Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Morrill, NE
Sermons, News, and More from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (LCMS), Morrill, Nebraska. Office: 308-247-2432; Fax: 509-561-3437. Divine Service is celebrated on Sundays at 9AM, followed by Sunday school and adult Bible Study. Prayer and Bible study is also held on Thursdays at 9:30AM.
November 2018 Newsletter
You Are Baptized
You belong to Jesus.
Yes, you have been united to Him, even when times are stressful, even when
there are times that the Lord seems distant to you. Consider these words from
Luther’s Large Catechism: “Our Baptism abides forever. Even though someone
should fall from Baptism and sin, still we always have access to it. So we may subdue the old man again. But we do not need to be
sprinkled with water again. . . . Even if we were put under the water a hundred
times, it would still be only one Baptism, even though the work and sign
continue and remain. Repentance, therefore, is nothing other than a return and
approach to Baptism. We repeat and do what we began before, but abandoned.”
“I say this lest we fall into the
opinion in which we were stuck for a long time. We were imagining that our
Baptism is something past, which we can no longer use after we have fallen
again into sin. The reason for this is that Baptism is regarded as only based
on the outward act once performed (and completed). This arose from the fact
that St. Jerome wrote that ‘repentance is the second plank by which we must
swim forth and cross over the water after the ship is broken, on which we step
and are carried across when we come into the Christian Church.’ By this
teaching Baptism's use has been abolished so that it can no longer profit us.
Therefore, Jerome's statement is not correct, or at any rate is not rightly
understood. For the ship of Baptism never breaks, because . . . It is God's
ordinance and not our work [1 Peter 3:20-22]. But it does happen, indeed, that
we slip and fall out of the ship. Yet if anyone falls out, let him see to it
that he swims up and clings to the ship until he comes into it again and lives
in it, as he had done before.”
“In this way one sees what a
great, excellent thing Baptism is. It delivers us from the devil's jaws and
makes us God's own. It suppresses and takes away sin and then daily strengthens
the new man. It is working and always continues working until we pass from this
estate of misery to eternal glory” (IV 77-83).
So remember, you are
baptized—not was—for the righteousness of Christ belongs to you, as you
belong to Him. As St. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “Do you not know
that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too
might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death
like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his”
(Romans 6:3-5).
Augsburg Confession XV: Of Ecclesiastical Usages
Why do we do what we do in the
Divine Service? Must we do those things? The answer to the second
question is definitely “no,” but that doesn’t mean everything is an open
question. We follow in the pattern that the Christians who have gone on before
us, building on the sound pattern that they have set. Rev. Paul McCain wrote
regarding Article XV of the Augsburg Confession: “Lutheranism embraces the good
historic traditions of the Church, especially those of the Western Church.
These include such things as following the pattern of the Church year,
lectionary readings from the Bible, a liturgical order of worship, various
festival days, vestments worn by clergy, and the use of candles, crucifixes,
and other objects. As this article makes very clear, in the Lutheran Church,
rites, decorations, or traditions are never used or followed to appease God’s
wrath or to earn the forgiveness of sins. Lutheranism removed from the Church
useless and harmful traditions such as monastic vows and insisting on certain
foods on certain days (see also Ap XV; SA III XV; FC Ep X and SD X).”
1 Our churches teach that ceremonies ought to be observed that
may be observed without sin. Also, ceremonies and other practices that are
profitable for tranquility and good order in the Church (in particular, holy
days, festivals, and the like) ought to be observed.
2 Yet, the people are taught that consciences are not to be
burdened as though observing such things was necessary for salvation
[Colossians 2:16–17]. 3 They are also taught that human traditions instituted
to make atonement with God, to merit grace, and to make satisfaction for sins
are opposed to the Gospel and the doctrine of faith. 4 So vows and traditions
concerning meats and days, and so forth, instituted to merit grace and to make
satisfaction for sins, are useless and contrary to the Gospel.
The
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
LCMS Stewardship Ministry
November 2018 Newsletter Article
Sometimes people don’t like it when pastors talk about
stewardship. For some, it hits too close to home. It is easier to talk about
bad people in Washington, in history, or overseas than it is to think about
what our daily life in Christ is supposed to look like – how we are supposed to
love our neighbor.
