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10/11/2022 October and November 2022Sermon as a Sacramental Attribute of the New Testament
The keynote address I gave at the St. Michael Conference in Detroit had the same name as this, and it will also appear in the Christmas issue of Gottesdienst. Here are some highlitghts. How did the sermon, as we know it today, emerge from the common synagogue practice seen in the Scriptures? What changed from synagogue to church? Why did it change? The data concerning the worship of the synagogue when Jesus was walking the earth are sketchy, but we can gain some insight into it from the Gospels themselves. In particular, the fourth chapter of St. Luke gives us a special case in which Jesus was not only present, but the central participant. The account of Luke 4:14-21 tells us that immediately after His temptation He “returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” Jesus is here said to have “taught” in the synagogues, rather than that He “preached” there. The practice of rabbinic teaching was likely of the same nature as rabbinic commentary on the Bible, also called midrash. The rabbis would comment on the Bible verse by verse, in much the same way as a modern Bible commentary. These comments were sometimes found in the margins of the Bible scrolls themselves. Jesus, who was recognized as a rabbi, and widely known, was expected to teach in the synagogues to which He went. But now we are told of what happened in particular in Nazareth on the Sabbath day. It was “his custom” to go into the synagogue on the sabbath day and stand up to read. Then, “he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” According to these words, what was customary was the reading of a section of Scripture, followed by teaching on that section, i.e., midrash. But in this case, “all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” Here, not only is the word for preaching introduced, but “gospel” (ευαγγέλιο). So Jesus takes up the mantle of teacher, but begins to preach, and as He does so He announces that the day of fulfillment has come. Here the word for preaching is used the context of fulfillment. Fulfillment is the new theme, inaugurated by Jesus’ appearance to teach in the synagogue. Here midrash is replaced by the sermon. Simply put, here He began to “preach” in the New Testament sense. Preaching begins with Jesus’ own preaching. Preaching essentially begins with the New Testament, first in the preaching of Jesus Himself, then in His apostles’ preaching, and thereupon in the phenomenon of preaching in the churches, it is fruitful to consider the place of the sermon as it became an integral part of the Divine Service. Gospels, Epistles, and Sermons are all constituent parts of the Divine Service, and have been since Apostolic times. The preaching of the Gospel was a radical departure from the worship life of Jews and of the synagogue. The New Testament is new, and this is according to Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also according to what he said. The Gospel is the opening and fulfilling of the Old Testament in the acceptable year of the Lord. The fulness of time has come (Galatians 4:4). The New Testament is that to which the Old Testament had been pointing and mysteriously portraying in advance. Now it has come, and is fully revealed. When Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35), He expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. He opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. And sent them to preach, as his witnesses. Much of patristic and medieval exegesis can be seen as a working out of how the concealment in the Old Testament and the revelation in the New are to be understood in accordance with the Messianic character of all Scripture. Fulfillment has come. The disciples exult about this, in John 16:29: “Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.” The Apostles preached what they had from Jesus over the course of His three-year ministry. What the Apostles preached and wrote about was precisely the Christ revealed in the Gospels. The Epistles therefore depend on the Gospels for their own discourses and commentary, that is, on the events these Apostles themselves witnessed of Christ, the same events that are written in the Gospels. But they are authentic commentaries on the life of Christ. The fulness of the revelation has now arrived in Christ, and this has been made clear to them. This is the meaning of St. Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “By revelation he made known unto me the mystery . . . which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:3-5). The same is true of the preaching of sermons today as is true of the Epistles, the only difference being that the authenticity of a sermon depends on its agreement with the apostolic words written. The difference between an Apostolic Epistle and a sermon is that a sermon is rightly called the Word of God if its content is consistent with the written revelation of God. It is called the Word of God in a derived sense, whereas an Epistle is the Word in a primary sense. In the early church, n many respects, the sermon was seen as being in the same genre as the Epistle. Therefore what ought to happen in the crafting of a sermon is the continued passing on of the opening, teaching, and revealing of the full meaning of the Gospel, following this pattern, as well as a necessary verification that the sermon is fully in accord with the apostolic record. In this way we may rightly call the sermon the preached Word of God. This, then, makes it fitting that the sermon’s introduction and conclusion therefore be given the reply of “Amen,” which is the assertion of the hearers that they recognize the sermon for what it is. + Pastor Eckardt Ushers:Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells October Birthdays 10/1 Sue Murphy 10/2 Diana Shreck 10/24 Eric Meaker 10/28 Carmen Sovanski 10/29 Svetlana Meaker 10/30 Sharon Hartz November Birthdays 11/11 Tara Wagenknecht 11/19 Steve Kraklow 11/20 Jewneel Walker 11/30 Charlene Sovanski In Our Prayers Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following. To update the list please inform the pastor in our parish: Emilie Ricknell, Don and Sue Murphy, Linda Rowe, Sharon Hartz, John Sovanski, Sandra VerPlaetse, Allan Kraklow, Bea Harris, Debra Reeves, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker, and Emmy Wear and beyond our parish: Jude Clapper, Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Tim Newman [Shreck relation] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Richard Heiden [Carol Eckardt’s father] Candace Gehrke Jeff Lewis, Carol Eckardt’s brother in law Pastor Jacob Sutton, and Pastor Justin Kane in the military John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble any unborn children in danger of abortion; Debra Reeves’s children Rae Beth and Drew Wayne; those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Iran, Pakistan, India, China, North Korea, and elsewhere. Persecution Details: from www.persecution.net Myanmar (Burma): As fighting between resistance forces and government soldiers in Myanmar intensifies, churches are frequently being targeted by the country's ruling military junta. In mid-September, the Mother of God Catholic Church in Mobye, Shan State, was seized. Indonesia: Local officials have denied a group of Indonesian Christians the right to build a place of worship, even though the believers own the land. This situation has been taking place in a small city located near the capital. Belarus: The New Life Church in Minsk has encountered opposition for many years since purchasing a former cowshed and converting it into a church building in 2002. After years of court battles, bailiffs forcibly entered the place of worship in February 2021 and evicted members who happened to be present during the raid. The building has since been sealed by government officials. Members of the church have instead met weekly in the parking lot outside the building, even during the coldest days of winter. Although officials had warned Pastor Goncharenko to cease the church's worship activities, the congregation members have continued to faithfully gather outside for the past 19 months. The Minsk City Administration and local police are now saying that the meetings are illegal, issuing new threats to liquidate the church in court. If that were indeed to take effect, the church would lose legal status and its leaders could face fines or up to two years in prison. Pastor Goncharenko has been summoned multiple times to have "preventative conversations" with officials, but both sides of this case stood firm. The pastor believes there is still hope. "I think that our situation is not without God's miracle, as so many times the authorities came and threatened us, but our church is still functioning," he affirms. The Living Faith Church in Gomel has experienced repeated problems while trying to find a way to baptize its members. After using a local river, the church received an official warning in October 2021. Most recently, the church gathered at a private swimming pool on July 28th, 2022. A fine has since been issued, but Pastor Dmitry Podlobko was concerned that another official warning could result in the church being stripped of its legal status. Thankfully, action was not taken to remove the legal status of the church, which was a primary concern. Shut ins Emmy Wear at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell at Allure Healthcare in Geneseo, Dale Baker at Liberty Village in Kewanee, Jewneel Walker at Kewanee Care, Allan Kraklow at home. October Anniversary 10/4 Linda and Larry Rowe November Anniversary 11/5 Steve and Berniece Harris Reformation Sunday Matins (Pastor will be away) Pastor and Carol have plans to travel to Maryland on Tuesday, October 25th, and return the following Tuesday, November 1st, to visit son John and his family. By mutual consent, the subdeacons will conduct matins on Sunday, October 29th in Pastor’s absence. This Reformation Sunday will include the usual parts of matins, including familiar Reformation hymns, as well as a sermon written out by Pastor in advance. There is no mass scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th or Tuesday, November 1st. THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE PRINTED NEWSLETTER. Novemberfest and a Gottesdienst Conference St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mattoon, Illinois, Sunday evening to Tuesday, November 13-15, 2022 We open Sunday night with a brat fry at the church. The conference runs all day Monday and ends Tuesday late afternoon. This year’s featured speaker will be the Rev. David Ramirez, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Union Grove, Wisconsin. His topic will be “The Three Estates and Resistance to Tyranny.” As the modern totalitarian state is ever grasping for more power, he will address how we as the Church can learn from our failures and by going back to God’s Word and seeking to gain a proper understanding of the three estates. We’ll also hear from Rev. Dr. Burnell Eckardt, our editor-in-chief, on his “Liturgical Observer,” and from departmental editor Rev. Dr. Karl Fabrizius on “Musing on the Mysteries.” We’ll have plenty of discussion and Gemütlichkeit, as usual. $40 per person until Nov. 1st. After that, $60; seminary & pre-Seminary students – Free. Register online at www.gottesdienst.org. Altar Guild Notes
Elders: The elders have elected not to meet in October. The November meeting will occur on the SECOND Tuesday of the Month, November 8th. THIS IS AN ADDITION TO THE PRINTED NEWSLETTER. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 8/23/2022 September 2022St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 34 September 2022 No. 9 The Image and Likeness of God Several years ago I began a study on this subject that was published in the Concordia Theological Quarterly. I have been working further on the topic, to include it as a chapter in another publication due for release next year. Here’s some of what I’ve been working on, without footnotes and details, for your edification. – Pastor It has long been my contention that something important has for a long time been lacking in our understanding of the image of God, perhaps driven by the emphasis we have placed on what man has utterly lost in the Fall. This necessary emphasis is reflected in the Lutheran Confessions, whose purpose in this regard has been, in confessing against their adversaries, to declare in no uncertain terms that there is nothing at all left in man of the righteousness he once had, in which he was created. So whereas once man was righteous because God is righteous, having “an even temperament of the bodily qualities,” as well as “a quite certain knowledge of God, fear of God, confidence in God, or certainly the rectitude and power to yield these affections” (Apology II, 17-18), this righteousness was entirely lost, when man did choose evil and fell. Therefore since then man has had “a deep, wicked, horrible, fathomless, inscrutable, and unspeakable corruption of the entire nature and all its powers, especially of the highest, principal powers of the soul in the understanding, heart, and will, so that now, since the Fall, man inherits an inborn wicked disposition and inward impurity of heart, evil lust and propensity” (FC SD I:10-11). So whenever reference was made to the image of God in man, it has exclusively been to his original righteousness which was utterly lost. But whether for this reason or not, it ought not have to be said that every other remnant of the image of God was also lost and done away, or that the image of God in which man was created had to do only with original righteousness and nothing else. Were that so, then man would be no different than the beasts who were not created in the image of God. So in what else does the image of God consist? What have we missed? What’s left to be said? In the first place we will do well to recall that the first use of the term image (Hebrew, tseled) appears in Genesis 1:26-27, and carries according to its seminal and normal usage the concept of something seen: a semblance, or a resemblance, something tangible. Indeed, in every other Biblical usage of this term we find a visible thing or a representative figure, such as, for example, the figure of an idol. The Philistines set the ark of the LORD on their cart with images of their tumors (I Samuel 6:11); Amos chastises Israel for their images of the pagan deities Sikkuh and Chiun (Amos 5:26); Moses is instructed to tell the Israelites to destroy all the molten images they find in Canaan (Numbers 33:52); images of the Chaldeans are portrayed on the wall (Ezekiel 23:14); every man walks in a vain show or appearance (Psalm 39:6); and Nebuchadnezzar makes an image of gold (Daniel 3:1). The Hebrew term tseled itself is translated into Greek with the word eikon, from which, obviously, the English “icon” is derived. It is remarkable, in view of this overwhelming Biblical evidence, that the great majority of modern interpreters of “image of God” as it is found in Genesis veer entirely away from anything visible, likely owing to the fact that the Creator is the invisible God. What is more than remarkable about this, but really quite unfortunate in my view, is that this prevents altogether the more likely reason for the use of image here, namely that what God is doing in creating Adam is providing the very first prolepsis, or preview, of the Incarnate One to come. This, in other words, is the way God Himself will one day appear. He will be bound to human flesh; He will look like Adam, He will be Adam’s Son. He will at last be seen as the One whom Adam’s creation portrays in advance. Adam is the first representative image of the fulfillment of all things in