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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –

We have just entered the year AD 2019.

And now, just as much as ever, Jesus Christ is the center of history. Everything before Him is B.C. (Before Christ) and everything after Him is AD (Anno Domini – in the year of our Lord). Without Him “nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). He saved us from eternal damnation. In Him, we have salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting. God tells us that the Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of Christ” in us (Romans 8:9).

Therefore, He is worthy of all glory! God inspired David to write “declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). All that was in David, all that was capable of glorification, sang out to his God! Let that be us!

We exalt and glorify Christ in a number of ways. The first is trusting in His Word that tells of His great love for us. We are told by the Apostle John, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). Confident that God through Jesus Christ has given us eternal worth we now seek to exalt His name “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

How? Look at John 14:23. We say we love Him. How do we make that love manifest? We “keep His Word.”

In the trenches of life, we obey. For example: in a video store or on Netflix you can rent a family movie, or you can rent a movie that blasphemes God, demeans women, and exalts violence. If you love Him, you love what He loves.

When someone really needs you, you can make an excuse and tell them how busy you are, or you can forget your schedule and be there for them. If you really love Him, you obey Him.

Ephesians 4:12 tells us that God wants us to be equipped for ministry. That’s Jesus’ command.

We can obey Him, seek a ministry in our congregation and be part of the Body, or do nothing more than sit in the pew. We can be part of a midweek Bible study or stay home and watch television. We can say that we love Him, or we can show we love Him.

So as you set your New Year’s resolutions, add one for your faith life.  What will you do?  I don’t know, but I encourage you to take the next step in your faith.

Happy New Year!

Pastor Hartwig

Dear brothers and sister in Christ,

The angels who appeared before the shepherds on the night Jesus was born announced, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14) Christmas is supposed to be a season when we dwell on the peace that we receive through the gift of God’s Son, Jesus. However, the words ‘Christmas peace’ often sound like an oxymoron in our busy American way of life. We have presents to buy, dinners to plan, and suitcases to pack. On top of that, snow is falling that we have to shovel out of our driveways and sidewalks. Many of us have to start our day earlier just so we can warm up our cars and scrape ice off the windshields. We only have so much time and money, and the expectations of the Christmas season can eat up those resources pretty fast. Looking back on the last few years, peace is not the first word I would use to describe life in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Then, what kind of peace did the angels in Luke’s Gospel declare to the world? It certainly wasn’t the kind of peace we associate with the security the world looks for: health, money, leisure. If anything, Jesus tells Christians, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matthew 24:9) This persecution is one of the signs of the last days, but this has been true in all parts of the world for Christians at one time or another. Thankfully for us, we don’t face this level of persecution where we live yet, but it goes to show that Christians are not guaranteed an easy and carefree life.

Christmas is not about obtaining peace here on Earth. Jesus was born to give us peace with God, His Father. He came to reconcile us to God and to deliver God’s promises of salvation to us by giving Himself up for us on the cross and being raised from the dead on Easter morning, so that our enemy, death, would be defeated. That’s the peace we received at the first Christmas. God sent His Son to save us from eternal death and promised to give us eternal life through His Son, Jesus.

This Advent and Christmas season, when we feel a bit more worn and ragged, let’s do our best to dwell on the peace we have with our Heavenly Father. We can take our worries to Jesus and rejoice in the assurance that one day He will come back and raise us to a new and peaceful life. As it says in Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7).

God’s Blessings,

Vicar Otterman

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –

Yesterday, Vicar and I were visiting with a shut-in member.  I came to serve communion, but I always spend time getting caught up.  As we visited I would ask questions – open ended questions and would receive simple answers, and it wasn’t long and silence filled the air.  All of the conventional conversations – weather, health, etc. – were gone.  So I told Vicar more about who we were visiting, and an old memory popped into my mind.

I was visiting this member many years ago at Mercy Hospital.  They were lying in a hospital bed and I was talking with her.  Out of the blue she said, “You have the nicest teeth.”  Looking up and listening, she noticed my teeth.  I have never really thought I have nice teeth, although I never needed braces, I have taken good care of them, go decades without cavities, but they are not “Hollywood white” – if you know what I mean.  That day she made me feel good by sharing that simple compliment, and in that darkened nursing home room I shared that memory with her.  She didn’t remember it, but I told how good it made me feel.