The fact that we don’t like hearing about stewardship certainly
means we ought to face it. Here are a few simple and practical realities.
God calls us to first-fruits, sacrificial giving. This means we
should give off the top. We should set a percentage of our income as a
deliberate gift for the work of the Church and give that first. We write the
check to the Lord’s work in the Church before we pay the mortgage or pay for
our medicine or pay for anything else.
We don’t pay for all the stuff we need, and think we need, and
then give from what is left over. That is the first-fruits idea. It is hard
because we think we need all sorts of other things first. But that is the point
of “sacrificial.”
Next, how could the starting point for Christian generosity and
sacrifice really be anything less than a tithe – 10 percent? The ceremonial law
of the Old Testament was never arbitrary. In the Old Testament, the Levites
received this tithe so they could be full-time ministers.
Does the New Testament have a ministry that is larger or
smaller? It is far larger: “Make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19).
And we are still to have a full-time ministry: “The Lord has
commanded that those who preach the Gospel should make their living from the Gospel”
(1 Cor. 9:14).
So, if 10 percent was needed in the Old Testament, and we have a
bigger mission need in the New Testament, how can we expect the Lord’s work to
be done on less than a tithe?
First-fruits, sacrificial, generous giving – that’s the way.
We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that we’ve out-given God’s goodness
or that we’ve given plenty.
We might be tempted to think so but consider – no one in the
Church has given plenty because no one has given all. No one has died for his
sins. Only the sinless Son of God did that.
Or, as St. Paul said, bringing the Good News of Jesus into the
discussion of our giving to support the Lord’s work in the Church:
“I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of
others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you
by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:8-9).
As you can see, what the Bible commands about our stewardship
can sting. It’s law, and the law shows our sins. It calls us to repentance.
The law is meant to expose and accuse for the sake of showing us
Christ and His fulfillment of the law. If first-fruits, sacrificial giving has
you squirming, that’s the point.
In Mark’s account of the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus took the
disciples’ five loaves and two fish and blessed them. It was nothing among so
many, but, of course, it was plenty. Jesus makes something from nothing.
Mark doesn’t say that all the disciples gave Jesus all the bread they had. It is quite possible some of them held something back. But even if they did, that didn’t stop
Jesus from blessing them. Jesus makes something out of nothing.
He, who fed His people in the desert with Manna every morning,
doesn’t need their bread. But they need to give it. And what they give, however
little it might be, however grudgingly they do so, He blesses it.
He not only blesses those whom He feeds with it, but He blesses
them, the givers – not just in that they wind up with (a basket full for each
loaf) but that they learned to trust and rejoice in Him.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. The Lord gives
abundantly or asks us to fast. We do not know what will happen. Blessed be the
Name of the Lord.
He does all things well and works all things together for good.
The disciples don’t give their bread to Jesus because it is a good investment.
They give it because He is good, they love Him, and they trust Him. Let us go
and do likewise.
Round-Up
November 2018
District
Website: www.wylcms.org
The Year of the Formula of Concord
“...REMEMBERING YOU IN MY PRAYERS...” (Eph. 1:16)
For
Nelda Simonson, wife of Rev. Duane Simonson, who is mostly homebound and
in the advanced stages of cancer.
For
Rev. Vernon Boehlke, who is receiving treatments for cancer.
For
Rev. Jeff Grams as he recovers from surgery to repair a torn retina.
PASTORS
AND CONGREGATIONS
Rev.
James Martin (Emmanuel, Green River) is considering a call to Trinity, Rock Springs.
Emmanuel and Trinity have entered a multi-point parish agreement, which
will be brought to formal completion with the installation of their shared
pastor.
The parish of Zion, Grover and Grace,
Pine Bluffs is exploring alternative parish arrangements for ministry. The
parish is being served by Rev. Richard Boche during the vacancy period.
Trinity, Cheyenne is being served by Rev.
Marcus Baikie (Our Savior’s, Cheyenne) during its vacancy.
St. Paul’s, Sidney will study the doctrine
of the Divine Call and the Holy Ministry as part of its pre-call process. Rev.
Allen Strawn (St. Paul’s, Bridgeport) is serving St. Paul’s during the
vacancy.
Rev.
Travis Sherman (Grace, Gordon, NE) is serving Grace, Merriman, NE (Nebraska District)
while it considers its future.