Christ, and an entire Old Testament that follows then gives countless more pictures of Christ, His Church, and His work of salvation. Notably, there are some stellar interpreters who do see in the image of God the idea of some visible and tangible. Irenaeus (d. c202) certainly had the this most basic sense in mind, as did Tertullian (c150-225), and Basil of Caesarea (330-379), and to some extent Basil’s younger brother Gregory of Nyssa (c332-295). So there were some prominent early fathers that did see in the image of God a reference to the as then future Incarnation of God, and for them the fact that image in common biblical usage has to do with shape and form gives us ample reason to come to a rich understanding of what it means to be man. Martin Luther was on track to see this also, for he saw in his Genesis commentary some delightful ruminations on Adam before the fall, as having eyesight like the eagle, strength surpassing the lion, and enjoyment of goodness, tranquility, and utter contentedness. He could have gone further and said that man must also have been an utterly beautiful specimen, indeed the most beautiful of all the good things that God created, the things that God saw as very Good. Man was the very embodiment, or picture, of the invisible God. Indeed the term “embodied” is used in the Apology to the Augsburg Confession where it defines the image of God as having to do with wisdom and righteousness: “there were embodied in man such wisdom and righteousness as apprehended God, and in which God was reflected” (Apol. II:18). There term “embodied” here is a translation of the German “bildet,” literally, pictured. This perspective, I submit, can be a powerful and comforting governing factor in our own enfleshed lives, as the Psalmist says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” But we are fallen creatures, so that the image of God is marred in us: speech become lies (Psalm 116:11), dominion becomes tyranny, love becomes lust, and even flesh becomes ugly and ultimately grotesque in its mortality. But vestiges remain: we are still occasionally if minimally capable of integrity in speech, thought, self-control, and selfless love, and this becomes even more the case in our regeneration. But as long as we live in our fallenness, we struggle with our immense distance from our ideal, from the image of God in which we were once created. Nevertheless, we remain even now, because we are still mankind, embodiments—pictures—of the invisible God. At least we still look like Jesus, and so we still retain a vestige of the image of God, even if it is only in this way. Not only so, but we also may look forward with joyful anticipation to the full restoration of that image in us, according the truth we confess daily, “I believe in the resurrection of the body”; at that Day when we, like Adam, shall see like the eagle, have the might of the lion, and enjoy the perfect righteousness, contentedness, and beauty not merely of Adam, but of the Man Jesus Christ, who is the eternal image of the Father, now risen from the dead, and ascended to His right hand on high. + Pastor Eckardt Wednesday Evening Masses We observe Holy Cross Day on Wednesday, September 14th, and St. Matthew’s Day on Wednesday, September 21st, and Michaelmas on Wednesday, September 28th (one day before Michaelmas which falls on the 29th). Wednesday masses are scheduled every Wednesday at 7 pm. September Birthdays 9/1 John Ricknell 9/10 Jan Schoen 9/19 Jaclyn Kraklow 9/19 Jamie Kraklow 9/20 Derrick Baker 9/28 Allan Kraklow September Anniversaries 9/18/1976 Tom and Sue Ann Wells 9/19/1993 Jeff and Tara Wagenknecht Our Ushers: Jim Hornback, Tom Wells, Steve Kraklow. September Elders with Tuesday Vespers First Tuesday Vespers and Elders is scheduled for September 6th, with Vespers at 6:45 (for anyone who wants to attend) and the meeting following. Shut ins Emmy Wear at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell at Allure in Geneseo, Bea Harris, from time to time, at home. Dale Baker, moving to Courtyard Estates. Grant Andresen, at Park Vista in East Moline. Jewneel Walker, at Kewanee Care. In Our Prayers Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below. To update the lists please inform pastor. in our parish: Emilie Ricknell, Judy and Bill Thompson, Don and Sue Murphy, Linda Rowe, Sharon Hartz, John Sovanski, Sandra VerPlaetse, Allan Kraklow, Bea Harris, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker, and Emmy Wear and beyond our parish: Jude Clapper, Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Tim Newman [Shreck relation] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Richard Heiden [Carol Eckardt’s father] Candace Gehrke Bruce Hoernemann [Charlene Sovanski’s brother] Jeff Lewis, Carol Eckardt’s brother in law Pastor Jacob Sutton, and Pastor Justin Kane in the military: John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel, Shawn Wetzel Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: unborn children in danger of abortion; Debra Reeves’s children Rae Beth and Drew Wayne, that they may be reunited; those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Iran, Pakistan, India, China, North Korea, and elsewhere. Persecution Details (see www.persecution.net) PAKISTAN: POLICE INTERVENE IN MOB ATTACK On Sunday, August 7th, hundreds of Christian families in Lahore fled their homes when they saw a large mob marching towards their church building. It was only through the intervention of police that the building was preserved and an attack on the Christians’ homes had been averted. Due to the officers’ swift intervention, the volatile situation had de‑escalated. Tensions remain among those who strongly oppose the practice of Christianity in the community. As a result, many of the Christian men have sent their wives and children to stay with relatives until they are confident that the threat of danger is no longer a concern. INDIA: SEVERAL CHRISTIAN WOMEN FACING CHARGES On July 30th, six Christian women in the Maharajganj area of Uttar Pradesh, India, were taken into custody based on charges of forced conversions. The charges were laid after members of a Hindu nationalist group, the VHP, alleged that the women were inducing others to convert to Christianity during a birthday party. At the celebratory gathering, the Christian women had paused to pray before cutting the cake. Ashutosh Singh, a local VHP leader, said: “They had raised their hands in the air as Jesus would. They were trying to convert Harijan women.” He continued with claims that the six believers were carrying out illicit activities, such as luring others with money. Bibles and other religious documents were confiscated and submitted to police authorities, who proceeded to make the arrests. The women were held in custody without bail. All six of these women belong to the very poor socio‑economic Dalit community. One of them is physically disabled, as is the child of another woman in the arrested group. Included in the July 30th arrests was a widow with three young children, and an unmarried girl. Munish Chandra, a lawyer representing the six arrested Christians, stated that “the rest of their families are suffering enormously since they are all dependent on the women.” IRAN: APPEAL DENIED FOR DETAINED CHRISTIANS 18 August 2022. Anooshavan Avedian is an Iranian‑Armenian Christian leader who was arrested for promoting “propaganda contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam” through the house church he operated in his home. He was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, along with an additional ten years of “deprivation of social rights.” While two Christian converts, Abbas Soori and Maryam Mohammadi, were also sentenced with the same ten‑year deprivation term, they were spared the prison time. During an appeal session that took place in May, there were no changes made to Anooshavan’s punishment. However, the deprivation term was removed from the sentences of Abbas and Maryam and replaced with a fine of six million tomans each (the equivalent of about $180). Following the appeal hearings, the three Christians petitioned Iran’s Supreme Court for a retrial. However, on August 2nd, the court rejected their requests without comment. Altar Guild Notes Sundays in September are all GREEN. Wednesdays September 7th, GREEN September 14th, RED (Holy Cross Day) September 21st, RED (St. Matthew’s Day) September 28th WHITE (for Michaelmas) We will observe Michealmas the day before its day, the 29th. Welcome, Debra Reeves! Debra Reeves is the newest member of our congregation, having moved here from Iowa and transferring in. She’s already quite active and seems to be enjoying getting to know people here, and the feeling is mutual. Welcome, Debra! New Adult Catechesis To Begin A new course of instruction is tentatively set to begin on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. for people interested in becoming members, as well as for any members who would like to refresh basic understanding of the Christian faith as we have learned it from the Small Catechism. First class, tentatively, is Saturday, September 10th. Pastor Retires from Online Teaching As many of you know, I have been teaching some online courses at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois for some twelve years. Usually it involved one or two sections of Major World Religions or, more recently, Philosophy 101. This arrangement was approved by the Council and Voters, because people here understood it as a way for me to supplement my salary here and by our mutual agreement it has enabled the congregation to continue to pay me below the District scale. In August I decided, as I have reached the normal retirement age, that I ought to retire from this teaching, as a way for me to keep my schedule from getting too busy while continuing to serve faithfully here as pastor. Congratulations, Derek and Felicia Baker! Derek and Felicia were joined in marriage on Saturday, August 13th at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Chicago. Many of our members attended. Felicia is currently taking instruction here and plans to become a communicant member soon. Congratulations to both of you! Church Picnic Is On! Our picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 18th, in the early afternoon, at Windmont Park. We’ll have bratwurst and other options, and figure out the other details as the date approaches. For now, mark your calendar and come to the picnic for some good old-fashioned fun in the afternoon. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 6/17/2022 July - August 2022Dealing with Traitors: Lessons from the Donatist Controversy
This is a shortened version of a paper I prepared for a conference in Wisconsin in June. – Pastor The Donatist heresy about which St. Augustine famously wrote had to do with several controversial matters, chief among them the question of the validity of sacraments administered by bishops who were found to be schismatics (heretics). What occasioned the controversy, which raged throughout the fourth century, was the matter of the traditores, or traitors. These were Christians who because of the threat of persecution had responded in ways perceived to be cowardly. Toward the end of the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, during the years a.d. 303-305, the “Great Persecution” began, during which many Christians were imprisoned and martyred. Christian leaders had been ordered to hand over their Scriptures and Sacred Books under the threat of this severe persecution. Some complied with the order and some refused. Those who complied became known as the traditores, because, as traitors, they had handed over the books the government demanded (trado, to hand over). When the persecution ended with the ascendency of Constantine to the throne, this controversy emerged. One bishop in particular, Mensurius of Carthage, had been accused of being a traditor, but his defense was that he had actually handed over no sacred books at all, merely some heretical ones he didn’t want in his library anyhow, and evidently the ruse had worked; so, it would seem, no harm, no foul. But this failed to placate the Donatist party who insisted that anything short of an utter refusal to comply was an offense against Christ. When Mensurius died, his supportive archdeacon Caecilian was to become his successor, which further enraged his enemies. According to Augustine’s biographer J. R. King, the primary concern of Mensurius and Caecilian against the stricter party was “the fanatical spirit in which many of the Christians courted martyrdom.” That, it would seem, was the other side of the coin. But the Donatists insisted that any such person was not considered eligible to administer valid sacraments. Hence, the acts of Mensurius, whom they considered a traditor, were to be counted as illegitimate, and so, by extension, those of Caecilian. This included Baptisms, which, according to the Donatists, were therefore no Baptisms at all. At length the Catholic Church declared in opposition that the validity of Baptism was seen to be independent of the worthiness of the administrator of it. This point of view was reaffirmed in our Lutheran Confessions. But the pesky Donatists continued on their course, eventually attracting bands of Circumcelliones, violent and profane radicals, who would jump out at random before travelers on the road, shouting “Laus Deo (Praise the Lord!),” swinging large clubs called “Israels,” hoping to evoke a violent response that might even result in their own deaths, or rather, to their own way of thinking, their own martyrdoms. This was problematic for them because the persecution of the church had already come to an end. Instead of finding ways to be martyrs, they found themselves considered clowns. People who encountered them, instead of acceding to their demands to be martyred, began to laugh at them. This drove them to change their tactics, and they began to commit acts of mass suicide instead. They would throw themselves off cliffs or into the river, or even, in some cases, they would set themselves afire. After some years St. Augustine engaged a Donatist named Petilianus, who had charged him with malice and madness, to which the he replied, “Address that rather to your own Circumcelliones. . . . [You Donatists insist that] innocence is on your side? Look back for a moment on your troops . . . with [their] cudgels . . . axes and lances and swords.” The Donatists managed to survive into the 7th century, though they didn’t die out entirely until the rise of Islam. What can we lean? First, in spite of the acrimony and notoriously violent character of the Donatist controversy, there were some matters both sides consistently agreed upon. No one on either side ever believed that the true traditores had been in the right. No one argued that compliance with Diocletian’s wicked order had been the moral thing to do. No one invoked Romans 13, as far as I can tell. Neither the Donatists nor the Catholics would have thought such an argument anything less than laughable, even though it was no secret that the murderous Nero had been the emperor when Paul wrote Romans. The limitations of the meaning of Paul’s words were evident to all: For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God . . . [and] therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. No one thought these words would apply to the emperor’s order to hand over the sacred books, even though one could argue (and nowadays someone probably would argue) that such an order was not in itself a command to sin. The emperor’s power was never assumed to be so great that “except when commanded to sin” was the only exception to it. The question, for all who called themselves Christians, was not whether a perceived traditor had a legitimate excuse for his actions, but rather