from of a perceived need to confess against various heresies that arose. Under Leo the Great (d 461), for example, words were added to the canon to refer to the host as immaculate (sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam, Fortescue 137), no doubt directed against the Manichaeans who denied the possibility that any material substance could be good (and thus rejected the incarnation). This is also evidence that a shift in the arrangement of the canon under Pope Gelasius in the late fifth century was due to the Acacian schism. Bishop Acacia of Constantinople was a member of the Monophysite party, which believed that Jesus had only one nature; his rival John Talaia, the Catholic bishop, had been exiled to Rome, where he became friends with Gelasius, whose consequent adjustments to the Roman liturgy to conform with that of Talaia (Fortescue 164f) indicate a theological unity against Monophysitism. By the sixth century, the filioque (the addition of the words “and the Son” to the third article of the Creed) was commonly said in many places, and at the council of Toledo was given official recognition, as a common confession to emphasize the full divinity of the Son, against the recalcitrant Arian heresy that denied it; this of course is in keeping with the very formation of the Creed itself, in the fourth century, against Arius. The elevation of the host arose in France in the 13th century against the teaching of one Peter the Stammerer who held a questionable view regarding the efficacy of the Word of Institution.
In short, the shape of the liturgy can be traced to the Church’s desire to confess liturgically what she believed, in the face of heresies which denied those things.
There’s no telling what the future of audio media will be, because it’s happening so fast. But it so happens that now, by a rather happy turn of events, we at St. Paul’s suddenly find ourselves on the cutting edge of it. Back in March of this year, the St. Louis radio station KFUO, which is owned by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, abruptly and unexpectedly cancelled its most popular program, “Issues, Etc.”, hosted by Rev. Jeff Wilken and produced by Jeff Schwartz. An outcry ensued, and because of it, the program immediately became even better known, now among people who had never heard of it.
Then in May, the program found its own privately owned niche, a new radio home in Southern California. Now it would be free of Synodical shackles, but as dedicated as ever to producing sound confessional Lutheran theology on the air.
Not only on the air, as it turns out, but on the internet. Now, under the new name Pirate Christian Radio (I still haven’t found out the reason for that name), it is not merely a radio program, but a radio station, hoping to broadcast and podcast (streaming on the internet) every day, sixteen hours a day.
And, as it turns out, they need material to fill those hours. So it was that I was contacted in the middle of June by Rev. Craig Donofrio, who is now onboard there to come up with material, who had heard that I had some recorded sermons which had gained some popularity (among pastors looking to sharpen their own preaching skills by listening to others). Did I have any material to offer?
Did I? Little did he know that I had not merely sermons, but well over a year of previously recorded radio programs, each 25 minutes long! So I am right now in the process of sending these to him, that he may have material to fill the hours.
In addition, our little radio program will begin producing programs tailor-made for Pirate Christian Radio, as well as continuing to go out on our local radio station WKEI (1450 on the AM dial, 7:38 a.m. every Sunday). In short, our little program has suddenly gone into syndication! We’re going out to all the world.
Pirate Christian Radio begins broadcasting on June 30th, and its shows may be accessed all day long, in realtime, by going online to www.piratechristianradio.com. Right now they have no set scheduling, as it is very new, but we will be prominently featured, and may expect to become a regularly featured program on their station very soon. Stay tuned.
+ Pastor Eckardt
Foster Care Needed
Recent correspondence with Catholic Charities of Peoria has indicated a need for foster caregivers. Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent may contact pastor for further information and brochures.
Flowers
Our new flower lady is Trista Schoen, who has provided a flower chart for members to sign. If you wish to provide flowers for any particular weekend, check the chart and sign up. Your signature means that you will provide the flowers for that weekend, whether by contacting a florist, or by providing your own arrangement. If you wish to provide your own, please speak to Trista about how to do this.
July and August Ushers
July: Steve Peart, Grant Andresen, Larry Campbell
August: Otis Anderson, Scott Clapper, John Ricknell, Bill Thompson
Quarterly Voters Meeting
will be on the second Sunday in July (the 13nd), at 7 pm. Council to precede, at 6:30. Mark your calendars!
Private Confession is always available to anyone between 6 and 6:30 pm on these Wednesdays (and also, as always, by appointment).
Altar Guild Notes
The altar guild met on Monday, June 2nd. Among items discussed was the fact that a CD player has been placed in the sacristy to provide plainchant of psalms while altar guild members perform their duties. Follow the instructions provided and you will have meditative material to accompany your work. The next meeting is scheduled for July 7 at 6 pm. The August meeting is set for August 4 at 6 p.m.
