Dear Christian Friends:

Christ Is Risen!  Are you excited to start hearing that?  Me too!  How exciting it is as we move into the month where we will celebrate Christ’s victory over death and His resurrection, where He showed without a doubt that He truly is the Son of God.  Still, there are a lot of different rumors floating around about how this holiday got its origin, and whether or not a “good Christian” can celebrate a holiday named after an “Anglo-Saxon goddess”.  If you have never heard of these rumors, consider yourselves lucky.  If you have and they have left you thinking “why does the church celebrate Easter?  Did we re-appropriate an ancient pagan tradition for our own purposes?”  I hope to help you navigate these questions in this article.

I would like to start by dispelling a rumor that Easter is just the Roman Catholic church’s way of taking a pagan holiday named after the celebration of the Goddess of Spring named Ishtar and reforming it into a church celebration.  You must understand that those who make this claim do so based on an assumption that does not have definitive evidence.  People can be bold in making any statement they want when they are talking about “what if’s” that cannot be proven false.  What I mean by this is: they cannot prove this theory any more than you can disprove it.  However, even if the modern name of the holiday comes from a pagan tradition and even if secular traditions surrounding the holiday also come from that, Resurrection Day was celebrated long before it was assigned the name “easter” and egg hunts were started.  The celebration of Christ resurrection is, in fact, the oldest known church tradition, far exceeding the establishment of the papacy or even Emperor Constantine’s legalization of Christianity.   We have records from the Second Century… 100’s A.D. showing definitively that churches had already set aside one day out of the year to celebrate the resurrection, long before “easter” was designated to be the name of the celebration.

Another awesome thing to know about the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is that it is likely the reason we now worship on a Sunday rather than a Saturday (the traditional Jewish Sabbath).  This celebration was done on the “eight day” according to second century documents, and was considered to be the “Lord’s Day” as it was the day we celebrate His resurrection. Contrast this to the Christmas celebration, which there is no documented evidence for prior to the 4th century A.D.  What does this mean for us?  When we celebrate easter we join with Christians from the earliest churches in acknowledging the resurrection of Christ to be the greatest event in all of human history!

If you are tired of the commercialization of Easter and seeing all the bunnies and eggs around, that is perfectly understandable.  I also understand if you prefer to refer to it as “Resurrection Day” rather than “Easter.”  We certainly like to strip holidays of Christ in our modern culture, and that can be frustrating for those of us who know what the holiday is really about.  Still, be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Rather than allowing Easter to be a time when you find yourself upset, perhaps you can use the cultural traditions around easter as a means of sharing the Gospel of Christ with those you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach!

Regardless of what you choose to call it, or what traditions you choose to embrace during this season, my prayer is that you do not allow exterior factors to steal your joy at the celebration of what Christ has done for us.  This is an excellent time where our voices join with all Christians who compose the Body of Christ past, present, and future, in triumphantly proclaiming He Is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!

In the love of Christ, Vicar Simmons

Dear Christian Friends:

As we progress into the penitent season of Lent, you may be wondering: “why name a season out of that flammable stuff I pull out of my dryer?”  First, it is the season of Lent, not the season of lint! Although, that would make for an interesting forty days… In all seriousness, Lent is an abbreviated version of the old English word lecten which means “spring season”.  We can be thankful it doesn’t still go by the old Latin name for it which was Quadragesima.  Try asking your friends what they’re planning on giving up for Quadragesima and you’re guaranteed to get weird looks.

The observance of the 40 day period before Easter can actually be traced all the way back to the 4^th century AD. (That’s less than 300 years after Paul was writing his letters!). Originally, it was a season of fasting where Christians would restrict their diets heavily to focus on prayer and reflect on what Christ gave up in order to free us from our sins.  Today, we still carry some of this tradition as many Christians also fast from one thing or another as part of their Lenten observance.

“But Why!” You might ask.  After all, Christ has absolved us from all of our sins!  Every day we are to die to sin and rise again with Christ. Why should these 40 days be any different from the other 325 days of the year?  The truth is Lent is not a requirement for a proper Christian life. You are certainly no more or less sinful during this season, nor are you any less forgiven of your sins.  Still, setting aside 40 days a year to really focus on how helpless we are in the face of sin is a beneficial practice, and it’s not completely foreign to us either.