what was to be done with him after the persecution had passed. A second thing we can learn from the controversy, which lasted well over a hundred years, was that the Donatists were intellectually and spiritually bankrupt from the start. These Circumcelliones were essentially wild and foolish. In confessing the faith against them, the church had to contend with opponents that were without sense. Augustine had no trouble making cogent and persuasive arguments against them not only because of his deft capacity as a rhetorician and brilliant theologian, but because they were easy opponents to oppose. The Donatist party was not intellectual at all, and certainly had no conception of the history of the Christian faith nor of the Sacred Scriptures. It's always a good thing to know one’s opponent. And today, similarly to these fools, we have many versions of folly as well. It seems a good thing to remember the greater likelihood that they are deceivers than that they are serious in their assertions, and never to assume too much about them or their specious arguments. For a prime example, consider the Critical Race Theory (“woke”) madness that has infected virtually every corner of society. When the church responds to their folly in a way that assumes their concerns are genuine, nothing is gained, and indeed much can be lost. Yet that is exactly what the Northwestern District of the Missouri Synod did at their 2018 District Convention, in resolving to condemn the sin of racism and calling for the establishment of a task force on the issue of racism. Wisdom cries out, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him” (Proverbs 26:4). But it seems that advice has not been heeded. At length Augustine did see the need to respond, because of their rebaptisms, which he regarded as a monstrous crime. For while sacraments administered by unworthy ministers in the church are nevertheless valid, a sacrament wrongly administered, or administered outside the church, was no sacrament at all. Not all baptisms were valid; but the worthiness of the priest was not a criterion; only whether his church was legitimately church. Though this may seem a distinction without a difference, the difference is that what the Donatists had done was determine that when a priest or a bishop was found to be a traditor, his own worthiness was called into question, and therefore the validity of his acts; but what the Catholic church did, by contrast, was in some cases determine the church in which a ‘baptism’ occurred was in fact no church at all. This difference could also be applied today. When we consider, for instance, the phenomenon of supposedly administering the Sacrament of the Altar over the internet, we are not calling into question the worthiness of the administrator, but whether there’s any administration going on at all. There is no church there, but only cyberspace. It isn’t the worthiness of the administrator we call into question, but the legitimacy of his administration. Just as the proverbial pastor baptizing passers-by with a water hose is not truly baptizing anyone, so also the one who thinks he has the capacity to consecrate the elements in some place other than where he is standing has no such capacity at all, and these are no sacraments either. They are, to use Augustine’s term, monstrous crimes, perhaps even more so than the Donatist rebaptisms. They have no standing, no power, and no validity. There are some other comparisons that can be made to our day. There are all kinds of crazy people about these days, as we all know. Gone are the simple, halcyon days of same-sex marriages or of mere homosexuals roaming the streets. Now there are more radical concerns: transgender madness, multi-gender madness, and the madness of thinking you can switch genders just because they figured out how remove some things from your body and paste some other things on. You might well say that today’s Circumcelliones aren’t wielding cudgels; they’re wielding scalpels. But they’re violent too: rioting in our cities and bringing civility to nothing wherever they can. And of course they’re claiming to be pious and holy in doing so. They think you are the wicked ones because you won’t support their madness. They won’t even debate you; they’ll silence you, cancel you. In their madness they have infected every corner of society, including the business world, and the schools, even down to kindergartens. So a third lesson we might draw from the fourth century could be gleaned from a look at how Augustine finally did deal with the Circumcelliones. These bands of marauders essentially claimed that they fought as soldiers of Christ. This is quite evidently a tactic of those who do evil. They mask their evil under the guise of goodness and faithfulness. Augustine exposed the thin veneer under which their own hypocrisy lay, and the utter duplicity of their claims. “How neatly it is said under covering of the sheep’s clothing, ‘Charity beareth all things, endureth all things!’ but when you come to the test, the wolf’s teeth cannot be concealed.” So also in our day comes the claim that we who refuse to go along, when we do not fall for the various complaints against us that we lack understanding or compassion, whether it’s because we don’t want to “understand” the plight of certain minority populations, or because we fail to show pity for someone “afflicted” with gender dysphoria, or because we “carelessly” refuse to comply with the government’s covid orders. Somehow we have supposedly become guilty of lovelessness and the charge that we don’t care, or are insensitive, because we don’t concern ourselves with the conditions or well-being of people. But how, we might well reply in good Augustinian fashion, is it not loveless to assume that racism abounds in our actions, when you have ignored the Eighth Commandment’s warning to explain everything in the kindest way? Tell us how it is uncaring to reject our society’s Circumcelliones’ eagerness to emasculate themselves or their unsuspecting and confused children. Or how is it not loveless, under the veneer of caring for the physical well-being of the sheep, to withhold from them their food, or to spew your vomited canard that the sheep’s green pastures may just as easily be found in front of a computer screen, while they sit alone at home in their pajamas? And we are somehow the loveless? Physician, heal thyself. The enemy always accuses, in one way or another; and usually when he does, he’s projecting, and guilty of the very things he charges. There are doubtless other lessons to be gleaned from the fourth-century church’s contentions against the Donatists. These are some, tentatively offered here, with an eye toward learning either from the church’s earlier successes, that perhaps they may be of assistance today, or from her earlier errors, that we may not be doomed to repeat them. + Pastor Eckardt Wednesday Evening Masses There is no mass scheduled on Wednesday, July 13th. Pastor and Carol will be on family vacation. On Wednesday, July 27th, mass is tentative, depending on when Pastor is able to return from a conference in Racine. To be announced. Tentatively Wednesday masses are scheduled at 7 pm on all the other Wednesdays. July, August Anniversaries July: 7/1/1951 John and Emilie Ricknell August: 8/1/2009 Chris and Trista Dooley 8/1/1981 Larry and Michele Campbell Altar Guild Notes
Catechism Resumes in August Junior Catechism will resume on Tuesday, August 16th, at 5:00 in the afternoon. Church Council The council will be meeting on Saturday, July 2nd, a Saturday, at 10 a.m. In August, the scheduled meeting is for Wednesday, August 17th, the usual time. July and August Birthdays July: 7/2 Dana McReynolds 7/4 Sarah Kraklow 7/5 Sandra Verplaetse 7/7 Stephen Harris 7/9 Michelle Armstrong 7/10 Otis Anderson 7/10 Dale Baker 7/13 Gayle Beauprez 7/14 Father Eckardt 7/14 Elizabeth Dooley August: 8/11 Sam Fisher 8/11 Judy Thompson 8/13 Donald Murphy 8/16 Trista Dooley 8/21 John Sovanski On Vacation The nearby July calendar shows that I will be away for vacation from July 9th to the 16th. Matins will be held on Sunday the 10th, a service without communion. The subdeacons will lead the service which consists of psalms, hymns, canticles, readings, and the reading of a sermon by pastor. There is no mass on Wednesday the 13th. I return on Saturday the 16th, and normal activities resume. This matins service will again be offered on Sunday, August 7th, when Pastor and Carol plan to attend Pastor Fabrizius’s retirement service in the Milwaukee area. + Pastor Eckardt Church Picnic Postponed Our picnic has usually been scheduled for the last Sunday in June, but the council decided it best to postpone it for some time later in the summer. Date and place to be announced. In Our Prayers Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below. To update the lists please inform pastor.in our parish: Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Tara Wagenknecht, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, and Jewneel Walker and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Tim Newman [Shreck relation] Matthew and Yvette Baker [Dale’s son and wife] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Trevor Lindsey [Otis Anderson’s relative] Lauren Lindstrom [Alissa’s Grandfather] Everly Stoner, Dieter Michaelsen, Marvin Brown in the military: John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel, Shawn Wetzel Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: unborn children in danger of abortion; Debra Reeves and her children Rae Beth and Drew Wayne, that they may be reunited; those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, India, China, North Korea, and elsewhere. Persecution Details (from Voice of the Martyrs Canada www.vomcanada.com) NIGERIA. 9 June 2022. Hundreds of Christians were gathered to celebrate Pentecost Sunday at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Nigeria, on June 5th when the service was disrupted by gunshots and explosions. As worshippers attempted to flee the building, gunmen shot them down, both inside and outside the building. When the bloodshed was complete, dozens lay dead – including children. Surviving victims were rushed to the hospital with injuries. It is believed that the number of fatalities could reach as high as 100. Those who were unable to escape the building hid in silence while gunmen searched for remaining worshippers. The attack continued for more than 20 minutes before the assailants fled in a stolen car. The identities and motives of the perpetrators are unclear, as no group has claimed responsibility, though some reports have suggested that Fulani herdsmen may be to blame. Witnesses from outside the church building claim that four men were seen entering and leaving the facility around the time of the attack. The violence was unexpected, since the town of Owo is in the southwestern state of Ondo – an area of Nigeria generally left free from the carnage typically experienced in other parts of the country. Politicians have widely condemned the attack. The country's vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, termed it "inconceivable wickedness," while the state governor, Rotimi Ageredolu, described it as "vile and satanic." INDIA. 9 June 2022. Christians in the village of Geltua, which is located in Odisha State, are questioning the sealing of their church building after authorities issued a mandate on May 17th ordering the believers to stop gathering for worship. According to one official named Manoj Patra, complaints had been filed by Bajrang Dal members claiming that the church was involved in illegally converting others of their tribal community to Christianity. When addressing the allegations, a local tribal Christian named Phulamani Munda stated: "We are just praying peacefully in the church. We believe in Jesus and follow the path of Jesus. I don't understand why the church was sealed." This was the only church within the community where approximately 100 people were gathering each week to pray. The mandate was imposed under Section 144, which is an emergency provision to maintain order "in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger." Under the order, no more than three people will be allowed to assemble at the church building. CHINA. 9 June 2022. On May 31st, Elder Hao Ming was finally able to visit with his lawyer, more than six months after his initial arrest. Elder Hao had been arrested on November 17th when police raided the Early Rain Qingcaodi Church. The visit took place at the Deyang City Detention Centre in China's Sichuan province. According to Elder Hao's wife, Yang Yufeng, the retired pastor is in very poor health and, without needed medical treatment, his life may be at risk. However, because the detention centre has been locked down due to COVID-19, Elder Hao is not allowed to leave the premises to obtain treatment. In a social media post, Yang asked for prayer that God would move the authorities to release him or allow bail in order that he might receive the necessary treatment. Elder W Jiannan, who was arrested at the same time as Elder Hao, is also awaiting trial from the Deyang City Procuratorate. Elder Wu's wife, Cui Yanqin, posted an update on social media, thanking Christians for their prayers. Cui is able to report that, though her husband has lost a lot of weight, he remains joyful. Our Ushers: Jim Hornback, Tom Wells, Steve Kraklow. July and August Elders with Tuesday Vespers First Tuesday events for July are to be held on Tuesday, July 5th, the usual time. Vespers at 6:45 (for anyone who wants to attend); meeting at 7:15. In August this is scheduled for the 9th (second Tuesdday), since Pastor will be away on the 2nd. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 5/25/2022 June 2022Because the Father Himself Loves You: a Segue into Pentecost and Trinity
