Author: Julie Raffa

July 2020

The Pilgrim Herald
Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Marriage as Holy Ground—Part Two
“ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,
and they shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh.” Mark 10:7-8 (ESV)

Here follows the conclusion of the wonderful article, Marriage as Holy Ground, from last month’s Herald.
——————
And is there more? Now is the time to speak of holy absolution. During the Heidelberg Disputation (1518), Martin Luther reminded us that God’s love does not find its object, but instead creates its object. This means that God does not look around this room and love the lovable, but rather the unlovable—the “sinners, evil persons, fools, and weaklings,” as Luther puts it. That is not how our world speaks of attraction, passion, sex, or love, but it is the way the Lord loves us and bids us to love each other. “Sinners are attractive because they are loved,” writes Luther, “they are not loved because they are attractive” (AE 31:57). First comes the undeserved love of God, then the attractiveness follows. His love makes fools, weaklings, and sinners lovable. Think of what a tremendous burden this lifts from my wife. She is free to love me without first spending her time trying to find something lovable about me. Holy absolution, love for the unlovable—that gives hope for marriage.
What more is there to say? Now is the time to speak of the holy day, and so of Gottesdienst, the divine service of the Lord. On Sunday morning the Lord shakes, wakes, and gathers his people in his holy place and there gives out his glorious gifts. The forgiveness he bestows from font and altar sets us squarely upon solid ground, Christ the cornerstone (Eph 2:20), whose mercy reinvigorates us for life together. Knowing this, the Lutheran Confessions say repeatedly that the highest worship of the Lord is not what we do, but receiving his gifts (Ap IV, 60, 49, 154). The holy sabbath, a sacred time when gifts are given on the holy ground between the font and the altar—that gives even more hope for marriage.
Only after having said all of this is it time to speak of holy marriage. Holy marriage is done by the Holy Trinity, from the life received in the holy sacraments, and within lives forgiven by holy absolution. That is at least one reason why the rubrics in the Lutheran Worship Agenda allow holy marriage to be set within the divine service on Sunday morning, just after holy baptism, Holy absolution, and the reading of the holy Gospel and before the holy supper. In holy marriage the Lord is busy fitting two persons together. They fit because the Lord first takes time to forgive them. This is what it means to be evenly yoked—to share the same harness is to share the same gospel, the same holy gifts, the same forgiveness, the same Christ.
RETURNING TO REAL LIFE
So what about real life, life outside this chapel as you go home today or tomorrow? Does the church offer any practical answers that cannot be heard anywhere else? Precisely how do these great gifts give hope for marriage? Just how do these holy things breath life into life together?
This is the church’s answer. The sad fact is that Adam is not your husband, or Eve is not your wife, and you do not live in paradise. The sad fact is that we live not in original righteousness but with original sin. The implications of that sadness are legion. To sin in marriage is to sin in close quarters. Sometimes it even seems that two persons once so carefully matched at the altar no longer fit. There are sins of omission. One day a man or woman wakes up and just does not feel like being married anymore. “I have fallen out of love with her,” he says. “I am no longer attracted to him,” says she. Is that not how we speak? There are also sins of commission, when spouses spar and clench like boxers, sometimes verbally, sometimes physically, and after a while one or the other or both drop beaten and exhausted, with no winners. It is precisely at this point where we become so much like the Pharisees, whose yoke was harsh, heavy, and hard to bear because it was entangled with the law (Mt 23:4; Gal 5:3; Gal 4:8-12). Here too we often come with hard hearts speaking of divorce while Jesus hopes to speak of marriage and soft, forgiving, hopeful hearts.
And so Holy Jesus gives his gifts. When a marriage is troubled, the holy church reminds us who we are (the baptized, the holy ones of the Lord), and where we live (between the font and the altar), and what we said before God and everyone at holy marriage: “I will love you with the selfless love of Christ.” “Do you mean it?” “I do.” “Forever?” “I do.” That is not always easy. But with his words and ways, Jesus teaches us to repent and to forgive, to say: “I was weak, I was evil, I was a fool, I sinned against God, I sinned against you, I am unlovable, I am sorry, this was grievous, please forgive me.” And to respond: “I forgive you. It is over. Now we carry on from here.” This holds not only for marriages in trouble, but also for the best marriages
JUST A WAVE OF THE HAND?
So is that all there is to it? Troubled marriages are brought to the altar and the font, and the pastor speaks a few words of forgiveness in the name of Jesus, and the misery is over? Is it all so quick and easy as that? Does the church just wave its hand over troubled marriages and then send the troubled on their way as if that is the end of the matter? Well, yes—and no. Yes! True forgiveness is given and received instantaneously. Christ and my wife say to me, “I forgive you,” and indeed I am forgiven, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. It is over. And no. One of the most frustrating things in dealing with those in troubled marriages is the assumption that just because they have been forgiven, they can carry on as before. It is one thing to be forgiven, but quite another to be healed. It is one thing to be justified, but quite another to live justified. So said Jesus to the woman caught in adultery, “‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again’” (Jn 8:10-11).