Youth Breakaway Weekend
The annual Youth Breakaway
Weekend will be held November 2–4, 2018 at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church and
Campus Center, Laramie. Registration (and the option to pay) is online at https://standrewslaramie.org/?page_id=258.
THE BRIDE CONFESSES
CHRIST: THE FORMULA OF CONCORD
This month in our review of the
Formula of Concord we will look briefly at two articles: Article 9, “The
Descent into Hell,” and Article 10, “Church Practices.” Article 9 on
Christ’s descent into hell (which we confess in the Apostles’ Creed) settles a
controversy that arose at that time. The concluding paragraph in the Epitome
summarizes the main point for us:
“It is enough if we know that
Christ descended into hell, destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered
them from the power of death and of the devil, from eternal condemnation and
the jaws of hell. We will save our questions about how this happened until the
other world. Then not only this mystery, but others also will be revealed that
we simply believe here and cannot grasp with our blind reason” (FC Ep IX.4).
Article 10, “Church Practices which are Called Adiaphora or
Matters of Indifference,” speaks very directly to the ongoing disagreements and
debates about liturgy and other church practices among our churches today.
“Adiaphora” refers to salutary church practices that are neither commanded nor
forbidden in Scriptures. generally assumes that local groupings of churches,
such as our circuits and districts, will act together in these matters, rather
than in an individualistic way. Church practices include many (but not all)
elements of our liturgy, confirmation, communion, and other congregational
practices.
“A disagreement has also arisen
among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession about ceremonies or Church
rites that are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have been
introduced into the Church for the sake of good order and fitting use.
Status of the Controversy:
The Chief Controversy about This Article
“The chief question has been
about a time of persecution and a matter of confession, even when the enemies
of the Gospel have not reached an agreement with us in doctrine. Can some
abolished ceremonies (which in themselves are matters of indifference and are
neither commanded nor forbidden by God) be re-established by the pressure and
demand of the adversaries without harming our conscience? May we compromise
with them in such ceremonies and adiaphora? To this question one side has said
Yes; the other, No.
Theses (Affirmative
Statements): The Correct and True Teaching and Confession about This Article
“1. For settling this
controversy, we unanimously believe, teach, and confess that some ceremonies or
Church practices are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have
been introduced only for the sake of fitting and good order. Such rites are not
in and of themselves divine worship. They are not even a part of it. Matthew
15:9 says, ‘In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments
of men.’
“2. We believe, teach, and
confess that the community [or churches] of God (in every place and at every
time according to its circumstances) has the power to change such worship
ceremonies in a way that may be most useful and edifying to the community
[churches] of God.
“3. Nevertheless, all frivolity
and offense should be avoided in this matter. Special care should be taken to
exercise patience toward the weak in faith.
“4. We believe, teach, and
confess that during a time of persecution, when a plain confession is required
of us, we should not yield to the enemies in such matters of adiaphora. For the
apostle has written in Galatians 5:1, ‘For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’ He also
writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14, ‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For
what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has
light with darkness?’ Also note Galatians 2:5, ‘To them we did not yield in
submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be
preserved for you.’ For in such a case it is no longer a question about
adiaphora. But it concerns the truth of the Gospel, Christian liberty, and
sanctioning open idolatry. It also concerns the prevention of offense to the
weak in the faith. In such a case we have nothing to concede. We should plainly
confess and endure what God sends because of that confession, and whatever He
allows the enemies of His Word to inflict on us.
“5.
We believe, teach, and confess also that no church should condemn another
because one has less or more outward ceremonies than the other, for those are
not commanded by God. This is true as long as they have unity with one another
in the doctrine and all its articles and in the right use of the holy
Sacraments. This practice follows the well-known saying ‘Disagreement in
fasting does not destroy agreement in faith.” (FC X.1–7)
REFORMATION 500: 1518 in Review
Luther’s heresy trial from
1518–1521 was before the Roman church’s highest court, though much of it
consisted of political maneuvering among numerous parties in both church and
state. His formal hearing took place in Augsburg, Germany, October 12–14, 1518,
before Cardinal Thomas de Vio (Cajetan). Cajetan made three demands of Luther:
1) return to the heart of the church, 2) retract his errors, and 3) in the
future refrain from his errors and anything that would disturb the church.