We set aside time every year to celebrate birthdays, although we are no less alive any other day of the year.  Similarly, we celebrate anniversaries, though we are no less married any other day of the year.  We do the same for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentines Day, and the list goes on. The truth is, we don’t have the time on any given day to focus and reflect on all the things we should focus and reflect on.  We cannot dote on our mothers or fathers every day of the year, or have a party for the fact that we are alive every day, so we set aside one day to demonstrate how truly important these things are.

The season of Lent is no different.  It is a scheduled 40 days of the year where we are to remind ourselves of things that should always be very aware of: the damaging wickedness of our own sin. Praise God He did not leave us in this state, however.  Rather than awarding us the eternal hell and damnation we deserve, He sent His only Son to take on our flesh, die our death, and rise again as the first of the resurrection.  This season of Lent I invite you to set aside time to reflect on the terror of sin, that you may also hold fast to the beautiful love show for us by God in that, while we were yet sinners, He sent His Son to die for us.

In the love of Christ, Vicar Simmons

Dear Christian Friends:

Modern marketing statistics articulate that the average American is expected to see 4,000 – 10,000 ads… PER DAY.  Take a second to let that soak in.  I was aghast when I read this statistic as I would have never guessed the number to be so high in my life (but I certainly believe it!).  This means that 4,000 – 10,000 times a day, you look at something that has been specifically designed by paid and trained professionals to influence your brain into thinking in a certain way.  I don’t care how disciplined you may be, certainly some of these ads will accomplish their mission.

As I am sure you have seen, not every ad is innocent.  In fact, more and more ads are designed to lead us into some form of sin whether it be: envy, lust, materialism, or despair.  You see, every ad may be completely unique and offer products that are entirely different, but they all have one thing in common: they are designed to keep you from being joyful and content.  After all, nobody ever came up with a slogan “joyful contentment sells” because it just isn’t true.  For us Christians, this poses a problem, after all joyful contentment is the way St. Paul tells us we are to live (Philippians 4:11-13).  So what are we supposed to do?  Do we throw away our phones, move out into the middle of nowhere and go off the grid with nothing but a Bible and a roll of duct tape?  As tempting as that may sound for some of us, I’d like to offer a far more practical solution: we must be intentional about filling our mind with positive Biblical influences (Philippians 4:8).

This starts with getting into our Bibles daily.  For many of you, this is already a practice you are taking part of as you continue with our “Read Your Bible in 2 Years” plan.  For those that are finding it difficult, I fully understand, we all have busy schedules.  Still, you will always have time for the things in your life you prioritize.   When you consider all the other things in life that are specifically designed to draw you into idolatry and discontentment, escaping from these things regularly and filling yourself with the counsel of

Perhaps it would help to think about this from a different perspective.  When I was a criminal investigator, one of my favorite parts of the job was conducting interrogations.  This was not because I am particularly skilled at the actual interrogation portion, but rather because I loved the set up.  You see, half the battle with an interrogation is how you set up your interrogation room.  If you are able to create an environment that is friendly yet subliminally says “I have you dead to rights”, you start an interrogation having already accomplished half the battle.  Once the subject is in the room, you just talk friendly and confidently and allow their mind to wander.  Most individuals fall prey to the setup and, imagining you already know the whole story, confess fairly early with very little prompting.  Before they know it, they are shaking my hand and signing a statement swearing everything they said was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Often times, they would even thank me for listening to them confess to their crime.

Friends, Satan has your flesh dead to rights and he has set this world up to lead you right into his trap.  Your only chance to see through his schemes is to prioritize your faith.  Never forget, his goal is to have you smile and thank him as he leads you away from the salvation you have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.  There is no greater priority.

In the love of Christ, Vicar Simmons

Dear Christian friends:

Happy new you!  Yes, Art Linkletter, kids do say the darndest things.  After listening to a few Christmas songs, Micah (age 2) began saying, “Happy new you!”

We deduced he meant “Happy new year!”  But he got something right.

One author wrote:
The beginning of every year brings in new hope and enthusiasm. We look forward to a new beginning and hope things to improve from the last year. We like to forget about our pasts and its daunting memories and wish for a new start. Hence, New Year is celebrated with pomp and joy by every race around the world.