During Eastertide, I had the opportunity to preach on St. John the Gospel for Rogate, the Fifth Sunday after Easter. I was struck by a portion of that Gospel in particular, in a way I had not considered before, perhaps because I had not quite understood it. It’s these words: “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. . . . At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God” (St. John 16:23-27). These words have to do, I believe, with a very special and important kind of love, and are worth pondering as we enter the Trinity Season. We know, of course, that the Father loves us. So does Jesus. And we know that his love is the reason Jesus came to redeem the world. But the particular kind of love of which he speaks here is, I believe, of a more exalted character even than that, and it speaks of something that is, in a way, new and profound. A close examination of these words reveals this. In the first place, Jesus says he is not going to pray for his disciples now, because they can do it themselves. This is not general but specific. It means they can pray now in his stead, as though they were he. No need, in other words, that Jesus should do the praying for them, because now he is inviting them to pray in unity with him to the Father, so that when the Father hears them it will be exactly the same thing as when the Father had been hearing Jesus. This brings us, secondly, to the meaning of the Father’s love here. Why does the Father love you? For this reason, he says: because you have loved me; and this means, as he continues here, that you have believed that I came out from God. So then this, like the Father’s hearing of the disciples in Jesus’ stead, is now the love for the Father that he has always had for his eternal Son. Jesus is called the Beloved, because the love between him and the Father is an eternal relationship between these Persons of the Trinity. And now, the disciples (and we) are invited into this love, and are loved as though we were Jesus. This is the result of our Baptism in his name, and what it means to pray in his name. When it comes to your prayers, there is no difference now, in the Father’s ears, between you and Jesus, and there is essentially, in a way, no difference between you and Jesus himself, when it comes to the love of the Father. Of course you are not Jesus; but the baptismal unity you have gained with him now provides this perspective. This truth provides a marvelous segue into Pentecost and Trinity, which we observe during the month of June. First, on Pentecost the Apostles begin their holy Ministry, and offer prayers in the churches as though it were Jesus himself standing at the altar. And of all the prayers, perhaps the most significant is this: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread.” Because that prayer is essentially asking for the Sacrament, the very Body and Blood of Jesus, that is, that these precious elements may become here, in this place and at this time, Jesus’ Body and Blood, to be distributed to us. And we may have full confidence that this prayer is heard, because of the promise given here: “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” This especially applies to the priestly prayer of the celebrant at the altar. And next comes Trinity Sunday, a celebration of the three Persons of the Godhead. What this passage tells us about that is that the eternal love shared between the Father and the Son now welcomes us. Indeed the ancients used to say that this Love was none other than the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity. To have the Holy Spirit, then, is to be brought into the divine, eternal fellowship of the Triune Godhead. That’s deep, I know. But then, does not St. Paul agree? “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways” (Romans 11:33)! Welcome then, O ye Christians, to the depths of God, to his abiding love. And come and be bound to it again and again, at the altar. + Pastor Eckardt June Birthdays 6/5 Linda Rowe 6/16 Berniece Harris 6/29 Jim Watson Church Council The council will be meeting on Wednesday, June 15th the usual third Wednesday. Please make a note of it. June Ushers Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells. Altar Guild Notes
In Our Prayers Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below. To update the lists please inform pastor. In our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker, Judy Thompson, Sharon Hartz and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Debra Dawson Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Richard Heiden [Carol Eckardt’s father] Candace Gehrke Pastor Jacob Sutton, Pastor Justin Kane in the military: John Eckardt Donny Appleman Richard Heiden Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [Kris Harden’s relatives] Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere. victims of warfare our own church our crops Vespers and Elders June 7th This month’s first Monday events are to be held on Tuesday, June 7th. This includes Vespers at 6:45 pm, followed by Elders at 7:15 pm. As of now, the altar guild no longer meets regularly; notification will be given when they do meet. June Anniversaries 6/17/1967 Robert and Mary Beth Jones 6/18/1960 Sandra and John Verplaetse 6/18/1977 Fr. Burnell and Carol Eckardt 6/18/1966 Don and Sue Murphy 6/19/1977 Dana and Carol McReynolds 6/19/1966 Bill and Judy Thompson Shut ins Emilie Ricknell at home; Emmy Wear at Williamsfield retirement home; Dale Baker at home; Jewneel Walker at Kewanee Care, Grant Andreson, at Friendship Manor in Rock Island. Pentecost and Trinity This year Pentecost is on Sunday, June 5th, and Trinity Sunday is June 12th. May Birthdays 5/2 Sheri Kraklow 5/6 Emilie Ricknell 5/10 Bill Thompson 5/24 Jeff Wagenknecht Church Picnic Plans TBA We still have not settled on a place for the church picnic this year, though we expect it will likely be held the last Sunday in June, which is the usual date. That will be June 26th. Announcement as to the place and details will be forthcoming. Special Rules for Bibles or Books Containing Sacred Texts By Ben Ball Fr Ball is a Gottesdienst editor and a vice-president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. This was posted on Gottesblog (the blog of Gottesdienst, for which see www.gottesdienst.org) on May 19th, 2022. Our school principal purchased this edition of the Vulgate as a gift to our graduating Latin scholars. What was of great interest to me was the piece of paper inside the book’s cover. It included “Special Rules for Bibles or Books Containing Sacred Texts”. I thought our Gottesdienst readers would find them as interesting as I did; so here they are. A Bible is not a ‘coaster’. Do not set drinks or food on a Bible. Store in a clean, dry, and if possible, a prominent place so it is visible and easily accessed. Avoid stacking books of lesser dignity on top of it. When no longer of use to its owner, it should be given away or sold to another. If it cannot be given away or sold, it should be thoroughly burned and the ashes buried in a suitable place. This will help prevent it from falling into the hands of those who might desecrate God’s Word. “Nolite dare sanctum canibus…Give not that which is holy to dogs…” (Matthew 7:6). Do not ‘dog-ear’ or fold the pages to mark them. Use a thin strip of paper instead. Avoid using an excessive number of thick book marks or prayer cards. This puts stress on the binding. Writing notes, underlining, or highlighting in a Bible is permissible if it is done discreetly and does not obscure the inspired text. Do not cross out words or cut and paste portions of the inspired text. If you do not like the translation of your Bible - get a different one! Mr. Kennedy Goes to Washington By Burnell Eckardt This is another post at Gottesblog, from May 3rd, 2022. A high school athletic director has been thrust into the national spotlight because he prayed in public. He took his case to court, and now, seven years later, the High Court has agreed to hear Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. This is reminiscent of the recent kerfuffle over the two Christians in Finland who went on trial for publicly confessing their faith. Readers will recall the victory in a Finnish courtroom we celebrated over the unanimous verdict in favor of Mrs. Païvi Räsänan and Bishop Juhana Pohjola, both of whom are recipients of Gottesdienst’s Sabre of Boldness, because the court determined it was not right for the government to get tangled up in the matter of Bible interpretation and the public stifling of free speech. Hopefully that victory will not be short-lived, though it has been appealed, predictably. Opponents, still fuming over the challenge that evident reality poses for their unfortunate and arguably deranged views on sexuality and marriage, have no intention of backing down. And now on this side of the pond, before the Supreme Court comes the matter of publicly praying. Oral arguments were heard last Monday. Joe Kennedy, the complainant, explained in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that appeared on the day of the hearing (April 25, 2022) that he had promised God that he would “take a knee by myself in quiet prayer at the 50-yard line following every game, win or lose.” This developed over years into a motivational talk when players became interested in what he was doing, but when the administration told him to stop, he gladly agreed to do so, and reverted to his previous practice of praying alone on the 50. But when the lawyers stepped in, the requirement changed to refraining from anything public or visible, with the suggestion that he go to a room far removed from the public eye. Mr. Kennedy determined that if he were to comply, it would send a message that prayer is bad and should be hidden, so he refused. He was suspended for that, though they admitted there was “no evidence that students have been directly coerced” to pray along. No matter. He was fired with a negative evaluation and the warning “Do Not Rehire” emblazoned on it. Mr. Kennedy, a former Marine, thus has made his plea to the Court. The liberals on the Court have lined up against him of course. Justice Kagan opined that what he is doing still constitutes a form of coercion, because it “kind of puts undue press on student (sic) to participate when they may not wish to,” and Justice Sotomayor agrees, saying, “He chose to publicize his prayer, and he got down on one knee on the 50-yard line.” I frankly find this laughable. As Mr. Kennedy has said, “teachers could be fired for praying over their lunch” by that standard. And thankfully most of the other Justices seem to be on his side. Justice Alito has even indicated that religious expression should be treated no differently than the expression of political views, a protected right. The Court’s majority appears to be in agreement that Mr. Kennedy’s conduct should not be considered an endorsement of religion, and it’s widely believed that they’ll rule in his favor, come June (NBC News online April 25, 2022). So here’s another example of religion, specifically Christianity, under attack in the public worldwide spotlight. First Finland, now here. For now it appears that public sentiment is coming down pretty heavily on the side of free speech, and that’s a good thing of course. But there’s no telling the future. I know I inherited my sainted mother’s perpetual optimism about things, but still I find in this an urgent need for continued prayer, not only on the 50-yard line. Martin Luther quipped that the world has no idea how much it owes the Christians for their prayers, and I, too, believe those prayers have certainly made a difference, and that Someone is listening. So let’s keep praying. And as for the future, it was once said that we don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 4/20/2022 May 2022Why Four Gospels?
A new Bible class begins on Tuesday, April 26th, at 1:30 p.m. We will take a look at the four Gospels and consider some questions about them, chiefly these: 1. Why four Gospels? Why isn’t one enough? What’s the reason for this duplication? What can we deduce from it? There’s a great article nearby that deals with one aspect of this matter. 2. What are the differences between each Gospel and the others? What is the significance, if any, about these differences? 3. What is the thematic statement of each Gospel writer? We’ll take accounts that occur in more than one of the Gospels and compare it to the other or others. What conclusions can we draw? Finally, we hope to make some conclusions about the order in which these Gospels were likely written. Which came first? Which came last? Does it matter? Although this first ‘kickoff’ class will be held on Tuesday, April 26th, it will be followed by a two-week hiatus, as Pastor will be gone for a few days the following week. We will resume, God willing, on the 10th of May. Join us for an invigorating study and conversation. Jesus Christ’s Resurrection Is Probably The Best-Documented Historical Event Ever By Scott Powell – posted online at The Federalist, April 15th, 2022 Because of their experience with the resurrected Jesus, the apostles were in a unique position, knowing with certainty that Jesus was truly the Son of God. There are many religions with different founders, prophets, and teachers going back thousands of years. But only one of them, Christianity, has a founder who professed to be the Messiah—the son of God—who provided irrefutable proof of who he was by conquering death through resurrection. Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Christ is also the only person in history who was pre-announced starting a thousand years before he was born, with 18 different prophets from the Old Testament between the tenth and the fourth centuries BC predicting his coming birth, life, and death. Hundreds of years later, the details of Christ’s birth, life, betrayal, and manner of death validated those prophecies in surprisingly accurate and minute detail. One thousand years BC, David prophetically wrote about the crucifixion of Christ at a time crucifixion was unknown as a means of execution. Every other consequential person of history came into the world to live. The death of other religious leaders—such as Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Mohammad, and Confucius—brought an anticlimactic end to their lives and their work. But Christ came into the world as God’s son in order to die and pay the price for man’s sin. His sacrifice was the ultimate climax of his life, done for the benefit of all mankind—opening the way to eternal life in heaven for all who believe. Of the four major world religions built on personalities, only Christianity claims its founder is still alive, having overcome death through resurrection. No Jew ever believed that, after Abraham died and was interred, his tomb ever became empty. After Buddha died, no disciple ever claimed that he or she saw or spoke to him again. As for Mohammed and his teachings that are the basis of Islam, there is no trace of this founder appearing to his disciples or followers after he died at age 61. His occupied tomb is located in Medina and is visited by tens of thousands of devout Muslims every year. Christ was unique in that he gave up his life as a sacrifice to fulfill why he came into the world. Christ set the highest standard of love possible, both in his teachings and in making the ultimate sacrifice—giving his life to rescue and save mankind. Then, to provide “seeing is believing” evidence, God brought Jesus back from being dead in a tomb to being alive—resurrected—so people would have living proof of who he was. The New Testament provides accounts from multiple sources who witnessed Jesus firsthand after the resurrection. In fact, Jesus made ten separate appearances to his disciples between the resurrection and his ascension into Heaven, over a period of 40 days. Some of those appearances were to individual disciples, some were to several disciples at the same time, and once even to 500 at one time. Particularly noteworthy is that there were no accounts of witnesses who came forth and disputed these appearances or called it a “hoax.” Not a single one. Nor do we find any historical record of any witness accounts that were contradictory. While there are skeptics of the biblical account of Jesus, there’s actually far more reliable historical evidence for his life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection than for any other historical figure of ancient times. Consider, for instance, that the authenticity of Alexander the Great, who was born some 350 years before Christ, is based on two original biographical accounts of his life by Arrian and Plutarch, which were written some 400 years after Alexander died. The manuscripts of Virgil and Horace, both of whom lived within a generation of Christ, were written more than four centuries after their deaths. The copy of works by Livy and Tacitus on Roman history and the works of Pliny Secundus on natural history were written on average some 700 years after the time of the original account. Yet no one doubts Virgil and Horace lived and authored great poetic masterpieces. Nor do we hear questions about the authenticity and accuracy of accounts of Livy and Tacitus in chronicling the events of the Roman Emperors Augustus, Claudius, Nero, or Tiberius. About 1,000 times more manuscripts preserve the deeds and teaching of Jesus in the New Testament (about 25,000 total) than there are preserving other classical ancient works of historic figures who lived at approximately the same time, with the exception of Homer, whose “Iliad” is backed by 1,800 manuscripts. But that is still less than one-tenth the number of ancient manuscripts that back the authenticity of the New Testament. We know the historical Jesus mainly through four