Cajetan focused on two issues of substance: indulgences and the authority of
the pope to establish doctrine. Luther demonstrated that indulgences had
nothing to do with the merits of Christ earned by his death. He held firmly to
the authority of Holy Scriptures alone for establishing and testing doctrine.
He did not recant.
In the political wrangling of
the days following the hearing, Luther’s superior in the Augustinian order,
Johann von Staupitz, absolved Luther of his vow of obedience as an Augustinian,
thus enabling Luther to act with fewer constraints. Luther’s life and freedom,
however, were in doubt. On the evening of October 20, Luther left Augsburg
secretly and in haste. He returned, sick and exhausted, but joyful, to
Wittenberg on October 31, exactly one year after the publication of the
Ninety-Five Theses. On November 18, Luther formally appealed to an ecumenical
council to counter the false doctrine of the pope. On December 7, Frederick the
Wise, Luther’s prince and protector, formally refused to surrender Luther to
the pope.
NEXT ROUNDUP…
… will be delivered to
congregations around November 20 (December 2018 issue). Watch for it!
STRONG
FAITH, FERVENT: LOVE
Make a Joyful Noise
Pastor Todd Kollbaum
“What am I to do? I will pray
with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my
spirit, but I will sing with my mind also” (1 Cor. 14:15). “Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts
to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:16–17).
In his preface to the Wittenberg
Hymnal, Martin Luther wrote, “That it is good and God pleasing to sing hymns
is, I think, known to every Christian; for everyone is aware not only of the
example of the prophets and kings in the Old Testament who praised God with
song and sound, with poetry and psaltery, but also of the common and ancient
custom of the Christian church to sing Psalms. St. Paul himself instituted this
in 1 Corinthians 14 [:15] and exhorted the Colossians [3:16] to sing spiritual
songs and Psalms heartily unto the Lord so that God’s Word and Christian
teaching might be instilled and implanted in many ways.”(1)
What a blessing it is for us to
have such a marvelous gift as we do in our Lutheran Service Book that we might
be able sing praises to our God in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with
thankfulness in our hearts.” While we may not be a nightingale, we can all make
a “joyful noise to the Lord” and take full advantage of this wonderful gift of
God to His church.
(1) Luther, Martin: Pelikan,
Jaroslav Jan (Hrsg.); Oswald, Hilton C. (Hrsg.); Lehmann, Helmut T. (Hrsg.):
Luther’s Works, Vol. 53: Liturgy and Hymns. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1999,
c1965 (Luther’s Works 53), S. 53:315.
Voter’s Meeting October 18, 2018
The
October Voter’s Meeting was called to order by chairman Don Bowlin. The minutes
from the July meeting were read and approved. The treasurer’s report was read by Levi Bowlin
in the absence of Harlan Kurtz.
The report was approved as read showing the following balances:
General Fund: $1,681.55
Maintenance Fund $5,753.48
LCEF CD $3,545.74
Four
visitors were present and indicated their desire to join the Voter’s
Assembly. A motion was made by Elmer
Wohl and a second by Pastor Humphrey to accept: Julie Alkire, Kim Schledewitz,
and George and Tracie Ross as voting members. Carried.
Pastor’s Report: Pastor stated as
per the Voter’s agreement he has registered himself for the Concordia Health
Plans. He said the District still
recommends the Concordia Health Plans. He recently attended the Fall Pastor’s
Conference in Casper October 1-3. The St
Andrews Youth Breakaway Retreat will be November 3-5 in Laramie. The Good News Convocation will be January 25
and 26 in Casper. Since we have the
opportunity to nominate Pastors for Synodical positions, it was moved by Pastor
with a second by Levi Bowlin to nominate for Synodical President: Rev Matthew
Harrison and Rev Lawrence Rast, and to nominate Rev. Nabil Nour as Synodical
Vice President. Carried.
Elders Report: Wes Bowlin reported since Charlotte Herrell
has passed away she has been taken off the church membership list. Since the elders have been working on a
delinquent list, the following members have asked to be released: Ryan Bowlin, Michelle
Rice, Ray Derr, and Kenton Ewing. The
following members will be taken off the rolls as no reply came from them:
Nathan Lashley, Brooke Lashley, Lindsey Cawthra, Skyler Cawthra, Kim Derr,
David and Laura Derr, Amy Kroll, Susan Mount, Skyler Spencer, Andrea Ott, Shelley,
Kristen, Dustin and Jessica Welsch, and Billy Zwiebel, It was moved by Elmer Wohl, and second by
Levi Bowlin that these releases be granted. Motion carried.
