Advent Services at Trinity
December 6, 13, and 20: Advent Midweek Vespers on Wednesdays at 7 PM
December 13: LWML sponsored soup supper at 5:30 PM
Sunday, December 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7 PM. Regular Divine Service and Sunday School/Bible Study on Sundays during December.
Further Update on St. James
St. James has entered into discussions with Mount Calvary in Bayard to form a dual parish. The anticipated time frame for this to be completed is 3-4 months. As Pastor Morris is retiring on December 3rd, St. James has requested that Pastor Humphrey serve as their vacancy pastor until the dual parish is formed. Both Pastor and the voters’ assembly agreed to his serving during the interim. St. James will move their service time to 11 AM and their services will conform to Trinity’s so that separate worship bulletins need not be produced. Please keep our brothers and sisters in Christ at St. James and Mount Calvary in your prayers as they move forward.
Christ Dwells Only in Sinners
FROM MARTIN LUTHER’S LETTER TO GEORGE SPENLEIN, APRIL 8, 1516
“My dear friend, learn Christ
and Him crucified. Learn to pray to him, and despairing of yourself, say: 'You,
Lord Jesus, are my righteousness, but I am your sin. You have taken on yourself
what is mine and have given to me what is yours. You have taken upon yourself what you were not and have
given to me what I was not.'
Beware of aspiring to such purity that you will not
wish to be looked upon as a sinner, or to be one.
For Christ dwells only in sinners. On this account
he descended from heaven, where he dwelt among the righteous, to dwell
among sinners. Meditate on this love of his and you will see his sweet
consolation. For why was it necessary for him to die if we can obtain a good conscience
by our works and afflictions? Accordingly, you will find peace only in him and
only when you despair of yourself and your own works. Besides, you will learn
from him that just as he has received you, so he has made your sins his own and
has made his righteousness yours.
If you firmly believe this as you should (and he is
condemned who does not believe it), receive your untaught and hitherto erring
brethren. Patiently help them, make their sins yours, and, if you have any
goodness, let that be theirs. Thus the apostle teaches: 'Receive one another,
as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.' And again: 'Let this mind be
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not
count equality with God a thing to be grasped.' Even so, if you seem to
yourself to be better than they are, do not count it as plunder, as if it were
yours alone, but humble yourself, forget what you are, and be as one of them in
order that you may help them.
Cursed is the righteousness of the man who is unwilling
to assist others on the ground that they are worse than he is and who thinks of
fleeing from and forsaking those whom he ought now to be helping with patience,
prayer, and example. This would be burying his Lord's talent and not paying
what is due. If you are a lily and a rose of Christ, therefore, know that you
will live among thorns. Only see to it that you will not become a thorn as a
result of impatience, rash judgment, or secret pride.
The reign of Christ is in the midst of his enemies,
as the psalm puts it. Why, then, do you imagine that you are among friends?
Pray, therefore, for whatever you lack, kneeling before the face of Jesus
Christ. He will teach you all things. Only keep your eyes fixed on that which
he has done for you and for all people in order that you may learn what you
should do for others. If he had desired to live only among good people and to
die only for his friends, for whom, pray tell, would he have died? With whom
would he ever have lived? Act accordingly, my dear friend, and pray for me. The
Lord be with you."
LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Newsletter Article – December 2017
Christmas is coming. It is a joyous
time of feasting. The Church feasts upon the Word of God in sermon, song, and
sacrament.
We hear the proclamation of the
message of the angels: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great
joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city
of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).
We mingle our voices with theirs as
we sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom
he is pleased” (Luke 2:14)!
We receive the proclaimed Savior,
Christ the Lord, not wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in manger, but
wrapped in bread and wine placed into our mouths for the forgiveness of sins,
life, and salvation.
We feast in great joy indeed
because of this great blessing from our Lord and God.
God’s people in ancient Israel also
feasted with great joy. The Lord showered His abundant blessing on His people.
And He commanded them to feast upon it (Deut. 16). The people were to go to the
place appointed, where the Lord would make His name dwell, and give offerings,
each man as he was able, according to the blessing of the Lord that He had
given them (Deut. 16:10, 15, 17).
And there the Lord would bless them
with joy as they feasted upon what the Lord had provided. They ate of the
choice parts of their offerings. They enjoyed the company of all the people of
God as they together heard His promises of blessing, sang of His bountiful
goodness, and partook of what He gave.