July and August Birthdays
July:
7/1 Brittany Grier
7/2 Jean Russell
7/2 Dana McReynolds
7/4 Jacki Boswell
7/5 Sandra Verplaetse
7/7 Joyce Baetens
7/7 Andrew Clapper
7/7 Stephen Harris
7/9 Michelle Parks
7/10 Otis Anderson
7/10 Dale Baker
7/13 Gayle Beauprez
7/14 Pastor Eckardt
7/16 Robert Schoen
7/20 Julie Janik
7/23 Donna Harlow
7/24 Melinda Grier
7/29 Jack Stewart
7/20 Anna Baker
7/30 Peggy Janik
August:
8/1 Philip Beauprez
8/1 Robert Bock
8/2 Shania Kraklow
8/2 Joyce Long
8/7 Jessica Grier
8/8 Lorraine Mohr
8/9 Donald Kegebein
8/11 Samuel Fisher
8/11 Judy Thompson
8/13 Donald Murphy
8/15 Elva Garrison
8/16 Trista Schoen
8/17 Steven Peart
8/19 Amy McReynolds
8/20 Nicholas Grier
8/21 John Sovanski
8/24 Rebecca Russell
8/24 Ruth VerShaw
8/27 Leland Heaton
8/27 Steve Peart
8/30 Alyssa Van Stechelman
Calling all Singers!
Start tuning up your voice again, as the choir will be meeting for regular rehearsals again beginning the second Wednesday in August: August 13th, at approximately 7:45 pm, right after midweek mass.
We have a lot of preparation to do for Oktoberfest, which will be hear before we know it.
Make a note on your calendar! August 13th: First choir rehearsal!
July, August Anniversaries
July:
7/1/1951 John and Emilie Ricknell
7/23/1955 Donald and Carol Kegebein
7/30/1965 Jewneel and Don Walker
August:
8/2/ 1975 Raymond and Carol Robinson
Shut ins
Carole Sanders and Mary Hamilton at home; Jack Stewart, and Evelyn Heinrich at Kewanee Care; Mirilda Greiert, at Courtyard Estates; Elva Garrison at Avon Nursing Home; Ruth Melchin at Hillcrest Home; Jane Melchin at Lutheran Home, Peoria., Mark Baker at home, and Anna Baker (temporarily) also at home.
First Monday Vespers
This service, held on the first Monday of every month, includes as a special focal emphasis prayers for this parish and her members. Anyone may attend this service, which normally lasts about 20 minutes.
The schedule for July 7th and August 4th:
6 pm Altar Guild meets in Conference Room
6:45 Vespers (open to all)
Following Vespers: Elders meet
America
Excerpt from “The Times that Try Men’s Souls,” Burnell F Eckardt Jr., Gottesdienst 2001:4
America is an historical anomaly, being the first successful experiment in civic republican liberty, though the evolution of this system of government can be traced as far back as the days of the Magna Carta (1297), whose preamble declares certain liberties under law "to the advancement of holy Church, and amendment of our Realm . . . to be kept in our kingdom of England for ever, the very first of which is that the Church of England shall be free, and shall have her whole rights and liberties inviolable." Out of the religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries arose the dictum cuius regio, eius religio, allowing that whoever rules a region, his is its religion. But inasmuch as this was intolerable for many who found themselves living in the wrong region, what soon evolved out of this was migration to the New World. The colonies there had been established by Englishmen who brought with them charters patterned after the Magna Carta, charters which guaranteed that they and their heirs would Ahave and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects.
A few generations later, when their heirs raised arms against their mother country, they were fighting not for new freedoms but to preserve liberties that dated to the thirteenth century, freedoms guaranteed by the very monarchy against whom they were now constrained to oppose, as it had by now turned tyrannical. As the Magna Carta had placed even the king beneath the law (with the king's own consent), so now, the law, in particular, English common law as evolved from the Magna Carta, dictated that their revolution was in truth not a matter of rebellion but of loyalty.
There is a kinship in spirit between that kind of thinking and the thinking of Martin Luther and his followers against the pope and the king, although in their case the loyalty was not to common law, but to the Gospel of Christ. Martin Luther was not a disobedient radical, but ever a loyal son of the Church catholic. The tyranny of the pope had robbed the people of Christ. That tyranny was itself a long time in evolving, and can be traced over hundreds of years of the enlargement of papal power. When the time was ripe for the Reformation, that power had waxed fully perverse, and the children of the Reformation learned that it was necessary for them to disavow the tyranny if they would be faithful to Christ.
It is always dangerous to paint broad historical strokes. Yet what emerges from such strokes can be both compelling and worthy of acceptation. In this case, what emerges is the case for a certain link between the Reformation and the formation of the United States of America. The link is certainly not an identification of one with the other, as we are speaking here of two separate kingdoms, pertaining to the right hand and to the left hand of God. In both cases, however, what has emerged is opposition to tyranny. When the pope placed himself above the Gospel and oppressed the churches, the churches by recourse to the Gospel recognized new bishops; when the king placed himself above the law and oppressed the people, the people by recourse to the law established new government.
This is why America is beautiful. It is not the spacious skies and amber waves of grain that are germane to her beauty, but the fact that God shed His grace on her. Nor is the grace that God shed evident in the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. This grace is preached only in the Gospel, which the law of the land insists must have free course, that it might be preached to the joy and edifying of Christ's holy people. The republic's liberty does not guarantee that the Gospel is preached; it only allows for its preaching. But since this republic does allow for it, we must thank God for the special character of this republic, just as I'm sure Luther and his Saxon friends thanked God for Elector Frederick the Wise. There is something exceedingly good about America, in spite of all her flaws, and it is not simply her wealth or prosperity. It is the fact that she is free.
