Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”

“Deck the hall with boughs of holly garland – Fa, la, la, la, la…”

This time of year, song fills the air, and it fills my heart too.

Here are five reasons that we sing in worship. God commands us to sing.

1. God commands us to sing. There are hundreds of references to singing within the Bible. Jesus Himself sang songs of praise after the Last Supper. If we are called to replicate the character of Christ, I’m confident that singing should always be involved.
2. Christians have sung throughout history. The earliest Christians put their community beliefs in songs, which is why Christian hymnody began. Songs are recorded in scripture and other historical texts. The Book of Psalms in the Bible is a great resource for reading songs of believers that have gone before us.
3. Songs can give us theology. As you may know, hymns and other Christian songs are full of rich, theological text. The act of singing uses both parts of the brain; therefore, it can educate us and teach us about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. Singing connects us emotionally. Songs of celebration have the power to lead us to dance. Songs of lament have the power to lead us to tears. Music has a way of piercing into the deep parts of our soul, that assists in our expression and response to God and to the church.
5. Singing helps unites us to the church. The gospel alone unites believers to one another. However, music is a tool that allows us to do so. As we gather on the Sabbath, we join together as one body and praise God with one voice.

So, during this Advent and Christmas season sing. Now, I know that God gives each of us different gifts. But at the end of the day, we all are called, wanted, and expected to sing.

“Sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord! Bless His name! Share the news of his saving work every single day!” (Psalm 96)

Join us for the hymn sing before the evening Advent services. Don’t miss the Christmas and Carol services on December 7 and 8. Enjoy the Christmas and Advent hymns you have sung your whole life.  Rejoice in the liturgy set to Christmas tunes.

During this time of year, there are plenty of great hymns and carols to sing.

After all, “It’s Christmastime. It’s Christmastime.”

Happy Advent, Merry Christmas

Pastor Hartwig

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –

Therefore, we show hospitality. At the beginning of September we introduced our theme for 2019-2020.  Yes, the year 2020.  It seems hard to believe. Back in the year of 2012 a steering committee was formed under the supervision of the Board of Directors.  This steering committee was given this charge:

• To create a phased master plan to renovate and expand the facilities of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church by the year 2020.
• To engage all the members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church to dream about facility enhancements by early 2013
• To complete phased work when 50% of the funds are “in the bank,” with the exception of the roof.

Þ To form sub-committees to handle certain tasks as needed to ensure success of plan by the year 2020.

Check.  Check.  Check.  And almost check.  There is one final committee that is working on the final touches of the HVAC system that was original to the 1969 addition.  They intend to have their project completed before 2020, and worst case scenario completed late spring of 2020.

All of this work, all of this planning, all of this preparation was done so that our facilities could be enhanced so that when we show hospitality, the facilities aid us in our intent.  We want our facilities to be an asset not a liability.

This summer and even this past week, I was asked by congregations how we as a congregation were able to be so planned and prepared in our facility program.  It isn’t a secret.  We were planned and prepared.  We carried the passion that whatever we did, it was going to be done to the best of our abilities. (Thank you to Gary Johnson who started this mindset and Dave Johnson who sustained this mindset throughout the whole program!)

Folks, we began this process in 2012, and as the year 2020 approaches, don’t be caught off guard.  We are not done.  One capital campaign (Immeasurably More) comes to a close and early in 2020 a second capital campaign (unnamed at this time) will begin.  We must pay off the 50% of this Vision 2020 project that is in a loan.

Furthermore, we begin the process all over again.  Within the next couple of years we begin the dreaming stage all over again.  We started in 2012 and by 2022 we need to be dreaming of what these facilities would look like in the next ten to twenty years.  This whole process starts over again.

Just like our vicarage program.  We do not get one Vicar and then say we are done.  Good!  One Vicar under our belt – nothing more to do!  Certainly not (Μὴ γένοιτο/ me genoito)!  This year Our Redeemer is training our 15^th Vicar (see page 5 for the complete list of Vicars).  This weekend we have our second Vicar back to preach.  This congregation has trained and prepared many men for ministry, and each August 1 the process starts over.