We feast on the Word who became
flesh to dwell among us, not just during Christmas, but throughout all the
year.
We feast not just on the salvation
He has wrought for us in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, but we feast also on
all the temporal blessings that God gives out of His fatherly divine goodness
and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us.
We enjoy the rich bounty that God
provides, not only in Word and Sacrament, but also in house and home, property
and income, family and friends.
Let us then, as did our brothers in
the faith from ancient Israel, give as we are able, according to the blessing
of the Lord our God that He has given us.
Let us, like them, give generously
of the first fruits of our income, which He gives, so that all may know and
enjoy the salvation He gives and the joy we have in the Savior born in the city
of David, who is Christ the Lord.
The Year of the
Augsburg Confession
“...REMEMBERING YOU IN MY PRAYERS...” (Ephesians 1:16)
For
Krista Grams, daughter of Rev. Jeff and Kim Grams; she continues to experience
deep, untreatable headaches.
For Rev.
Claude and Deloris Constable, who are in assisted living with health issues.
For the
father of Rev. Allen Strawn (St. Paul, Bridgeport), who is recovering from an
accident.
For the
family of Donna Dittman, widow of James Dittman. Donna died in Christ November
14, 2017; the funeral will be December 2, 10:00 AM, at Trinity Lutheran Church,
Cheyenne.
“First of all,
then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be
made for all people...”
+++ 1 Timothy 2:1
+++
PASTORS AND CONGREGATIONS
Trinity,
Rock Springs and Emmanuel, Green River are continuing their discussions about
entering into a multi-point parish arrangement. Trinity is being served by Rev.
James Martin (Emmanuel, Green River) during the vacancy.
St.
James, Scottsbluff is entering into discussions with Mount Calvary, Bayard
(Rev. George Naylor) about entering into a dual parish arrangement. St. James
enters into vacancy in the beginning of December.
The
parish of Zion, Grover and Grace, Pine Bluffs and Rev. Dan Praeuner as they
prepare for Pastor Praeuner’s full retirement at the end of December.
Rev.
Ralph Morris (St. James, Scottbluff) retires at the end of this month. On
December 3, at 1:00 PM, there will be an open house at St. James, followed by a
service of prayer and thanksgiving at 3:00 PM.
THE BRIDE CONFESSES CHRIST: THE AUGSBURG
CONFESSION
The
Augsburg Confession finishes with these three articles and a brief conclusion.
In Articles 26 and 27 we may not struggle today with these specific questions,
but we can learn a great deal from the approach that they took and the
conclusions they (and we!) confess. These words are our own confession. Article
28 takes up the question of pastors in the church (see also Articles 5 and 14),
distinguishing carefully between the authority of the Church and the authority
of the State (Government). “Bishop” is one of the terms used to describe those
who serve in the one Office of the Holy Ministry. In our Synod, the pastoral
duties of visitation to pastors and churches is delegated to our Synod and
district presidents, with assistance from our circuit visitors. Underneath the
last part of the Conclusion below are the signatures of seven leading lay
Confessors and of two free cities in Germany.
Article
26: The Distinction of Meats: Not only the people, but also those teaching in
the churches, have generally been persuaded to believe in making distinctions
between meats, and similar human traditions. They believe these are useful
works for meriting grace and are able to make satisfaction for sins. .
So our
churches have taught that we cannot merit grace or be justified by observing
human traditions. We must not think that such observances are necessary acts of
worship. . . . Nevertheless, we keep many traditions that are leading to good
order in the Church, such as the order of Scripture lessons in the Mass [i.e.
Divine Service] and the chief holy days. At the same time, we warn people that
such observances do not justify us before God, and that it is not sinful if we
omit such things, without causing offense. AC 26.1, 21, 40–41
Article
27: Monastic Vows: They [the Papists] taught that monastic vows were
equal to Baptism. They taught that
a monastic life merited forgiveness of sins and justification before God. So
they made people believe that the
profession of monasticism was far
better than Baptism, and that the monastic life was more meritorious than that
of rulers, pastors, and others, who serve in their calling according to God’s
command. . . .
First,
concerning monks who marry, our teachers say that it is lawful for anyone who
is not suited for the single life to enter into marriage.
In the
second place everyone knows that taking a vow that is not made freely and
deliberately is against the very nature of a vow.
Finally,
even though it might be possible to condemn a person who breaks a vow, it does
not follow that it is right to
dissolve such a person’s marriage.