And Benjamin Franklin said:
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.

There is something about the New Year’s holiday where we focus on improving ourselves.
A 41 billion dollar industry can prove it.  Happy New You!
We look to books and videos and seminars.
We look to motivational speakers and mentors and personal coaches.

Each New Year’s Eve we look forward to the new year with a gleam of self-improvement.
Weight loss, stop smoking, exercising…
Financial management, time management, stress management…

All the while, Sunday during the divine service the dream of your heart and the gleam of your eye is obtained.  In the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

Happy New You!  For you see, in that very moment you are new.
You don’t need to read books or watch videos or attend seminars.
You don’t need to listen to motivational speakers or find a mentor or hire a personal coach.
Christ forgives you and you are instantly new!

So as the clock strikes midnight and the new year begins, make your resolution.
Then become a new you and confess your sins!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Maybe we should celebrate with pomp and joy and the excitement of the New Year’s countdown the next time we have Confession and Absolution.

Merry Christmas and Happy New You!
Pastor Hartwig

Dear Christian Friends:

A new church-year is upon us.  The 27 long weeks of green have finally come to an end, and we can now pull out the beautiful blue colors as we reflect upon the season of Advent.  Because of this, it is only fitting that we take a moment to understand the way our church year is broken up.  It is rather simple, yet intentional and has been practiced for thousands of years.

Semester Domini: In Latin, “Semester” literally means 6 months.  Thus, the “Semester Domini” is 6 months of The Lord (Domini), which is the focus of the first 6 months of the church year.  It begins in Advent and ends with Christ’s Ascension.  This, of course, is not to say that the entire church year doesn’t center around Christ; however, the holidays and seasons of these 6 months focus on the life of Christ.  They begin with the Advent (anticipation), to the 12-day celebration of His birth (starting… not ending… on December 25^th).  Then we move into Epiphany and the Transfiguration. Lent is next, as we reflect upon Christ’s ministry and His path to the cross.  After this we proceed to the season of Easter which culminates in Ascension Day, which is typically celebrated on the Seventh (and last) Sunday of Easter.

Semester Ecclesia: The celebration of Pentecost begins the next 6 months of the church year, which is literally “6 months of the Church (Ecclesia)”.  During this time, our lectionary takes us through a few of the epistles from cover-to-cover and emphasizes what it looks like to live as the church.  During this time, we also get to enjoy a few breaks from the green paraments when we celebrate Reformation Day and All Saint’s Day. Compare these two holidays to those found during the Semester Domini.  Notice how they are focused on the lives of Christians (i.e. the church) rather than events from the life of Christ.

As Pastor Hartwig regularly discusses, it is essential that we know what we are doing and why we are doing it.  The Church year is a very thoroughly planned out structure that has been in place for thousands of years.  This intentionality allows us to receive the full council of Christ’s Body (that is the church) and grow and learn together as His people.

It is my prayer that, as you enter into this time of reflection, you enjoy the beauty and excitement that comes along with the Christmas season.  What a blessing it is to live in a time where we can so joyfully and publicly announce God’s greatest gift to the world, His Son, who brings with Him forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting.  Remember, although the sun may be absent for most of the month of December, the Son is certainly present with us as we celebrate His birth!  May His peace be upon you in this season.

In the love of Christ, Vicar Simmons

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –

Jesus, speaking to His disciples, said, “A new command I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, ifyou have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

“A new command.” Yet it is an old one. It was Moses, way back in the book of Leviticus, directed by God to speak His commands to His people, who said, “You shall not take vengeance.., but you shall love your neighbor as yourself, l am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18).

Jesus amplified His command, however, We are to love, He said, “as I have loved you.”
We understand what Jesus is talking about for we know how He loved us.
He has loved us enough to leave the glories of Heaven.
He has loved us more than earthly power and status and honor.
He has loved us more than He loved His own life.

Jesus further said that love for one another would be the mark of members of the Family of God. Just as He gave sight to the blind, made the lame man walk, healed the sick, and preached the Gospel to eager ears, so did His followers. So should we today.