Likewise, as the year 2020 quickly approaches we wrap up the first capital campaign, we prepare for the second, and we prepare for another visioning process.  What will it be called?  I don’t know yet, but this I know…

“… it is God Who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:13)

God bless, Pastor Hartwig

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Joy of the Lord be with you! Truly, this time of the year is exciting as people of all ages are going back to school. Whether it be a timid preschooler who is leaving the nest for the first time, or a college freshman who is more than ready to fly the coop, the result is the same, school is here.

In the life of the Church, we are also gearing up to get back into the swing of things. The church year is nearing the end, and soon we will live out the story of the Church all over again. As we remember Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection, and then the sending of His people, we celebrate life together as God’s redeemed children. Personally, I always look forward to Advent and Christmas, and I hope you’ll forgive that I’m currently listening to Christmas music.

Of course, it is important to recognize the unique nature of the Church. All around the country, students are going to classes in which the message is, “Work harder, be better than your peers, and be sure to develop the best way possible so that one day you can be successful”. It can be so easy to fall into this pattern as people of God. After all, what parent doesn’t want to see their child be successful?

Unfortunately, we see too often how this can be detrimental to the lives of the very children we seek to encourage. Children who are pushed to be the best pitcher, the straight-A student, or the next star at Kinnick, can have this pressure heaped on them at a young age. While born out of positive desires for children, it can become the case where kids only hear praise for their achievements. I can still remember times where I basked in the praise I received from my parents when I did well at school or raced in college. How much more of a blessing is it to praise and encourage their presence in worship.

As children progress through school the idea of achievement being the priority can take its toll. These youth are then dropped off at scholarship interviews by parents who tell them “just be yourself”! It is no wonder that depression and anxiety have increased in colleges and high schools around the country.

This is an exciting time for the Gospel to be a beacon to the world today. The message of Christ is different. Sinners who have not achieved everything we desired gather together and worship Jesus, God and Man, who achieved more than any other could have. He died and rose again for failures like me. The Church is here.

As one who is still a student, excited to begin a year of learning here at Our Redeemer, it can be difficult to not get caught up in the desire to achieve, but I’m reminded of the hymn “Built on the Rock” especially the first and final verses:

1. “Built on the Rock the Church shall stand

Even when steeples are falling.

Crumbled have spires in every land;

Bells still are chiming and calling,

Calling the young and old to rest,

But above all the souls distressed,

Longing for rest everlasting.

5. Grant then, O God, Your will be done,

That, when the church-bells are ringing,

Many in saving faith may come

Where Christ His message is bringing:

“I know My own, My own know Me;

You, not the world, My face shall see.

My peace I leave with you.” Amen. LSB 645

May we hear and proclaim the message year after year until we are called home to be with our Redeemer who has achieved forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting for you and for me.

In Christ,

Vicar Gonzalez-Feliciano

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

As the month of May comes to a close, it feels like another significant transition is at our doorstep. School is almost out, and summer vacations are planned. For students and many teachers, it is finally time to take a breath, reflect on the past year, and pursue summertime activities. For me, it means the end of confirmation and certain Bible studies which followed the school year, as well as the upcoming season of Pentecost. Soon we’ll be back into the same season of the church year that we were in when I arrived last August.

Now it is time for me to take a breath and reflect on the last ten months during which I have had the privilege to serve and learn here at Our Redeemer. For the next two months I will take a little extra time to think back on all the lessons I’ve learned, the relationships that have shaped me, and the path down which God is guiding me.

And it is not just students, teachers, and vicars who can reflect as we shift into the summer. This is a time for all of us to take a moment and think about how God has been working in our lives over the last year. Has God set any particular people in your path? What are one or two spiritual lessons that have struck you this year? Have you learned anything new about yourself as one of Jesus’ disciples? How has the Holy Spirit been prodding you to shine the light of Christ to those around you?

In the midst of a busy life filled with responsibilities and activities, it is helpful to find these moments to breathe and think about our relationship to our Lord and what it means for us to be His hands and feet in the world.