God uses people like us to impact one another and the world.  None of us is worthy to be used by God, but He wants to use us.  God uses imperfect and unlikely people. His grace is greater than our sin.  In Scripture, we find many unusual choices of people God used to fulfill His plans.  He called Moses, who had killed an Egyptian, to lead His people from bondage.  He chose David, who was a shepherd boy, to become a king.  Most of the disciples that Jesus called were merely fishermen.  He called ordinary people to do extraordinary things and he also calls ordinary people to do ordinary things.

Are you ready to be used by God – in ordinary and extraordinary ways?

God wants us to have the attitude of Isaiah who said, “Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).  When God calls, our lives are in His hands.  We are equipped by His grace and embrace His mission on earth.  He wants us to be totally committed and available.  We are to use more than our money and our prayers.  God wants us to be His vehicles and channels through which He works.  May each of us ask the question, “What can I do for my church and for God that will make a difference in the lives of others?”  God will show you opportunities for service.

God bless,

Pastor Hartwig

Another school year begins. For the church, that means we are about to re-experience the same annual events and all the same liturgical seasons, Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost. For students the repetition is even more noticeable as another year of math, science, and history classes have begun, and homework, exams, and sporting events await over the next twelve months.

As much as it appears we are doing the same things repeatedly, the 2018/2019 year will also be different than the last. Kindergarteners are now 1^st graders, 5^th graders are 6^th graders, 8^th graders are high school freshmen, and high school graduates are off at colleges, trade schools, or getting started in the workforce. The new year brings fresh opportunities to learn and grow, even if we go through the same motions all over again.

The same is true for our congregation at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. The kids are getting older and learning new things, confirmation will say hello to a new batch of 6^th graders, and another group of graduates has left to go serve God in their new vocations within their new communities. But it’s not just students. Everyone in the church will face new challenges, hear new sermons, attend new Bible studies, and get to know yet another new vicar!

Amidst the old and the new this year brings, we shift our focus to rejoicing in the Lord. Last year, you spent a full year pausing in the middle of the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer. I was only here for the final month of that church wide theme of Thy Will Be Done, but it was obvious to me how big of an impact that had on the members at Our Redeemer.

I pray that our new theme, Rejoice!, will have a similar impact by the end of next summer. It will certainly present us with its own blessings and challenges. I already anticipate the groans in my own heart as we go through the liturgy and sermons all calling me to rejoice. Sometimes I feel like rejoicing, but there are also many times when I do not. I suspect that by the end of this vicarage year, I will be quite ready to take a break from rejoicing. However, it is through this steady repetition that we learn what it really means to Rejoice!

Rejoicing in our Lord, Jesus Christ, is not about how we feel. We will have plenty of days and weeks over the next year when rejoicing will be the last thing we want to do. Yet we will come together and learn to rejoice despite the way we feel. It is a skill that most of the world cannot learn, but as members of Christ’s, who know that God’s will is that we have forgiveness of sins, salvation, and life everlasting, we can and should rejoice at all times and in all places.

Rejoicing in Jesus is about turning our eyes to the cross, where Jesus died for our sins, and to the empty tomb, where Jesus rose in victory over death. Praise God when we can rejoice with our feelings, and praise God that we can rejoice without them. This new church year will be full of chances for us to come together as a congregation to practice rejoicing in both the good and hard times, and when it proves challenging, we can remember along with the prophet Isaiah the reason why we rejoice:

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.” (Isaiah 61:10)

Rejoice!

-Vicar Otterman

Here are some news headlines:
“DATCP Warns Of Fake Utility Calls Scamming Victims” – WISC-TV3
“Memphis Couple Caught On Video Scamming” – FOX13 Memphis
“Minnesota Man Sentenced After Scamming At Least 25 Women” – KMSP-TV
“Father Arrested, Son Wanted After Scamming Victim Out Of $6000” – FOX43
“Howell Police Warn Of Kids Scamming Local Businesses For Donations” – Livingston Daily
“Man Sentenced To 14 Years For Scamming Elderly With Fake Magazine” – Washington Post

With a simple Google news search, I found articles about scams happening all around us – north, east, south, and west. And the truth of the matter is then happen here in Iowa too.

Just this past week, we had a middle aged woman who called herself Tina stop at the church during the Sunday morning late service. Several members tended to Tina; they got her water to drink, in a glass, and water to take, in a bottle. They even gave her a baggie full of Ritz crackers.

Tina stopped to ask for gas money. Earlier that morning, her mother was in a car in Chicago and was taken to Cook County Hospital. All seven of Tina’s kids were at home, and a friend volunteered to drive her to Chicago. Except! They didn’t have any gas money. Could the church give them money to drive to Chicago?