With the love of Christ in us…
Fourteen of members of the Panama Mission team traveled to Panama City, Panama to offer eyeglass clinics at the four churches of the Lutheran Church of Panama — El Redentor Lutheran Church in Balbo, Dios es Grande Lutheran Church in Loma Coba, Los Andes Mission Church, and Emanuel Lutheran Church in Sora. In five days we tested eyesight and gave out 1,120 pairs of glasses. During the clinics, we acted as the hands and feet of Jesus. We traveled to those in need and we served them.

Loving others as Christ has loved us means that we should be willing to lay down our lives for them. It means no less than laying down our lives.  This is a tall order.

Sinful beings that we are, we are not prone to love others as Christ has loved us. The apostle John tells us how it is possible: “Beloved, “he wrote in 1 John 4:7, “let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

We are born of God, and, by His grace, we can carry out His command to love one another through all the opportunities He gives us with all the gifts He gives us.

In the love of Christ, Pastor Hartwig

Dear Christian Friends:

As we move into the wonderful season of fall, we get to see the immense beauty of this creation which, even in its fallen state, still has incredible depth of color and life.  As Psalm 19:1 reminds us, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”  For me, this time of year makes that even more apparent.  It is the season for leaf piles, apple cider, corn mazes, and bonfires, but it is also a season for preparation.

In older generations, the preparation of fall was essential.  Winters are dark and harsh.  Prior to the modern convenience of heaters, stocked grocery stores, and modern insulation, winters were a time where a lack of preparation could result in death.  We can praise God that winters no longer pose as serious a threat for us as they have in the past.  What about Spiritual winters, though?  Times where we feel trapped in darkness.  We feel isolated, lonely, in grief, guilt, or shame? How do we prepare for the winters when we have to constantly ask our soul “why are you downcast, oh my soul? And why are you in turmoil within me?” (Psalm 42:5).

St. Paul refers to these times as times of wrestling against this present darkness and that of the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).  The remedy? We must put on the full armor of God.  Just like a knight does not wait until the heat of battle to don his armor, we too must don our armor before the winter comes upon us.  How do we do this? Consider the armor we are to wear:

Fastening the belt of truth: God’s word is truth (John 17:17), thus we must immerse ourselves in the truth of the Gospel by regular participation in the sacraments, worship, and fellowship with other Christians.  We receive God’s truths in our fellowship around His altar every Sunday, and when we come together to study His word throughout the week.

Breastplate of Righteousness: Our righteousness is given to us by God (Romans 1:17).  This righteousness then pours through our lives as a we walk according to the calling by which we have been called.  Thus, to fasten on this breastplate is to obey the will of God for our lives, joyfully, across the vocations He has placed us in.

Shoes of the Gospel: We are called to always be prepared to give an account for the hope we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15-17).  This comes with studying and knowing the word of God and living in the Hope He brings us.

Shield, Sword, and Helmet: These tools go hand in hand (pun intended), as our faith stems from our salvation received by Christ which comes to us through the Word and is refined through prayer.  We must develop an active prayer life and confidence in God’s work during the times of preparation, so when the fiery trials come upon us, we will already be equipped for battle with the whole armor of God.

It is my prayer that you take the time to enjoy this beautiful season both physically and spiritually.  May the changing of the leaves and the tart and sweet taste of apple cider remind you of your faithful preparation and help you fix your eyes upon the cross of Christ.

In the love of Christ, Vicar Simmons

Dear Christian Friends:

How many stars are there in the sky? Who can count them? Yet God created and knows each of them.

How many different kinds of animals in the forests and deserts and oceans?
We have not come to the end of discovering them all, but God has created each one in its unique way.

Nor has God been less meticulous with us, for, even though all humans have the same body structure, a face with nose, eyes, and mouth, and all our various parts, yet each of us is uniquely different from another.

Not only has God created each of us, He knows us intimately and cares about every facet of our lives and activities. David, the psalmist, wrote about this characteristic of God in Psalm 139:
“0 Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit
  and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my
  going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways”
(Psalm 139:1-3).

Here is really something to be thankful for!
The Creator of the universe cares so much about you that He searches your heart and mind in order that He might know you! We talk about our need and desire to know God; have you ever thanked Him that He wants to know you?