different accounts known as the gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—not written hundreds of years later, but within a generation or two of Jesus’s life. Apostles Matthew and John provide eyewitness accounts from their years of walking with Jesus as disciples. Mark also had eyewitness experience, although he was only a teenager when Jesus began his public ministry. Luke, the doctor, learned about Jesus from his friend Paul, the apostle who wrote the most letters in the New Testament. Because of their experience with the resurrected Jesus, the apostles were in a unique position, knowing with certainty that Jesus was truly the Son of God. They had been present for the life, ministry, miracles, and death of Jesus. If the claims about Jesus were a lie, the apostles would have known it. That’s why their commitment to their testimony was so powerful and compelling. Additionally, the apostles’ willingness to die for their claims has tremendous evidential value, also confirming the truth of the resurrection. No one will die for something he invented or believes to be false. Seeing, talking to, and touching the risen Jesus transformed the apostles, who then committed the rest of their lives to educate and advocate for the truth about the message of salvation through Christ. With the exception of John, who died exiled on the island of Patmos for his testimony of Jesus, the other 11 apostles—including Matthias who replaced Judas, the betrayer of Jesus—died as martyrs for their beliefs in the divinity of Christ. It turns out that Easter, which has its ultimate meaning in the resurrection, is one of ancient history’s most carefully scrutinized and best-attested events. The resurrection is real, and changes everything. Easter is the commemoration and celebration of the single event that transformed the world forever. Scott S. Powell is senior fellow at Discovery Institute. This article is a vignette adapted from his acclaimed book, Rediscovering America, now Amazon’s No. 1 new release in the history genre. Reach him at scottp@discovery.org Shut ins Emilie Ricknell at home; Dick Melchin at Hammond-Henry extended care in Geneseo; Emmy Wear at Williamsfield retirement home; Dale Baker at home; Jewneel Walker at Kewanee Care, Grant Andreson, at Friendship Manor in Rock Island. First Tuesday Our First Tuesday events are moved to the second Tuesday this month, to accommodate Pastor’s schedule. This will be May 10th. Please make a note of it. May Anniversaries May 17, 1959 Allan and Barbra Kraklow May 28, 1982 Chris & Garry Erickson May 28, 1977 John and Charlene Sovanski Church Council to Meet Wednesday, May 18th The monthly meeting of the Council is scheduled, as usual, for the third week of May, which is the 18th, at the usual 5:30 In Our Prayers Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below. To update the lists please inform pastor. In our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker, Judy Thompson, and Otis Anderson, Sharon Hartz and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Debra Dawson Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin] Richard Heiden, Carol Eckardt’s father Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys] Candace Gehrke Nancy Callahan [Don Murphy’s sister, cancer] Pastor Jacob Sutton, Pastor Justin Kane in the military John Eckardt Donny Appleman Richard Heiden Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [relatives of Kris Harden] Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong In trouble any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, Canada, and elsewhere. Victim of warfare May Ushers Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells Altar Guild Notes
Ascension Day May 26th Ascension Day is on Thursday, May 26th. Because of this, according to our usual practice, our midweek mass will be held that day at 7:00 pm, instead of the usual day for midweek mass of Wednesday. No mass is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25th. Instead, put May 26th on your calendar and come observe the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. Gottesdienst Fort Wayne The annual Gottesdienst Fort Wayne event is scheduled for Monday to Wednesday, May 2nd – 4th, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Details are at www.gottesdienst.org. Pastor will be in attendance. Events here are cancelled on those days. May Birthdays 5/2 Sheri Kraklow 5/6 Emilie Ricknell 5/10 Bill Thompson 5/24 Jeff Wagenknecht Rogation Days Monday through Wednesday, May 23rd – May 25th The rogation days are the traditional days of prayer leading up to Ascension Day, and following Rogate, the Sixth Sunday after Easter. Rogate means to pray. Every one of these days is a good day to offer special prayers, and in particular to pray the Litany, which may be found in the hymnal on page 110. You may find the sung version listed as Hymn # 661. We will do this in church on Tuesday, May 24th, at 1 pm, just prior to our Tuesday Bible Class. A good tradition; join is in the church. A Special Visitor On Wednesday April 20th, the church had a special and unusual visitor, who seemed to be auditioning for the role of reader. But since he was the wrong species, I ushered him out the window. - Pastor St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 3/24/2022 April 2022St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 34 April 2022 No. 4 O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? This sermon was preached by Pastor Eckardt at the Easter sunrise in 2017 and published in the Easter 2018 edition of Gottesdienst Alleluia! Christ is risen! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Answer me! You, O death, who have paraded yourself and boasted that you were unstoppable, whom no one could undo, for whom no one had an answer, and thus you have brought anguish and grief to the hearts of many and unassuageable tears to their eyes; you, O death whose grim pall has been cast over all mankind, who have laughed in our faces, for we have been helpless and pitiful in your sight. Where are you now, O death? Where are you today? Or have you not yet heard that Christ is risen? But we have heard! And we know it! Christ is risen from the dead! O death, what do you say about this? Have you no reply? Have you lost your voice? Perhaps you are busy. Perhaps you are napping and must be awakened. No reply to this, O death? And grave, what of you? You were supposed to be the final resting place, the end of life, you were so sure you had the last laugh. But you are wrong! For Christ is risen from the dead! And your treasury has been emptied; you, O grave, have been robbed by our victorious Thief in the night; your victory has been snatched away from you, and today you have lost everything. You, O death! You, O grave! Today, you are utterly vanquished! And you are the ones who must languish while we celebrate. Today the pall is cast over you, and your power is taken away. And today, the victory we have gained is in fact eternal and impossible to undo. Just as you had made us helpless, now you are helpless and pathetic in our sight, and you have no answer; and our tears are being wiped away, and it is we who sit with our resurrected Lord in the heavens and shall laugh. We shall laugh in your face. For Christ is risen from the dead! O death, you ugly, detestable, deplorable thing: begone! Be forever gone! The sting of death is sin, which is to say, sin is death’s great weapon. For all have sinned, and there is none who is righteous. Therefore all are guilty and all must die; all are mortal. That’s what death had on us, this undeniable truth, that we have sinned and are therefore not only mortal, but under the wrath of God. All of us, that is, except for one: our Lord Jesus Christ was without sin, and he, for us, not only entered our mortal state—even from the point of his conception, he not only became incarnate, but became mortal; not only mortal, but actually suffered death, even Continued, next page Continued from front page death upon a cross. Death swallowed him up. Death, like a great sea monster with an insatiable appetite and mouth wide open swallowing everything in its path, also swallowed him: such a tender morsel, a delightful worm. Down the hatch he went. But in that worm was embedded and hidden a great divine hook, and the hook was set, and our Lord by his own divinity raised himself from death, and death was suddenly stopped in its path, and yanked, surprised, from its intention. And the predator had become the prey. Beloved, have you lost someone? Have you been mournful? Does your heart ache in the face of death? Here is immeasurable balm and healing for the mournful, and for the sick at heart: Christ is risen from the dead. For death is vanquished not only in Jesus’ case, but also in ours. Because he is our Brother, the bearer of our own flesh. In Christ, we have gained this victory: Thanks be to God, says the Apostle, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let these words sink into your ears. Claim this! Seize it! Believe it! Be steadfast and unmovable. You are free now to mock death, and to laugh at the grave. But what if you doubt? What if you cannot bring yourself to this point? I am not calling upon you today to summon your will to believe, or to talk yourself into denying any doubts you might still harbor. Rather, here is what must be done with all such doubts and fears. Collar them and drag them to the tomb of Christ. Force them to look there. What do they see? He is not there. He is risen, as he said. Next, drag these fears to the upper room, and show them what is there. Put their nose in that scene. What do they see there? Jesus himself standing, saying, Peace be unto you, showing his hands and his side. Your doubts and fears must be taken to the evidence that demands to be seen and heard. They must hear these Gospel tidings. And in this way, let them be driven away. And this is no idle talk. This is the truth: Christ is risen from the grave! He stood before his disciples and showed himself alive. He declared peace to them. He talked with them. He ate with them. He proved to them that he was alive. And since he is alive, death is dead. Since he lives, not only is his own grave empty, but the graves of all his saints must give up their victims. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise, and we shall be changed. And all because Christ’s flesh is our flesh, his sacrifice is our sacrifice, his death is our death, and his resurrection is our resurrection. So today let us feast. Let us receive Christ here at the altar. This bread is his living flesh; this cup is his life-giving blood. If you need any further evidence—and we always do—that his resurrection is your resurrection, then be partakers in it here. And today let us rejoice. Set sorrow aside. This is the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord. This is a time for a great celebration, than which none could be greater. This is a victory celebration which shall have no end. And today, let us mock. Let us laugh. Let us deride: O death, where is thy sting? Where are you now? Christ is risen! O death, what is your reply? Nothing to say? Has your mouth been stopped? Truly, you are gagged and silenced forever this day. And we confess the life everlasting. O grave, where is thy victory? Your coffins have been emptied and your coffers have been cleaned out; your victory has been turned into utter defeat, snatched away from you forever, and you have lost your prey. So get lost. You are nothing. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Alleluia! Christ is risen! Passion Readings during Holy Week As is our usual custom, there will be readings of the Passion accounts from St. Matthew on Palm Sunday, St. Luke on Holy Wednesday, and Good Friday. These readings involve the participation of the congregation, which is reminiscent of a common choral practice during Reformation times. The subdeacon reads the narrator’s part, the pastor reads the part of Christ, and the congregation reads the parts of groups or crowds of people. These readings are found in special booklets which are handed out with the bulletins. Holy Week and Easter Masses Holy Monday through Good Friday, 7 p.m. Great Vigil: Saturday, April 16th, 7 p.m. Easter Sunrise Mass: April 17th, 7 a.m. (Easter breakfast following) Easter Midweek Mass: Wednesday, April 20th, 7 p.m. Shut ins Emilie Ricknell at home; Dick Melchin at Hammond-Henry extended care in Geneseo; Emmy Wear at Williamsfield retirement home; Dale Baker at home; Grant Andreson, at Friendship Manor in Rock Island. First Tuesday Our First Tuesday events are scheduled for April 5th: First Tuesday Vespers between them, for all to attend, and Elders at 7:15 pm. The Triduum Sacrum The Triduum Sacrum (holy three days) are the deepest point of Lent, giving way all at once to Easter. It starts on Maundy Thursday with mass at 7 p.m. There is no benediction for this service, as it is understood to continue on Good Friday and until the Great Vigil. As soon as the last part of the Maundy Thursday mass is sung (the Benedicamus: V: Bless we the Lord. R: Thanks be to God), the pastor and subdeacon remove their sacramental vestments while the choir sings a psalm. They then strip the altar, pulpit, and lectern of all their paraments, remove the reserved Sacrament, take out the torches, and leave the sanctuary bare. Following the congregational singing of another psalm, all depart in silence. On Good Friday, there is an opportunity to pray the Litany at 12 noon, the hour of crucifixion. Then at 7 pm is the Good Friday Solemn Liturgy with Holy Communion. On Holy Saturday, the third day, the Great Vigil commences at 7 p.m. with a newly lit fire outside (near the kitchen doors), from which the new paschal candle is lit. The congregation follows into the church in procession. The Vigil is in four parts, the first three of which anticipate Easter: the Service of Light, the Service of Readings, the Service of Baptismal Remembrance. And then comes part four, when the lights go up, the pastor wears his white chasuble, and he announces, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!” to which all robustly reply, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” This is an ancient versicle and response dating to the early church. It is still used around the world, in virtually all languages. April Anniversary 4/13/2002 Steve and Sheri Kraklow New Bible Class A new weekday Bible Class is tentatively to be scheduled Tuesday afternoons, beginning April 26th. The topic of this class is yet to be decided. The time of the class will probably be at 1:30 pm. Pencil it in on your calendars. Details should be coming in bulletins soon. Stay tuned! In Our Prayers Our list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists below. To update the lists please inform pastor.Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker, Judy Thompson, Otis Anderson and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Debra Dawson Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin] Richard Heiden, Carol Eckardt’s father Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys] Candace Gehrke Pastor Jacob Sutton Pastor Justin Kane [relative of Diana Shreck] in the military: John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [rel. of Kris Harden] Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: especially any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, Finland, Canada, elsewhere. Easter Preparations 1) Volunteers needed to help with Spring cleaning on Saturdays at 9 am. 2) Extra volunteers needed to help with Easter Breakfast preparations on Holy Saturday, April 3rd, beginning at 9 am. First, we need volunteers to help with preparations on Holy Saturday, 3) Items you are bringing for the breakfast. See the sign-up sheet in the gym. Everybody may bring something, but sign up for something in particular, so we don’t have everyone bringing the same thing. 4) Easter lilies: find a sign-up sheet in the narthex or on the table in the hall. $15 each. 5) Choir members, please make an extra effort to come to any remaining rehearsals. 6) Ladies, remember your hats! 7) Invite your families! 8) Let us know you’re coming! Judy, Our Volunteer Secretary Since Judy Thompson broke her leg, she has been out of commission for several weeks, and is expected to be back in early May. The secretarial duties she performs are all the more appreciated. During her absence, Pastor has been taking care of the mail, bills, bank balances, and other of her duties, at least the minimum of what has to be done. It’s a temporary solution, of course, and we are glad to hear she’s on the mend! Three cheers also for Michelle Armstrong her daughter who has been doing a lot of what is needed for her care. April Birthdays 4/3 Adam Shreck 4.14 Emmy Wear 4/19 Luke Wells 4/22 Grant Andreson 4/25 Mason Dooley Easter Lilies There’s a sign-up sheet in the narthex. Cost. $15.00 apiece Easter Hats Ladies, remember our hats tradition! Easter is the time to wear your best, and if you are able, set it off with a handsome hat! And by all means, leave them on for the Easter breakfast. Robin Sighting The winner of this year’s robin sighting contest is Steve Kraklow, who saw one on Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. This is his third time as winner. The eligibility is limited to people in Illinois extending as far south as Peoria. As promised, as winner, he might get a check for $10,000 a month for the rest of his life. He might. Maybe. 2022 Steve Kraklow 2021 Andy Eckardt 2020 Michele Keehner 2019 Steve Kraklow 2018 Steve Kraklow 2017 Barbra Kraklow 2016 Judy Thompson 2015 Carol Eckardt 2014 Michele Keehner April Ushers Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells Church Council to Meet Wednesday, April 20th The monthly meeting of the Council is scheduled, as usual, for the third week of April, which is the 20th. at the usual 5:30 Altar Guild Notes