Most Americans, it is true, do not know what is most especially glorious about American freedom. Far above all other things, it is that the Gospel may sound forth here unhindered by tyranny. What the pope refused to permit, Lady Liberty insists on permitting. The Lutheran Confessors would gladly have submitted to the pope if only he would allow the Gospel. He did not, so they could not. How bitter was the struggle for their freedom only for this one thing, to have the Gospel. And here we stand, on America=s free soil, not only unhindered by tyranny, but living under a constitution which guarantees perpetual liberty from it. . . .
For my part, therefore, I will laud patriotism while rejecting all idolatry. I will count all patriots my compatriots, but I will not be partaker with men who deceive with vain words (Ephesians 5:6-7). I will kneel in my church as an American Christian, but I will stand up in the public square as a Christian American. There will I gladly wave my flag with the rest of America, as I cheer her soldiers on to victory. From childhood I have pledged allegiance to that flag, and to the republic for which it stands; we must always take our vows seriously if we are to retain our integrity. But the flag does not coerce my veneration of it; most gladly do I stand with my hand on my heart when the flag marches by, for I perceive something very good, very blessed, about this nation which transcends the sum of its parts: here my government pledges to me that its purpose is to defend me in my free confession of Christ my Lord. I would, of course, have to confess Him even if the government forbad it, as tyrannical governments often have; how much better a government it is which supports my freedom to have my convictions.
But that goodness, that freedom, is not itself the freedom of the Gospel, and therefore I will not adore the flag or its republic, nor does the flag seek to exact adoration; this one nation is rightly said to be under God, since adoration, as we know, is due only to God Himself: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Therefore I must stand opposed to every infraction of His Second Commandment: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. My country provides me the freedom thus to stand, confessing the name of Jesus against all who would do it dishonor. For in that name alone is the salvation of the world.
The Lighter Side
These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins
or were announced in church services: They’re oldies, but they make me chuckle every time. . .
Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.
Announcement in a church bulletin for a national PRAYER & FASTING Conference: "The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals."
The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water."
The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."
Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again", giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.
During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
The Lutheran men's group will meet at 6 pm. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.
The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.
Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 pm - prayer and medication to follow.
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use back door.
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
Keeping the Feast: A Study of the Holy Liturgy (continued)
The history of the liturgy
The Early Church, continued
Already as early as the end of the first century, there is evidence of a fixed order for the Eucharist. Ignatius of Antioch (d 107) insists on the one Eucharist in a way that implies a uniform rite. He renounces the Docetists, early heretics who denied the incarnation, by holding their sin to be that they abstain from the Catholic liturgy held in communion with the bishop According to Fortescue, the evidence of a constant belief among the early Fathers that even the arrangement of the liturgy was a tradition from Christ and His Apostles. Whether they were right about this is not as significant as the fact that they could not have thought so unless there was already in their time a fixed order. (Fortescue 15, 51-52).
This is not surprising, inasmuch as the heart of what it meant to be Christian was to be at worship. Anglican scholar Gregory Dix has aptly demonstrated that the very term “church” was not used in reference to the building, but rather to the solemn assembly for the liturgy, until the third century (Dix, the Shape of the Liturgy [London: Continuum, 2003; first printing 1945], 19-20).
Even though in the first three centuries there were no books or officially stereotyped rites, if we assume that very early there was primarily an oral tradition, a younger bishop when his turn came to celebrate, could do no better than to continue to use the very words, as far as he remembered them, of the venerable predecessor whose prayers the people, and perhaps himself as deacon, had so often followed and answered with reverent devotion. The strong feeling of loyalty to the mother-church from which they had received the faith is noticed in all the early missionary churches. (Fortescue, 55-56)
There is compelling evidence that the introductions of variations in the rite resulted from of a perceived need to confess against various heresies that arose. Under Leo the Great (d 461), for example, words were added to the canon to refer to the host as immaculate (sanctum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam, Fortescue 137), no doubt directed against the Manichaeans who denied the possibility that any material substance could be good (and thus rejected the incarnation). This is also evidence that a shift in the arrangement of the canon under Pope Gelasius in the late fifth century was due to the Acacian schism. Bishop Acacia of Constantinople was a member of the Monophysite party, which believed that Jesus had only one nature; his rival John Talaia, the Catholic bishop, had been exiled to Rome, where he became friends with Gelasius, whose consequent adjustments to the Roman liturgy to conform with that of Talaia (Fortescue 164f) indicate a theological unity against Monophysitism. By the sixth century, the filioque (the addition of the words “and the Son” to the third article of the Creed) was commonly said in many places, and at the council of Toledo was given official recognition, as a common confession to emphasize the full divinity of the Son, against the recalcitrant Arian heresy that denied it; this of course is in keeping with the very formation of the Creed itself, in the fourth century, against Arius. The elevation of the host arose in France in the 13th century against the teaching of one Peter the Stammerer who held a questionable view regarding the efficacy of the Word of Institution.
In short, the shape of the liturgy can be traced to the Church’s desire to confess liturgically what she believed, in the face of heresies which denied those things.
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