Are you thankful that you can never get away from God?
That He knows when you sit, when you stand,when you go somewhere, and even when you lie down to go to sleep at night?

Like the three-year old who stamps her little foot in defiance when her parents make her go to bed when she needs rest and like the rebellious teen who believes his parents are out to control him, we do not always recognize that all God gives us and does for us and, yes, even demands of us, is for our good because He loves us.

Sometimes we, too, stamp our feet and shout at God in defiance, while we should be thanking Him for His presence. Sometime we, too, are like the rebellious teen who believes that God is out to control us, yet we should be thanking Him for His constant care, for His love that will not let go of us. Tenderly He forgives our waywardness, restoring us again to His presence, giving us ever more cause for gratitude.  And all of this is done through His precious Word and Sacraments.

In the love of Christ, Pastor Hartwig

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Memorial Day is not just the end of school and start of summer,
On it, we honor those who have given their lives in the line of duty.
Who have fought and died for our safety and freedom.
On it, we remember the work that our soldiers have put in,
What their duties and responsibilities are as they serve.
It’s a day to remember how and why they serve.

And this year, leading up to Memorial Day,
we had two church Holy-Days honoring the work of God.

On Trinity Sunday, we remember and honor our triune God.
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Three persons with their own work,
Yet at the same time are one God, acting for our salvation.
Three in one – Tri-une. That is who our God is.

And this is the work of our triune God –
that we receive forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting.
The Father begins our salvation and sets all in motion.
The Son earns for us salvation and pays the price of sin.
The Holy Spirit gives us the gifts earned by the Son through faith.

And on Pentecost, we honor and remember the work of the Holy Spirit,
Both on that day:
How the tongues of flame appeared on the apostle’s heads,
How they spoke, and all could understand in their own language,
How faith was stirred up in 3000 people that day.
And in our lives today:
How faith is stirred up and created in us,
How we are comforted in our distress,
How we are given the words to spread the Gospel.

Throughout this season of Pentecost,
Let us remember and honor the work of the Holy Spirit,
Who creates faith in us and gives us the great gifts –
of forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting. Amen.

In Christ,
Vicar Boester

Dear Christian Friends:

Jesus’ task was completed. He said so: “It is finished,” and “He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). The body was taken down from the cross and buried.

Didn’t everyone think it was all over? The Master was dead and buried. What else could they think?

Then came that unbelievable morning at the tomb when the body was nowhere to be found and the slow realization that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, “just as He said” (Matthew 28:6).
He is risen! He has risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Disbelief turned to joy when Jesus came to them, and “He showed them His hands and feet…and ate [a piece of broiled fish] in their presence” (Luke 24:40-43). Just as before, He taught them. He told them again what He had told them before, but now “He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). The disciples must have listened with new ears as they took in all Jesus told them in those days following His miraculous Resurrection.
He is risen! He has risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Then Jesus took them out to a remote area, blessed them, and “was taken up into Heaven” (Luke 24:51) before their eyes. Joyfully they went back home and waited – waited for the gift Jesus had promised would come to them.

One day with wind and fire the Holy Spirit came, bringing power and authority to those men Jesus had commissioned to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [He had] commanded [them] ” And He added His promise, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age “ (Matthew 28:19-20).

The book of Acts tells the story of what happened as those disciples, armed with Jesus’ promise to be with them, started in their own community and then branched out into all nations, preaching and teaching, baptizing and discipling others, performing miracles in Jesus’ name, facing persecution and death for the sake of the Gospel.

The book of Acts ends after 28 chapters, but the work is not over. The story goes on through the lives and witness of the thousands of Christians who have picked up the task where the first disciples left off.

Your story may never be written down for other Christians to read, but those around you are seeing it unfold. They are hearing you speak the Gospel message; they are recipients of the good deeds you do in the Lord’s name; other workers for the Gospel are equipped by your financial and prayer support; they take notice of the stand you take in defense of Truth over the lies with which Satan would blind the world.

No, it’s not over. We have the privilege of carrying on Jesus’ work till He comes again to take us to Himself, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21) After all, we are living in the STORY OF EVERYTHING — from Genesis to the Last Day!

In the love of Christ, Pastor Hartwig