St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 3/24/2022 March 2022St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 34 March 2022 No. 3 THE LENTEN DOWNWARD TREK It’s a very good thing to be in touch with the sanctoral cycle, better-known as the church year, a year superimposed on the calendar year. We generally manage our lives according to the calendar year, which counts onward year after year since our Lord’s coming and looking toward his return. This is why this year is called A D 2022. A D stands for anno domini, which is Latin for “the year of our Lord.” This is the year of our Lord 2022, counting that many years we have been waiting for our Lord’s return in glory. It’s a rough count, since the beginning of that counting was not altogether accurate, but the letters A D are a subtle reminder, all the same, that we’re still counting, and patiently waiting. Society doesn’t look at it that way, of course, but we Christians certainly do. A D is a subtle confession that Christ shall come again in glory to judge both the quick and the dead, as we confess every Sunday morning. That’s the calendar year, which, aside from that, we all understand pretty well. Then there’s the church-year, the sanctoral cycle. Many people have little idea about this, generally paying attention only to its highlights, Christmas and Easter. But the Church does well in ordering our days around the year according to these high Feasts. Hence we count Advent as the season leading to Christmas and Epiphany the season after Christmas. And then there come the seasons surrounding the high feast of Easter. Eastertide itself is seven Sundays, preceded by Lent, the season of penitential preparation and fasting. Lent itself is also preceded by Septuagesima, also called pre-Lent, a season of three Sundays prior to Ash Wednesday. Those Sundays are Septuagesima (70th), Sexagesma (60th) and Quinquagesima (50th) named for the days (approximately) remaining before Easter. The emphasis during this season is on the Word of God and its power, and it is the season we begin as it were to march downward into the recesses of Lent. The somber season of Lent is itself subdivided, with the last two weeks designated as Passiontide, and the images are veiled. This two week period is itself subdivided, because the second of those two weeks is Holy Week, the most important week of the entire year. And Holy Week is then subdivided, because the period from Maundy Thursday until the Vigil of Easter is called the triddum Sacram, or the Holy Three Days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, the very deepest part of Lent. All this leads to the sharp and immediate contrast with Easter, which is ushered in at the Vigil itself. Moving directly from the throes of Lent’s deepest moments to the heights of Christianity’s most joyous day, we can the more easily recall the great wonder and joy experienced by the apostles upon suddenly seeing the risen Christ, as he stood before them, alive. All of this teaches us that the Christian faith is rooted in real-life events, things that actually happened, and have made all the difference to us, sealing our eternal salvation. + Pastor Eckardt Still No Robins? As it did last year, the robin sighting contest continues into March, since no robin sighting has yet been reported. Who can find the first robin of spring? Call Pastor if you see and can verify one. This is the ninth year of the contest. Past winners: 2021 Andy Eckardt 2020 Michele Keehner 2019: Steve Kraklow 2018: Steve Kraklow 2017: Barb Kraklow 2016: Judy Thompson 2015: Carol Eckardt 2014: Michele Keehner A sign of spring, the robin may also help us think of the approach of Easter! Remember, the winner of the contest might get a check for $10,000 a month for the rest of his life. March Birthdays 3/1 Barbra Kraklow 3/25 Carol Eckardt March Anniversary 3/19/1977 Jeff and Diana Shreck Church Council Council meets Wednesday, March 16th, at 5:30. This is the fourth Wednesday of the month. March Ushers Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells In Our Prayers Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following. Anyone wishing to update the list by addition or subtraction, please inform the pastor.in our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, and Jewneel Walker and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Matt Verplaetse Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin] Richard Heiden, Carol Eckardt’s father Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys] Pastor Jacob Sutton Pastor Justin Kane [relative of Diana Shreck] in the military John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [relatives of Kris Harden] Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: any unborn children in danger of abortion; those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere, also Paivi Rasanen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of Finland. Trial of Räsänen and Pohjola Continues The Finnish trial of Dr Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola resumed on Monday February 14th. The essence of this trial is that our Christian confession of faith according to Scripture is itself on trial, since these stalwart Lutherans have been charged with “hate speech” because of their public confession that Scripture’s teaching on human life, sexuality, and marriage is true and correct, meaning that homosexuality is sinful, as Scripture also teaches. Dr. Räsänen was awarded the Gottesdienst Sabre of Boldness in January, and Bishop Pohjola had been awarded the Sabre in 2006. The Prosecutor General of Finland had charged Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola with hate speech for openly confessing the faith, and for insisting on freedom of religion. The latest news comes from a report that emerged on February 16th from the resumption of the trial on the 14th. It was announced that the verdict would be reached and announced on March 30th. Bishop Pohjola, using a megaphone to address a large crowd of supporters after the session on the 14th, also spoke to reporters, and his remarks were published in English two days later. by the Diocese News of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of Finland. Here is what he said: “The prosecutor’s primary idea seems to be that, in public, one’s own understanding of the Bible may not be taught, and that freedom of religion does not give one permission to voice aloud a teaching if it is considered to discriminate against a minority group. Therefore, in line with this view, the biblical teachings on marriage, sexuality, sin and grace could not, according to the prosecution, be preached in public. This is an attack on religious freedom.” The demonstrators had gathered outside the courtroom to show their support for the defendants, as this trial has quickly gained international interest. Catechism Schedule and Confirmation The schedule for catechesis this season are as follows: Adult catechesis Mondays at 1:30 pm Junior catechesis on Tuesdays at 5:00 pm. A New Study in Sunday Bible Class Beginning sometime in March, depending on when our study of Hebrews ends, we will begin in our Sunday morning Bible Class to consider the book of I Samuel. We began this study at our Day of Reflection, held on Saturday, February 5th, when we looked at the first two chapters. A brief review will be followed by a study of the remaining chapters of I Samuel. Join us for breakfast and an invigorating study hour that always begins after Sunday mass, in the parish hall. Choir rehearsals again! In preparation for special music during Holy Week and Easter, choir rehearsals have started up again. The first Wednesday in March will have to be skipped, as Pastor and Carol plan to be visiting her father in Florida for a few days that week, so we plan to resume rehearsals on Wednesday, March 9th at 5:30 pm. That is a relatively new time, as the choir members seem to find it easier to attend at the earlier hour. Check the calendar and make a special note of it: March 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, and April 6th. We will not rehearse after that unless we decide we need it. Midweek Lenten Services Following an old Lutheran custom, we suggest people to make a little more effort to come out for midweek masses during Lent, as another laudable way of observing the season. It’s a good part of the Lenten season. 7:00 Wednesday evenings. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 1/27/2022 February 2022St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 34 February 2022 No. 2 Candlemas The Feast of Candlemas is upon us again, so-called because of the custom of distributing, blessing, and lighting of candles during the service. It is one of the more beautiful occasions we celebrate at St. Paul’s. Set on February 2nd, this year it falls on the first Wednesday of February. February 2nd is the fortieth day from Christmas. A woman who gave birth to a son was required by Levitical law to come for the rite of purification. Thus the Blessed Virgin Mary came, and when she came she presented her first born Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as she was also required to do by the law. When Jesus was presented in the temple, the priest Simeon also came in and declared, in the words of the Nunc Dimittis, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” This declaration of the Christ Child as a Light is the reason for the ceremonial use of candles at this Mass. The use of these lights in connection with the Blessed Sacrament emphasizes the analogy of Simeon’s jubilation on receiving the Child with our own reception of Christ at the altar. This connection is made at every Mass, of course, in our own recitation of the Nunc Dimittis. At Candlemas, the connection is highlighted because the Gospel appointed for the day is this very Gospel. The name of this Feast, Candlemas, also subtly provides a link to the Feast from which it springs, that great feast of forty days earlier, namely Christmas. Hand-candles are used twice in this service. First, at the opening, in a procession toward the altar and back to the pews, all the while singing the Nunc Dimittis (the song of Simeon). Second, the hand-candles are re-lit, when the Sacrament is consecrated. + Pastor Eckardt Also called Groundhog’s Day The reason for the legend of the groundhog who comes out, sees his shadow, and goes back into hiding for another six weeks off winter, is probably the fact that we are nearing the season of Lent, which is also (roughly) six weeks long. But that’s just trivia. More seriously, this year we begin pre-Lent on Septuagesima, February 13th. So Ash Wednesday will fall on March 2nd.Easter comes on April 17th. Septuagesima February 13st. On Septuagesima Sunday we turn our gaze toward Easter, though liturgically it is still off in the distance. This Sunday marks the first day of pre-Lent (also called the Septuagesima season), a period of preparing our minds for the coming of Lent. A few liturgical matters are noted: we bid the Alleluias farewell, for we will not sing them again until Easter. The choir sings The Depositio, which is a “farewell to the alleluia” at the opening of the service. In addition, and we have changed the color to violet, also the color for Lent. The Septuagesima season is observed in three Sundays: Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima. These Latin terms mean 70th, 60th, and 50th, for we pass, roughly, the 70th, 60th, and 50th days before Easter. Following Quinquagesima comes Ash Wednesday, the first day of the 40 days of Lent. Lent itself was once called Quadragesima, which means 40th. In the middle ages Septuagesima Sunday was also seen as New Year’s Day, because of this shift in our focus: we had been living, as it were, in the wake of Christmas, since the Epiphany season is an extension of the Christmas season. On Septuagesima Sunday we live in the first stages of preparation for the coming of Easter. Shrove Tuesday March 1st A good opportunity to make confession privately in preparation for Lent. Pastor is available Tuesday afternoon until 5 pm and, as always, by appointment. Ash Wednesday March 2nd On Ash Wednesday, February 17th, we will congregate at 7:00 pm to mark the beginning of Lent. The rite of imposition of ashes precedes the Mass. Lent The season of Lent emphasizes penitence, in preparation for Easter. Its span is forty days, like the forty days in which Jesus fasted in the wilderness, in fulfillment of the fast of Moses and Elijah on Mount Horeb. The Apostles themselves left the specific manner of observance to Christian liberty, saying, Let each be convinced in his own mind. Leaving aside the question of what things one should fast from (whether sweets, or meats, or milk products, etc.), what is clear is that the custom of fasting itself is quite biblical. If Moses, Elijah, and Jesus himself fasted, certainly it must be a good practice. Indeed, on Ash Wednesday we hear Jesus saying, “When ye fast, be not as the hypocrites,” etc. Luther’s Small Catechism also declares, “Fasting and other bodily preparation is indeed a fine outward training.” Therefore we conclude two things: first, that fasting is a good thing, and second, that it is a matter left to Christian liberty. Liturgically the Church fasts during Lent (as Israel fasted forty years in the wilderness). The color is penitential violet. Alleluias are not sung, and there is less music; flowers are absent, and weddings are not to be scheduled. Then, the last two weeks of Lent are designated as “passiontide,” when statutes, images, and crosses in the churches are veiled, and no Glorias are sung at all, except in the Gloria in Excelsis on Maundy Thursday. But in the midst of this penitential mood there is joy, especially at Laetare, the fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare means ‘rejoice’). The entire penitential season is not to be sad, but joyful. For true joy of heart, born of the suffering and resurrection of Christ, transcends all parts of Christian life, even the deepest of sorrows, as we confess with David that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Thus the forty days of Lent is followed by a contrastingly festive forty-day season from Easter until Ascension Day. Annual Voters’ Assembly Set for February 6th After several weeks of unforeseen delays, we finally have a scheduled date for the annual voters’ assembly, namely the first Sunday of February, which is February 6th. As usual, this meeting will take the place of Bible Class during the hour from 10:30 to 11:30 am. A Day of Theological Reflection February 12th Our annual Day of Reflection had a hiatus last year. We haven’t had one for two years, but now at last we are scheduling another. On Saturday afternoon, February 12th we will be having a seminar. This marks the 22nd year we have done this. This year’s theme is “THE NATIVITY, EARLY YEARS, AND CALL OF SAMUEL” We will open with midday prayers and continue into the afternoon with the seminar. Here is the schedule: 12:30 pm: Midday prayers 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.: Seminar (day of reflection) The nineteenth retreat in the Theological Reflection series is entitled, “THE NATIVITY, EARLY YEARS, AND CALL OF SAMUEL” Samuel is a pivotal figure in the history of Israel, being both the last of the judges and the one to anoint the first king. What is the significance of his nativity and childhood, and what do the details of his call signify? Questions like this will all be discussed and addressed. .