Every
service of God established and chose by people to merit justification and
grace, without God’s commandment, is wicked.
True Christian
perfection is to fear God from the heart, to have great faith, and to trust
that for Christ’s sake we have a God who has been reconciled. It means to ask
for and expect from God His help in all things with confident assurance that we
are to live according to our calling in life, being diligent in outward good
works, serving in our calling. AC 27.10–11, 13, 18, 30, 34, 36, 49
Article
28: Church Authority: There has been great controversy about the power of the
bishops, in which some have terribly confused the power of the Church with the
power of the State. . . Therefore, our teachers, in order to comfort people’s
consciences, were constrained to show the difference between the authority of
the Church and the authority of the State. They taught that both of them are to
be held in reverence and honor, as God’s chief blessings on earth, because they
have God’s command.
Our
teachers’ position is this: the authority of the Keys, or the authority of the
bishops—according to the Gospel—is a power or commandment of God, to preach the
Gospel, to forgive and retain sins, and to administer Sacraments. This
authority is exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and
administering the Sacraments, either to many or to individuals, according to
their calling. In this way are given not only bodily, but also eternal things:
eternal righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. This things cannot
reach us except by the ministry of the Word and the Sacraments, as Paul says,
“The Gospel is the power of God for salvation
to everyone that believes” [Romans
1:16]. Therefore, the Church has the authority to grant eternal things and
exercises this authority only by the ministry of the Word. So it does not
interfere with civil government any more than the art of singing interferes
with civil government. For civil government deals with other things than the
Gospel does. Civil rulers do not defend minds, but bodies and bodily things
against obvious injuries. They restrain people with the sword and physical
punishment in order to preserve civil justice and peace.
[Bishops]
have no other authority according to the Gospel than the authority to forgive
sins, to judge doctrine, to reject doctrines contrary to the Gospel, and to
exclude from the communion of the Church wicked people, whose wickedness is
known. They cannot exclude people with human force, but simply by the Word.
According to this Gospel authority, as a matter of necessity, by divine right,
congregations must obey them, for
Luke 10:16 says, “The one who
hears you hears Me.” But when they teach or establish anything against the
Gospel, then the congregations are forbidden by God’s command to obey them. AC
28.1, 4, 5, 8–11, 21–23
Conclusion:
We present these articles in accordance with Your Imperial Majesty’s edict, in
order to show our Confession and let people see a summary of our teachers’
doctrine. If there is anything that anyone might desire in this Confession, we
are ready, God willing, to present more thorough information according to the
Scriptures.
IT’S STILL ALL ABOUT JESUS: REFORMATION 2017
We
rightly understand that the posting of the Ninety-Five Theses on October 31,
1517, was a momentous event in world history, and certainly in the history of
Christ’s holy church. But in the weeks following this date, exactly nothing
happened, or so it appears. He had sent a copy to his ecclesiastical superior,
Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz, along with other bishops. Printers had obtained a
copy of the theses and printed them, likely
without Luther’s permission.
Within two weeks they had begun to spread abroad. We know that in December
1517, copies showed up in Nuremberg, Leipzig, and Basel. They appeared in
Augsburg the next month. By March of 1518 the famous humanist Erasmus had sent
a copy to his friend Thomas More (author of Utopia, 1516).
Looking
back, we see God’s care for His church, in that Luther’s theses appeared in the
era of the printing press. They could be ignored in his own university and
church, but they could not be so easily dismissed when they spread across
Germany and into the far reaches of Western Europe. There were no copyright
laws in those days, and the princes and lords had only limited power in
censoring and forbidding the publication and distribution of objectionable
material. The Ninety-Five Theses were out of Luther’s control as soon as they
had been copied and distributed to others.
Yet by
means of the printing press and this proposal for an academic disputation, an
otherwise obscure Augustinian friar came to forefront of God’s reform of His
church. As we will see, in 1518 the Lutheran Reformation continued to grow as
Luther studied, preached and wrote God’s Word.
2018 District Convention
The
Wyoming District Convention will meet May 3–5, 2018. Nominations for District
President and 1st Vice-President are due January 3, 2018. Overtures and other
reports are due February 3. Pray the Lord of the Church to bless our District
and Synod according to His most gracious favor in Christ.