Of course, just because we may have a moment to stop and reflect, that does not mean that we are at a loss for things to do. The next two months will be full of opportunities to work, play, and rejoice in the salvation that Christ won for us. From Christ Cares Sunday to UKANDU, the 4^th of July Parade, the National Youth Gathering, and the Johnson County Fair, we have plenty of ways to serve and learn here at Our Redeemer. Personally, I am excited to experience everything this summer has to offer, and I look forward to rejoicing in the Lord with all of you during these last two months that I am with you.

Blessings,

Vicar Otterman

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –

You would have to be a fool to have not heard about the burning of Notre Dame.

And that got me to remembering and thinking of the Disney Animated Feature — “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”  I have seen the movie many times, and watched the stage show at Disney World many times more.  Immediately the songs fill my mind — serious and emotional songs like “God Help the Outcasts” and “Out There,” as well as a fun and silly song like “Topsy Turvy” sung during the Feast of Fools.

On two separate occasions, Jesus used the word foolish to describe man’s thoughts and actions.

Could God be calling us foolish as well?

In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus said there are two kinds of people. There are those who hear what Jesus says and respond to His ways and wisdom. Sadly, there are others who hear His words but, like the foolish man, fail to put them into practice.

The people who reject His words are like people who build their houses on sand. We all know what happens to houses built on sand.

Too often, we’ve seen lives crumble when adversity strikes, because there has been no foundation of faith and discipline. Just as concrete supports houses, God’s Word, when received and applied in our lives, supports and strengthens us.

Jesus said those who hear and obey His Word will keep their footing when the storms of life assail them (Matthew 7:24).

The second reference to Jesus’ calling man foolish is the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13- 21). Because he reaped such a bountiful crop, the wealthy farmer tore down his existing barns to build bigger ones to store his produce.

Jesus didn’t call him foolish because he built bigger barns, but because he gave God no credit for his success. The Rich Fool saw his wealth as his own. Jesus said, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Verse 20).

In both cases of foolishness, the men Jesus called fools ignored God and did things their own way. We are just as foolish if we don’t put God’s Word into practice and fail to acknowledge Him as the source of all things.

We will live shallow, self-centered, foolish lives rather than rich, God-centered, faithful lives.

If we follow and serve Jesus, we won’t hear Him call us foolish,

but we will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23).

Easter Blessings, 

Pastor Hartwig

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

April is at our doorstep. Every morning I walk to the church, it seems like the birds are singing a little more and the leftover piles of snow are a bit smaller. What was dormant is now waking up and coming back to life.

With the change in season, I also feel new energy and excitement waking up in my heart. I find myself eager to see green buds on the trees and bushes. On warmer days, I yearn to go on a walk through the woods with my family, or to sit on the porch reading a book and feeling the warmth of the sun on my neck. It’s nice to have these little reminders of how much I depend on God’s creation.

What about you? How does Spring inspire you? Are you eager to get out your fishing pole, start jogging again, or work in your garden? Whatever it is that Spring awakes in us, we have an opportunity to once again turn our eyes to God, the source and giver of life.

Of course, we could take these gifts and use them to distract ourselves with the vain hope that if we could spend more time doing (insert your favorite Spring activity), we would become happier and more fulfilled people. We can turn nature into an idol. It’s very easy to do; in fact, for thousands of years that is what people did. God gives us so many great gifts through His created world that it can become easy to worship the gift and forget the Giver.

But what if we use Spring to remind ourselves of the greatest gift God has given us? Soon Easter will be upon us. It’s only three weeks away! In that moment when Mary and the other women go to the tomb and find it open and empty, we see that God is the source of life, and that He has the power to raise Jesus from the grave. The miracle of the resurrection doesn’t allow us to confuse the gift with the Giver. God is the creator and sustainer of life, and we see that most fully in the resurrection of Jesus.