+ Pastor Eckardt Choir Rehearsals Choir rehearsals will be starting again this month, beginning on Wednesday, February 2nd. Since the 5:30 hour seemed to work well late last year, we’ll schedule it that way again. We will only be able to meet three times in February, since Pastor will be gone the fourth week. Then we will resume in March. But let’s get started; see you there! February Birthdays 2/2 Mindie Fisher2/4 Joshua Kraklow2/5 Tom Wells2/23 Carol McReynolds February Anniversaries None First Tuesday The first Tuesday events (altar guild, vespers, elders) will be held, God willing, on Tuesday, February 2nd. Altar Guild at 6 pm; Vespers at 6:45; Elders at 7:15. All members are always encouraged to join us for First Tuesday Vespers, as you are able. No February Council Meeting As is customary, the church council does not meet in the month of our annual voters’ assembly. Since voters will meet on February 6th this year, there is no need for the council also to meet. Ushers Jim Hornback, Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells The Bible on Trial in Finland The case of Païvi Räsänan and Bishop Juhana Pohjola is being tried in a Finnish Court. Dr. Räsänan, who is a physician, is on trial for hate speech because she, who is a sitting member of the Finnish Parliament, wrote a pamphlet in 2004 about the Biblical view of marriage between a man and a woman, and has since then been criticized for insensitivity toward the LBGTQ community for nothing other than her view that the Biblical view is correct. She received the Sabre of Boldness from the Gottesdienst editorial board last week and has communicated with us her gratitude for our support, which joins a widespread international voicing of dismay over the persecution she and her compatriot, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, who also received Gottesdienst’s Sabre award in 2009, have suffered. The trial goes on throughout February and may be decided by early March. Dr. “Räsänen has claimed that the Finnish church has ‘elevat[ed] shame and sin to a point of pride’, according to the indictment. According to Euronews.com, “Prosecutors say that her remarks are an ‘affront to the equality and dignity of homosexuals’ and have called for the MP to be fined up to €13,000. . . . “The landmark case on hate speech and religious freedoms has been described as ‘shocking’ by Finland's Christian community. The former minister has denied the charges and says she acted in the name of ‘freedom of expression and religion’. She remarked on the first day of the trial, “I hope it will be clear today that I do not wish to offend any group of people, but that it is about saving people for eternal life.” We will keep her and Bp. Pohjola in our prayers. Robin Sighting Contest Who can find the first robin of spring? Call Pastor if you see and can verify one. This is the ninth year of the contest. The eligibility is limited to people in Illinois extending as far south as Peoria. The winner of the contest gets a check for $10,000 a month for the rest of his life. Maybe. Past winners: 2021 Andy Eckardt 2020 Michele Keehner 2019 Steve Kraklow 2018 Steve Kraklow 2017 Barbra Kraklow 2016 Judy Thompson 2015 Carol Eckardt 2014 Michele Keehner 2020 Michele Keehner 2019: Steve Kraklow 2018: Steve Kraklow 2017: Barb Kraklow 2016: Judy Thompson 2015: Carol Eckardt 2014: Michele Keehner A sign of spring, the robin may also help us think of the approach of Easter! In Our Prayers Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following. Anyone wishing to update the list by addition or subtraction, please inform the pastor. in our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, and Jewneel Walker and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Matt Verplaetse Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin] Richard Heiden, Carol Eckardt’s father Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys] Pastor Jacob Sutton Pastor Justin Kane [relative of Diana Shreck] in the military John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [relatives of Kris Harden] Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere, also Paivi Rasanen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of Finland, who are on trial and face possible conviction and imprisonment for their confession of faith. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 12/20/2021 January 2022
 God rest ye merry, this Christmas 2021 and always!
– the Eckardts St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 34 January 2022 No. 1 Master of Disguise (Excerpts from an article in the Christmas 2021 issue of Gottesdienst by Pastor Eckardt) Christmas is a great time to consider the humility of Christ and then to apply what we know about it to everything else in life. Everyone knows about and loves the lowly stable (most likely it was a cave), the ox and ass, the manger, and the simple shepherds at the simple birth of Christ. It’s worth pondering not only for its simplicity but also for the realization that these were the most dreadful of conditions. It was most likely in the middle of winter and, therefore, cold. British poet Christina Rosetti, one of the Victorian age’s finest, had it right: In the bleak midwinter / Frosty wind made moan / Earth stood hard as iron / Water like a stone / Snow had fallen, snow on snow / Snow on snow / In the bleak midwinter / Long ago. Gustav Holst famously and marvelously set this to music to make it a most beloved carol. Added to this cold winter night was the frantic situation in which Joseph found himself with a pregnant wife soon to give birth and nowhere to turn in. Roman law required them to go to Bethlehem at once, at the worst of possible times for them. Though the lineages of both Joseph and Mary were the line of David, there were evidently no family members or relatives for them to count on when they arrived, already at the last minute. Mary’s cousin Elizabeth lived in the hill country, not near enough by. The Child was ready to be born, but they were clearly not ready for it to happen. There was no room for them in the inn, as we are all aware. We are told of no friendly innkeeper to offer them his barn. I’ve always been amazed at the suggestion that such an innkeeper could be called friendly, but none is mentioned anyhow. The only innkeeper mentioned in the Bible is in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Popular belief that there was an innkeeper likely arises from children’s Christmas plays. In reality, however, there was nowhere to go, and lest she give birth in the street, they seem to have had no choice but to turn in at the nearest shelter they could find. It was cold, it was dreary, they were alone, it was night, and there was no room anywhere. Those were the desperate circumstances of Jesus’ birth. Meanwhile, the glory of the Lord shone round about the shepherds in a nearby field, though it did not shine round about the creche. The shepherds had quite a sight to see that night, but not this poor fledgling family. And speaking of those shepherds, they were already lowly men, in a sense themselves possibly the emblem of the despised caste that all Jews were in the eyes of the other nations, dating back to the days of the Egyptian farmers who, in spite of anything they respected about Joseph, would not have wanted shepherds anywhere near them (“every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians,” Gen 46:34). If the legend that shepherds were universally despised isn’t true, we can at least say this much, that they were essentially peasants. They weren’t aristocracy or nobility. But on Christmas Eve they became the most privileged of all men, for they saw a countryside filled with angels singing the premiere of the opening words of the Greater Gloria. Yet what is startling is that the sign given to them by which they would find the newborn Christ the Lord was no such glorious sight, but its virtual opposite: a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Consider the sign: it betokens dearth, not majesty. It is meager, not mighty. It is all disguise, marvelous disguise. The marvel of the disguise is magnified when we consider who is disguised here, namely the Almighty God in the flesh. This reality is commonly missed by the general public who, while they know and love the simplicity of the lowly birth, do not quite know whose birth this is. Even many brands of Christians do not quite know. For although they will readily confess that Jesus is God, they are not so swift to confess that this humility is not merely the humility of Jesus but the humility, therefore, of God.. . . He, and no other, is the Master of Disguise here. That this Child is the Almighty Creator of all certainly magnifies the marvel of His nativity. And therefore, it is appropriate and helpful to apply this truth to everything in Christian life. The balm and comfort of the Gospel is not only to know the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation—though, to be sure, that is the heart of the matter—but, in addition, to see this disguise for what it is. For to see that this is God’s way of revealing Himself to us, is to begin to understand why Christian faith is never the way of despair. The circumstances in which Mary and Joseph found themselves were certainly desperate, but they were not an occasion to despair. They were ordained of God; they were His manner of working with us. They are His manner of working with us. This is what Luther would call the theology of the cross. In his Heidelberg Disputation of 1517, Luther spelled out four important things that comprise this theology of the cross: 19. That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who looks upon the invisible things of God as though they were clearly perceptible in those things which have actually happened [Rom. 1:20]. 20. He deserves to be called a theologian, however, who comprehends the visible and manifest things of God seen through suffering and the cross. 21. A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it actually is. 22. That wisdom which sees the invisible things of God in works as perceived by man is completely puffed up, blinded, and hardened. (AE 31:40). . . . Simply put, since the cross of Jesus is not evil but good, as every Christian knows, therefore the suffering of the Christian is also not evil but good since it is the means by which God brings him to the humility of seeing his worth only in Christ and not in himself. . . . And so the theology of the cross, of the manger, is a most comforting thing to learn, especially when shameful, difficult, or dreadful circumstances in life arise, whether they be personally difficult, liturgically difficult, societally difficult, difficult in any way at all. Dreadful circumstances tend to elicit sorrow and despair, as they suggest that God is not here, and there is no help. But all such suggestions vanish with a reminder that the Almighty God is the Author of the theology of the manger and the Master of Disguise. First Tuesday events Our First Tuesday Elders meeting is scheduled as usual. Tuesday, January 4th after First Tuesday Vespers which is at 6:45 pm January Anniversaries None Altar Guild Notes Altar color is white through January until the 31st, which is Septuagesima Sunday, when the color changes to violet. No Council Meeting in January The January council meeting is unnecessary this month because of the annual voters’ assembly to be held January 2nd. Annual Voters’ Meeting Our Annual Voters’ Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 2nd, at 10:00 a.m. (in the time slot normally reserved for Bible Class). January Birthdays 1/1 Chris Erickson 1/13 James Hornback 1/15 Breann Dooley January Ushers Jim Hornback, Tom Wells, Steve Kraklow Shut ins Emmy Wear is at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell is at home; Dick Melchin is at Hammond Henry Extended Care in Geneseo; Dale Baker is at home; Jewneel Walker is at Kewanee Care; Bea Harris is occasionally at home. The Bell Does Not Toll On the last Sunday of the year (next Sunday) we would remember the members who fell asleep in Christ during the year, but this year there were none, for which we thank God. Annual Voters’ Assembly Our Annual Voters’ assembly is on January 2nd at 10:30. In Our Prayers Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following. Anyone wishing to update the list by addition or subtraction, please inform the pastor.in our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, and Jewneel Walker and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations], Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter], Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother], Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative], Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister], Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson], Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations], Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece], Kathy Boeger [re Harrises], Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows], Everly Stoner, Marvin Brown, Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter], Matt Verplaetse, Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law], Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother], Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law], Karen Parker [Dale Baker’s sister], Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin], Richard Heiden [Carol Eckardt’s father], Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys], Pastor Jacob Sutton, Pastor Justin Kane [relative of Diana Shreck] in the military John Eckardt, Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts], Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin], Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden], Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel [relatives of Kris Harden], Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson], Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong In trouble any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Madagascar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere. Christmas Program Includes Music from a Play Written and Composed by Pastor in 1988 Under the direction of Cantor Peter Eckardt, the first-to-third-graders at St. John Lutheran School in Mattoon, Illinois, presented a Christmas program on December 14th that was first sung in 1988 by the grade schoolers at St. John Lutheran Church in Berlin, Wisconsin, as part of a musical play “The Christmas Nobody Noticed,” entirely written, composed, and directed by Pastor in 1988 in Berlin, Wisconsin, where he served as Associate Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church and School. The play was performed there also in 1990 under his direction, when his son Peter participated as a preschooler, and again at Our Father Lutheran School in Greenfield, Wisconsin a few years after that. After a 31-year dormancy, this year the music from that play was discovered in the Eckardt basement and dusted off for use in the program. Pastor and Carol were present at the performance, which may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/stjohnslutheranmattoon/videos/398277582082667 St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 12/20/2021 December 2021St. Paul’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church