LWML Mission Grant Proposals
Mission
grant proposals for the 2018–2020 biennium may be submitted to the Wyoming
District LWML by LWML Wyoming District individual members, societies, units or
zones within the District, LCMS Synodical and District Boards, or LCMS
Recognized Service Organizations.
The application
form may be obtained from and returned to: Ellen Burbank, Vice President of
Gospel Outreach, PO Box 698, Torrington, WY 82240. The deadline for application
is January 5, 2018. The 2018 LWML Wyoming District Convention will be held June
21–23, 2018, in Cheyenne, WY.
THE NEXT ROUNDUP…
… will be
delivered to congregations around December 20 (January 2018 issue). Watch for
it!
Council Meeting Minutes
Trinity’s
Council meeting was held on Thursday, November 15th at 8 PM . Don
Bowlin called the meeting to order and Pastor gave the opening devotion. The minutes of the September Council Meeting were read and approved. The treasurers
report was read and approved.
Pastors report: Pastor Humphrey stated he has
installed insulation on the garage and that a radon detector has been
purchased.
Upcoming
service schedules are as follows: Thanksgiving Eve was November 22. Advent
services will start on December 3rd.
Don
Bowlin was the delegate to the Circuit Forum in Chadron.
Morrill
High School has requested use of the church for the pre-school Christmas
Program. By a show of hands it was moved by Virgil Ritz and seconded by Wes
Bowlin, not to allow the use of the church for the program due to inadequate
facilities for the number of people expected. Virgil Ritz volunteered to inform
the Superintendent; Pastor followed up with an email.
Elders
Report: Nothing to report.
Trustees Report: Virgil Ritz
reported he had S&S Plumbing do repairs in the Women’s Restroom. He also still plans on scheduling a work
day.
Sunday School Report: Roxane
Humphrey report there are two Sunday School classes with 2-3 children per
class.
New Business: After discussion on
changing meeting times it was moved by Elmer Wohl and seconded by Levi Bowlin
to the leave the meeting times the same year round. They will continue to be 7 PM for Elders. and
8 PM for Council and Voters meetings (this was approved at the special voters
meeting held on 11/26). The council also
discussed and previewed the proposed budget for 2018.
There being no other business the
meeting closed with the Lords Prayer.
Special Voters Meeting 11/26
Don Bowlin called the meeting to order.
After some discussion it was moved by Elmer Wohl and seconded by Joyce Warneke
to approve the budget for 2018. Motion carried.
Pastor Humphrey has been asked to
be vacancy pastor at St James. It was moved by Gary Williams and seconded by Vigil
Ritz to allow our Pastor to serve. Motion carried.
There being no further business the
meeting was recessed subject to recall by the chairman.
LWML NEWS
Melvina Dillman and Lisa Kaufman, Pine Ridge Zone
President gave a report on the National LWML convention in Albuquerque, NM in
June. We heard keynote speaker, Ida Mall, past president, speak of her
work and love in LWML. Riley Kaufman also attended the convention serving
as a page.
Sandy Ladwig was elected president and Susan Williams was elected secretary at the November Trinity Women's Society meeting. A $150 donation was made to the Mitchell Morrill Lyman Food Pantry designated for the purchase of meat.
The congregation is invited and encouraged to attend the annual LWML soup supper to be held Wednesday December 13 at 5:30pm
Sandy Ladwig was elected president and Susan Williams was elected secretary at the November Trinity Women's Society meeting. A $150 donation was made to the Mitchell Morrill Lyman Food Pantry designated for the purchase of meat.
The congregation is invited and encouraged to attend the annual LWML soup supper to be held Wednesday December 13 at 5:30pm
DATES TO REMEMBER FOR DECEMBER
December 3 Dee Allen Birthday
December 5 Bill Allen Birthday
December 5 Burke Schneider Birthday
December 5 Dorothy Stuckert Baptismal
date
December 9 Kenny Hendren Birthday
December 10 Julie Alkire Birthday
December 12 Logan Allen Birthday
December 22 Chuck & Gloria Gibbs Anniversary
December 23 Christine Humphrey Birthday
December 23 Bill Allen Baptismal date
December 23 Logan Allen Baptismal
date
December 24 Dee Allen Baptismal date
December 30 Keith Kaufman Birthday
December 31 Leo and Sheila Jayne Anniversary
If your name does not appear, it is because
these were taken from Trinity’s calendar directory for which we have permission
to use names and dates. Please notify the office to have a date added.