So this month while we finish the last few weeks of Lent, let the beauty of nature remind you that God gives you all these precious gifts of Spring. And let those gifts remind you of God’s ultimate gift, the gift of new redeemed life that you have through His Son. When you recognize that nature itself is a sign of God’s love pointing you back to Jesus, you will have every opportunity to rejoice in your salvation!

Blessings,

Vicar Otterman

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ —

As you read this letter, Kara and I will be celebrating our 25^th Wedding Anniversary.  By plane, ship, or automobile we will be traveling to and from the Western Caribbean.  This trip and adventure is our special 25^th Anniversary gift to each other.  As I prepare for this journey, I have reflected upon our 25 years of marriage.  Eleven of them have been here at Our Redeemer.

During the years, I have not always appreciated the gift of my wife.  This might sound scandalous to some, but the reality is, none of us have always appreciated our spouses, children, family and friends – all the time.  Yet, God has given us the responsibility and the joy to love them.

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, demonstrated a great love. Her love was for Jesus. “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair” (John 12:3).

Whose heart is not softened by the mental image these words produce — and the conscience pricked as well, for which of us is willing to sacrifice as much as Mary did?

Her gift was a gift of pure love. She didn’t understand Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. How could she, for it had not yet occurred! She loved her Lord even before she knew He would give His life for her.

We, on the other hand, have as much or even greater reason to offer gifts — extravagant gifts — to our Savior. Sadly, at times we are instead too much like Judas, holding back from the Lord, even stealing from the Lord, as we attempt to hide our greed and selfishness behind reasonable excuses for not giving our all to our Savior Who gave His all for us.

Let us pray with the psalmist, “Make me to know Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long” (Psalm 25:4-5).   Let us confess our sins and be strengthened in His forgiveness.

Then, without reservation, we will with thanks give our gifts, ordinary and extravagant, in worship of our Savior. We will give those gifts of love to Him and we will give the gift of love to our spouses, children, family and friends.

Thank you for the well wishes for our Anniversary celebration.  We will see you soon.

Bon voyage!

Pastor Hartwig

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Winter is finally here! We were blessed for a while with a mild December, and for a week or two in January, I was beginning to feel like Spring was already around the corner! Everyone was waiting for the real winter to hit. Some, like my son, were looking forward to snow with the anticipation of sledding, snowmen, and snowball fights. Others were dreading the onslaught of shoveling snow, scraping off windshields, and shivery commutes.

My son loves going out to play in the snow, but I look out the window and think about how cold it will be and how much work it is to get on snow pants, coats, boots, gloves and hats. But because I want my son to play in the snow like I did when I was his age, we get our snow gear on and head outside. At first it really does feel terrible and cold, and I think to myself, “how long do we have to be out here?” But then we get the sled out and start making a path down the hill. We throw snowballs and build snowmen. Before I know it, I’m having just as much fun as my son, and we’re both trying to see how far we can sled into the church parking lot behind the house. I just need to remember how much I loved playing in the snow.

Before I decided to go to seminary, I felt the same way about church as I do now about snow. At first glance it seemed like a lot of work: getting everyone up early, getting dressed in Sunday clothes, and driving quickly to church to get there on time (we were almost never on time). The idea of going to church also made me feel guilty for neglecting my Christian walk throughout the week. Getting out the door on Sunday morning was often stressful, especially if we had already missed a week or two.

But then we got to church (five or ten minutes late) and somewhere between the Confession and Absolution, the sermon, and the Lord’s Supper, God reminded me of how important it is to make the time to hear His Word and His promise of forgiveness in Jesus. On those weeks, I could feel the hardness of my heart melting away. Those days when I especially wanted to stay home in my warm house and enjoy a book or a movie were the times I needed to hear God’s Word most of all.

So this February as you continue to deal with the cold and the snow and it may seem so much easier to just stay home for the weekend, I encourage you to put in the effort to come and hear God’s Word for you, to come and receive the blessing of Jesus’ body and blood in the Sacrament, and to find fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Just like going out and playing in the snow reminds me of how much fun snow is, coming to church and participating in the divine service reminds us of how great and gracious our God is.

Blessings,

Vicar Otterman