109 S. Elm, Kewanee, Illinois 61443 Newsletter Volume 31 December 2021 No. 12 Preparations, Secular and Spiritual December is always a time of preparing. Most people have extra to do. Shopping, cooking, Christmas cards, parties, etc. For some it is a time of greater stress, largely on account of this. Some recall tragedies or sorrows that have descended upon them during these days, and hence find them dark and depressing. And that, while certainly understandable, is truly a shame. What can be done? Here’s a suggestion. Advent, of course, ought to be a time of anticipation and of penitential preparation in particular. The older traditional understanding of the season of Advent was that it was a time of fasting, similar to the time of Lent, if a bit less pronounced. The seasons surrounding Christmas have less longevity than the seasons surrounding Easter, for the simple reason that while Easter goes back to the time of Jesus’ resurrection itself, Christmas. There is even some evidence to suggest that the first two centuries of Christianity were times of strong opposition to the recognition of the birthdays of saints and martyrs in general, since their dates of martyrdom were considered the time of their birth in the Church Triumphant. How much more then, the reasoning went, should the date of Jesus’ birth not be observed. Of course, this reasoning is weak, and soon replaced with the greater importance of having a time to emphasize and rejoice in the incarnation of our Lord. But it was not until the third century that the date of December 25th began to be recognized and observed as the date of Jesus’ birth, held then in conjunction with the winter solstice, under the view that it was fitting that the birth of the Son of God in the flesh be observed when the ‘birth’ of the sun occurred, the date when the days began to get longer again. In this way the Church could also supplant the pagan festivals that occurred on the solstice with a better one of her own. There is a second view that the date of Jesus’ conception in the womb was a fitting feast to observe on March 25th because it was the time of the spring equinox, which of course also puts his nativity at December 25th, nine months from that date (For details, see Britannica.com under “Christmas”). As the celebration of the Nativity grew popular, so also did the preparation by fasting and penitence also accompany it, appropriately. Hence arises this recommendation: if we can recover in some respects the need of spiritual preparation for the great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, we might at least consider the strains added to our schedules, the stresses added to our lives, and the sorrows added to our minds as being in themselves another type of fasting, in a way. We do these things because we must, or because we have no choice, according to the time of year; but we can perhaps learn to do or endure them cheerfully if we consider the goal: a fitting celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord. How do we celebrate that? First, by attending the Christ Mass, certainly, and in preparation for that by attending Advent Masses and learning again of the importance of penitence, much as we do during Lent. Second, by preparing to make that day of Christmas a noble time of great joy and gladness. This we do by exchanging gifts, having festive meals, and joining with family to do these things. And to this, of course, we must enter into all of our other preparatory arrangements of all kinds, in advance of Christmas. In short, it might be helpful to put our secular preparations into a spiritual perspective. Consider them additional preparations to make the appropriate joy of Christmas all the greater. But some of use cannot do any of this. For those who, say, are alone at Christmas, it can mean that we simply have less of the trappings of Christmas, but not that Christmas itself should be lost on us, as to its meaning. It is still, for all of us, a time to rejoice in the incarnation of our Lord. And since he came for all, therefore none of us need feel left out, or unable to rejoice. Since his incarnation is a permanent coming of our Lord in the flesh, prerequisite to his death and resurrection in the flesh, and since it means that he has bound himself to us poor Christians forever, therefore there is always reason to rejoice, no matter how many or how few the accompanying frills. Remember first of all, to come to Mass, both on Christmas and during Advent. During Advent, find some ways to fast. And remember also, in your private devotion, your need of penitence. Come to confession during Advent; it’s a most fitting time to do so. And pull out your hymnal. Read and sing the Advent hymns and the Christmas carols. The secular need not be wholly separated from the sacred, in your preparations. Think of the secular preparations as being in some way preparations for the sacred day. + Pastor Eckardt Two Christ Masses There are two Christ Masses at St. Paul’s. The first is on Christmas Eve at 7:00, and the second is on Christmas morning at 10:00. Since Christmas Day is on a Saturday, the very next day will also have Mass. This year, that day being December 26th, will be the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr. Then on Wednesday night the 29th we will observe Holy Innocents’ Day. First Tuesday Dec. 7 On Tuesday, December 7th, First Tuesday Vespers will be held at 6:45 pm, and Elders will follow at 7:15 pm. All members invited and encouraged to come 0to vespers. The Sunday Epistle is normally read and preached on. Choir Rehearsal Time Change Choir rehearsals are scheduled in preparation for Christmas, and by mutual agreement, the time of rehearsals has changed on Wednesdays. Rehearsals ae now scheduled for 5:30 pm except on December 15th, when we intend to go caroling (see below). Choir members, please put these Wednesdays in December on your calendar: December 1st , 8th, and 22nd before rather than after midweek mass. This should make traveling easier for out-of-towners Caroling and Party Dec. 15th We plan to go caroling on Wednesday, December 15th. Meet at the church at 5 p.m. We will visit some shut-ins, and end up at the church for Mass at 7. Afterwards all are invited to the Eckardts’ annual Christmas Party at their home. Shut ins Emmy Wear is at Williamsfield Home in Williamsfield; Emilie Ricknell is at home; Dick Melchin is at Hammond Henry Extended Care in Geneseo; Dale Baker is at home; and Jewneel Walker is at Kewanee Care. Cookie Walk Sunday Dec. 12th Bring a batch of cookies to Bible Class on the 12th of December, and prepare to exchange for others. Cookie walk after church! Bible class follows. The Bell Tolls On the last Sunday of the year, we customarily toll the bell at prayers for each member of our parish who has died during the year. This year there were no deaths at St. Paul’s, so the bell will not toll, unless there are any deaths between the time of this newsletter’s printing and the end of the year. Last year this newsletter had mentioned just one one member who fell asleep in Christ, Mary Hamilton, but since two members died after the December newsletter was printed: Monroe Kemerling and DeAnne Anderson. We therefore tolled the bell three times last year. Special Masses Wednesdays Our 7 p.m. Wednesday masses during Advent will be emphasizing the narratives of St. Luke 1 that are written in preparation for the nativity of our Lord reported in St. Luke 2, except for Mass on the 22rd . on which we will observe St. Thomas the Apostle’s Day. Come prepare for Christ’s coming at Christmas, at the End of the World, and at the Altar. Wednesday Advent masses:
On December 15th we will also have caroling and a party, as explained in a nearby article. December Anniversaries none December Ushers Steve Kraklow, Tom Wells, Jim Hornback. December Birthdays 12/11 Kris Harden 12/13 Michael Eckardt Decorating During Advent As is our custom, we decorate little by little during Advent, until finally all is complete for Christmas. This year we plan to put up the Advent wreath on Saturday, November 27th, for Advent I. Then on Saturday, December 4th we will put up the Christmas tree (extra volunteers are sought for this), for Advent II. On Saturday, December 11th we will put up any remaining decorations needed, for Advent III, except that the array of poinsettias will not be set out until Christmas Eve. Advent III (Sunday, December 13th) is also called “Gaudete” or Joy Sunday, set in the midst of Advent. Roses are customarily set in place if available, and the pink candle on the wreath is lit. If you can, please put Saturday December 4th on your calendar to help with the tree. It’s an opportunity for gathering with your fellow members for a little project. Church Council by Email A number of conflicts have brought on an attempt to deal with Church Council matters by email for the month of December. If we find that this will not suffice, especially in advance of the annual voters’ assembly in January, a special date and time will be chosen. Trustees and the Building In November, some lights were replaced in the school, and the roofer came to fix some areas in the school ceiling that had begun to leak. In Our Prayers Our current list of prayer intentions at mass includes the names on the lists here following. Anyone wishing to update the list by addition or subtraction, please inform the pastor.in our parish: Bill Thompson, Emilie Ricknell, John Ricknell, Linda Rowe, Emmy Wear, Don and Sue Murphy, Dick Melchin, Bea Harris, Allan Kraklow, Sandra VerPlaetse, John Sovanski, Grant Andreson, Dale Baker, Jewneel Walker and beyond our parish: Anna, Katy, and Jody Rutowicz [Harris relations] Julie Ross [Svetlana Meaker’s daughter] Elizabeth Godke [Sharon Field’s mother] Oneida Hendrickson [Ricknell relative] Janice Hart [Judy Thompson’s sister] Caleb Cleaver [Ricknells’ grandson] Dennis Hoag, Tim Newman [Shreck relations] Theresa Moore [Ricknells’ niece] Kathy Boeger [re Harrises] Allison Leezer [relative of the Kraklows] Everly Stoner Marvin Brown Shannon Watson [Jim’s daughter] Matt Verplaetse Maxine Bitting [Judy Thompson’s sister in law] Loren Hartz [Sharon’s brother] Yvette Baker [Dale Baker’s daughter-in-law] Karen Parker Rosemary Bloome [Don Murphy’s cousin] Richard Heiden, Carol Eckardt’s father Troy Kelly [friend of the Murphys] Pastor Jacob Sutton Pastor Justin Kane [relative of Diana Shreck] in the military John Eckardt Donny Appleman [at request of the Ricknells] Richard Heiden [at request of the Eckardts] Luke Van Landigan [grandson of Dick Melchin] Jaclyn Alvarez [daughter of Kris Harden] Eli Wetzel, Traven Wetzel, Shawn Wetzel Eric Verplaetse [Sandra’s grandson] Jake Mahaffey, Trevor Shimmin, Shad Draminski James and Ann Lee Armstrong in trouble: any unborn children in danger of abortion those suffering from unrest, persecution, and imprisonment in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Uganda, Sudan, Nigeria, India, China, Vietnam, North Korea, and elsewhere. Details may be found at www.persecution.net. New Year’s Mass New Year’s Eve mass is 7 pm on December 31st. We observe the Circumcision and Name of Jesus (January 1st). Saints’ Days in December St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) and St. Lucia’s Day (December 13th) fall on Mondays this year, and therefore will not be observed with masses. Below are devotional guides. St. Stephen’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, December 26th, the day after Christmas, and Holy Innocents’ Day will be observed on Wednesday, December 29th. St. John the Apostle and Evangelist’s Day (December 27th) falls on Monday, and therefore will not be observed with mass. A devotional guide is on the back page. Altar Guild Notes Advent begins the last Sunday in November. The four Advent Sundays’ color is violet. If roses are obtained, they may be placed for the Third Sunday in Advent, December 12th. For midweek masses, the color remains violet, except for December 22nd, when the color is red for St. Thomas, and December 29th, also red, for the Holy Innocents. For Christmas Eve, the first Mass is at 7 p.m., and the color is changed to white. There is no Midnight Mass. On Christmas Day there is a 10 am mass. Color is white for both. The Feast of St. Stephen is held on the Sunday after Christmas, December 26th. Color is red (which remains for the following Wednesday, Holy Innocents). New Year’s Eve mass is held at 7 pm on the 31st. Color is white and remains white in January. No mass is scheduled for St. John (27 December) this year. Some Saints’ Days for which We Are Not Having Masses This Year Saint Nicholas, December 6th Psalm 92 with Gloria Patri Reading: Hebrews 13:7-17 Hymn and meditation, see nearby. Saint Lucy, December 13th Psalm 45 with Gloria Patri Reading: II Corinthians 10:17 – 11:2 Hymn and meditation, see nearby. Saint John, December 27th Psalm 92 with Gloria Patri Reading: I John 1:1 – 2:2 Hymn and meditation, see nearby. Saint Stephen is Sunday, December 26th; Holy Innocents is to be observed on Wednesday, December 29th. We will be holding masses at the usual times on those days. Hymn: From All Thy Saints in Warfare (TLP 350) From all Thy saints in warfare for all Thy saints at rest To Thee, O Blessed Jesus, all praises be addressed For Thou hast won the battle that they might conq’ers be Their crowns od living glory are lit with rays from Thee [insert appropriate stanza] Then praise to God the Father and praise to God the Son And to the Holy Spirit Eternal Three in One Till all the ransomed number fall down before the throne And honor, praise, and glory ascribe to God alone. St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor A bishop for the children, and sailors on the sea: Who made the good confession of Thy divinity O Lord, may we be steadfast as Nicholas, we pray, In kindness and in mercy and faithfulness alway. St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy, chaste in body, this honor her renown; Was faithful unto death and received her glorious crown For she refused her torturers by faith’s virginity, So lighten Thou our darkness, in faithfulness to Thee. St. Thomas, Apostle All praise for Thine apostle, whose short-lived doubtings prove Thy perfect twofold nature, the fullness of Thy love. On all who wait Thy coming shed forth Thy peace, O Lord, And grant us faith to know Thee, true Man, true God, adored. St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church 109 S. Elm Street Kewanee, IL 61443 |
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