Concerned for Tina, I was asked to skip greeting our members and tend to Tina. I immediately sat down with Tina and asked what was going on? After she told me, I asked if her mother was okay. She shook her head yes. Then I asked if any family was with her mother. Tina affirmed her sister was with her mother. To which I replied, “Praise the Lord. Your mom has someone with her.” Then I asked, “Have you been able to talk to your mom on the phone?” Tina said she hadn’t called her. Tina didn’t say, “I can’t call her” or “my mom can’t talk on the phone.” She simply said, “No. I haven’t called her.”

I prayed with Tina and told her we are not able to give her money for gas. I walked her to the door so she could get back to her ride, but I noticed her ride wasn’t here. I also noticed that Tina was approaching members in the parking lot.

You see, this is not the first time Tina has been here. Sometimes it is her mom and sometimes it is her dad, but it is always Cook County Hospital. This was her fourth time, and she is always asking for gas money. She approached many of our members at the end of the Tasting Bee. Approaching them in the parking lot while the second person’s vehicle blocked members cars from backing out. Eventually, her ride picked her up, and Tina’s scam came to an end.

Monday the Office Staff received an email from a mother of three asking for money for school clothing. Often times this is a sincere request this time of year, but the email contained no name, no city, no school, no number. We didn’t respond to the scam.

Then I heard about another church in the Iowa City area that was being attacked by another scam. With appropriate letter head from the church, letters were emailed to members from the pastor requesting gift cards for a struggling member of the church. The letter was written well (oftentimes poor English is a clue to a scam), but the letter requested that photos of the gift card codes were emailed to the pastor. Not dropped off at the church office, but that the codes were emailed. Here was another scam.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it is hard to have a compassionate and discerning heart. I remember at Disney the importance the balance of compassion and discernment that was stress. Disney is scammed daily. Everyone wants something for free. Some even devise ways to get the freebies. Articles online even teach you how. This article was posted on August 16th in the online newspaper “The Conversation”: “How to get away with fraud: the successful techniques of scamming.” The entire disabled assistance program at Walt Disney World had to be re-evaluated because tourists scammed the system to avoid ride lines.

Scammers scam!

The Apostle Paul said,
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:16–19)

But we are not pitied, for we have hope. Christ is Risen!
And you respond, “Christ is Risen, Indeed. Alleluia!”
When it comes to our faith, we have not been scammed. Praise be to God! Amen!

Remain faithful and Rejoice!

Pastor Hartwig

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Listen, God is Calling! Throughout the summer months we will hear how God has called people to be His servants. We will hear how God has likewise called you by His Gospel proclamation. “Listen, God is Calling” is our Summer  Sunday School theme, where we will be tracing the patriarchs of the faith from the book of Genesis, starting with Abraham and finishing with Joseph. As you “Listen” to their story, you will hear how God has called His people throughout time and how God has directed history to fulfill His promises. So, listen to this amazing story of real people and real history, because God is really calling you to be His people. Listen! because God is calling and He has much in store for you as you live out your life of faith.

Listen, God is Calling! Throughout the summer months we will still have many amazing opportunities for you to live out your call as God’s servant among your neighbors. We start the summer with Christ Cares Sunday on June 3rd, where you will have the opportunity to serve your neighborhood and community as humble servants. You can sign-up to help out at any one of 18 different locations, organizations, and activities. These opportunities range from getting to make cards of appreciation in the Fellowship Hall at church, to getting to pull weeds in the community Gardens at Wetherby Park. All ages and abilities have servant opportunities open to them. Listen to God’s call to care for your neighbor on Christ Cares Sunday.

Listen, God is Calling! As the summer continues we have many more fun and exciting activities to get involved in, so get ready to help out. The UKANDU mission team leaves the last week of June to go to serve the Chicago community by sharing Christ’s love in word, work, and worship. Then, on the Fourth of July, we will be walking in the Coralville parade and handing out bottles of water to the community. Next, starting in July 22nd Our Redeemer will be sharing the Gospel with Johnson County by hosting a booth at the Johnson County Fair. Finally, everyone, old, young, and middle-aged will get to participate in Vacation Bible School (VBS) as you travel down “Splash Canyon” listening to and learning about how God has called each of you.

Listen, God is Calling! He truly has blessed us at Our Redeemer and has given us so many opportunities to serve our neighbor that we truly do get to experience His love in us and through us. Thanks be to the good and gracious will of God, who grants you the forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and salvation. Keep “Thy will be done” in your prayers and on your lips because, Listen, God has called you!

Your Servant in Christ,

Vicar Scheele