Trustees Report: Virgil Ritz stated there was a problem with
the furnace for the Fellowship Hall, but it has been repaired. He also said he does not know when Reisig will
run the cement for the Handicap parking area. (Update cement was poured on
October 23,2018).
SS Superintendent: Roxane Humphrey stated attendance is very
slack for Sunday School.
Election of Officers.:
Motion was made by Pastor with a second by Rudy Landreth that any nominations
from the floor be made before voting starts.
Carried. The following have
agreed to serve for 2019.
Chairman
Don Bowlin
Treasurer Julie Alkire
Elder
( 3 year term) Keith Kaufman
Trustee
( 3 year Term) Jim Swenson
Financial
Secretary Susan Williams
Head
Usher Rudy Landreth.
The
following officers were elected by ballot:
Secretary
Wes Bowlin
Sunday
School Superintendent Melvina Dillman
Finance
Board, Karen Ritz, Jon Warnke, and George Ross.
Motion
was made by Virgil Ritz that we adopt the proposed budget for 2019. The second was made by Rudy Landreth,
carried. ( See last page).
A
motion was made by Pastor and a second by Elmer Wohl to raise Julie Alkire’s
salary by a $1.00 per hour.
There
being no other business, the meeting closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Gerald
Ritz, Secretary
Trinity
Lutheran Women’s Society LWML Minutes
Wednesday,
October 10, 2018
Trinity Lutheran Women’s
Society met Wednesday, October 10, 2018. Pastor Humphrey led a Bible study,
“Are Scriptures About You or For You?”
The meeting was called to
order by President Sandy Heine in the name of the Triune God with 8 members
present. Minutes from the September 12,
2018 meeting were read and approved as presented. The Treasurer’s Report was read with a
society balance of $1,140.80 and Morrill Elementary Backpack Program $2,250.49. The Treasurers report was filed for audit.
Committee
Reports:
Planning Committee
reported that they had determined that there just wasn’t a convenient time to
have Guest Night this year.
Correspondence:
We received information
from the Orphan Grain Train. It was moved by Melvina Dillman and seconded by
Karen Ritz to donate 100.00 to the Orphan Grain Train.
Information was also
received from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne regarding the
Christmas Gift Card program. If you are interested in purchasing cards, please
have them to Pastor by early November or you can mail them to the seminary
yourself if you prefer. They would like them by November 16. It was moved by
Melvina Dillman and seconded by Karen Ritz to purchase 4 $25 gift cards to send
to the seminary.
Unfinished
Business:
Melvina had ordered some
things for LWML Sunday but they didn’t arrive in time. She would pass them out
this coming Sunday. A bill was presented
for the items purchased.
New
Business:
The Pine Ridge Zone Fall
Rally will be October 14 beginning at 2:30 in Alliance. A light supper will be served.
Lisa Kaufman and Nancy
Wohl will be on the nominating committee.
Vice President and Treasurer are the offices that will need to be filled
for 2019.
Closing Devotions:
Lisa Kaufman provided
closing devotions.
The meeting was adjourned
with the Lord’s Prayer and the table prayer.
Hostesses were Jean
Strauch and Nancy Wohl
The next LWML meeting will
be Wednesday, November 14, 2018.
There will be no hostesses
in November. Everyone is to bring their
favorite snack.
Closing Devotions: Sharon
Schledewitz
Yours in Christ,
Susan Williams, Secretary
DATES TO REMEMBER FOR NOVEMBER
November 1 Mike Strauch Birthday
November 1 Addison
Bowlin Birthday
November 3 Nancy
Wohl Birthday
November 8 Michelle
Hill Baptismal Date
November 11 Armeda
Freel Birthday
November 12 Elmer
Wohl Baptismal Date
November 29 Peyton
Wilson Baptismal Date
If your name does not appear, it
is because these were taken from Trinity’s directory for which we have
permission to use names and dates.
Please notify the office to have
a date added.