Here, I think, there is an analogy to death. Christians rejoice not only in life but also in eternal life, a gift given instantaneously to the forgiven at death. On the day of a death, however, this confidence in eternal life is not always clearly displayed. People moan, weep, cry out, and even despair. Much of that is good. In fact, pastors worry about those who keep it all in, who deny their pain and refuse to grieve. But eventually we look for a change toward peace and hope, and we are especially careful with those who say, “My heartache will never go away.” If I say such a thing, then I have made my heartache bigger than Jesus. My heartache has become my god and I have lapsed into idolatry, breaking the very first commandment.
In the same way, sin within a marriage causes pain. Even with genuine instantaneous forgiveness, that pain often remains. But in time we expect a change toward peace and hope, as the words of the Lord have their way with us. Indeed, we are concerned if eventually we do not see such a change. This needs to be remembered: it takes months or even years to get into marital difficulties, and sometimes it takes months or even years to get out of them—but it does happen. With a story, a friend of mine describes it brilliantly. A man comes to his pastor and says, “I can never forgive my wife.” The pastor answers, “Well, of course not. But that is not what matters. What matters is that Jesus has forgiven her, that he went through Calvary for her. And now your struggle is to let his forgiveness for her matter for you. After all, if Jesus Christ regards her so, how can you do otherwise?” A final word before I close. I am a pastor, not a family therapist or marriage counselor. If you come to me about marriage, you will hear about sin and grace, about confession and absolution, about Holy Jesus and his holy gifts. I do not try to do what a therapist does, and unless a therapist is also a pastor, the therapist does not do what I do. These two things can be complementary and they need not compete, but they are not the same. Let me explain this way. Before I see the sick in the hospital, I often read a short piece by the Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann.
Here is a man suffering on his bed of pain, and the Church comes to him to perform the sacrament of healing. For this man, as for every man in the whole world, suffering can be defeat, the way of complete surrender to darkness, despair and solitude. It can be dying in the very real sense of the word. And yet it can be also the ultimate victory of Man and of Life in him. The Church does not come to restore health in this man, simply to replace medicine when medicine has exhausted its own possibilities. The Church comes to take this man into the Love, the Light, and the Life of Christ. It comes not merely to “comfort” him in his sufferings, not to “help” him, but to make him a martyr, a witness to Christ in his very sufferings. A martyr is one who beholds “the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56).
A martyr is one for whom God is not another—and the last— chance to stop the awful pain; God is his very life, and thus everything in his life comes to God, ascends to the fullness of Love.
At both places, in the hospital and in the confessional, the pastor’s Amt is not that of a medical doctor or a therapist. My task is to help those who are suffering, in the hospital or in a marriage, by witnessing to Jesus Christ and helping them be witnesses to him.
LIVING FROM THE LORD’S GIFTS
Finally, this. On the front page of the New York Times of February 11, 1996, there was a story describing marriage in Japan. Marriages and the family structure in Japan are exceptionally durable. The Times reports that the divorce rate is half that of the United States, that most households in Japan are two-parent households, and that only 1.1 percent of births in Japan are to unwed mothers, while 30.1 percent of births in the United States are to unwed mothers, and that number is rising.
Amazing, right? This, says the Times, is the secret to Japanese marriages: low expectations, the ability to endure hardship, and shame. Often marriages in Japan are arranged between two persons who have little in common, who do not like each other very much, and who do not see each other very often because of long work days. The Japanese stay together, however, because society punishes those who divorce by shaming them with gossip, refusing job promotions to those who seem unable to manage their family life, and awarding child support from fathers to nonworking mothers with custody in only about 15 percent of divorce cases. Some speculate, however, that if these strictures ever weaken, the divorce rate in Japan will soar.
Here one needs to be careful not to disparage the Japanese as Japanese. For us the analysis is valuable pre
cisely because it is not culture bound, not tied specifically to the Japanese. A similar sadness infects any marriage anywhere that gasps and falters under the heavy yoke of rules, restrictions, oppression, mistrust, shame, abuse, or infidelity—anywhere where marriage is hopelessly crushed under the law.
But the church could not be further from this, for the church proclaims marriage in, with, and under the gospel. This is a proprium of holy marriage, a peculiar, extraordinary, otherworldly, holy thing about marriage within the church. Marriage is the Lord’s work. First each Christian is yoked to Jesus Christ—to his meek, mild, humble, trusting, serving, restful, gentle, loving, light, joyful, gospel yoke—to the forgiveness bestowed through the Lord’s word and sacraments. Then the Lord fits, matches, and yokes a Christian man and a Christian woman to each other.
This is the point: because these two have first been fit to Christ and his yoke, they fit each other. His forgiving yoke delivers unity and direction, so Christian marriage is not two persons looking at each other, wondering, worrying, and hoping that their love will hold, but two persons looking in the same direction, with eyes on Christ. It is two persons pulling in the same direction, toward Jesus Christ. His word and sacraments forgive even the best marriages, hallowing them and making them holy ground.
This is where marriage starts, sprouts, grows, flourishes, is forgiven, and is renewed—between the altar and the font. Marriage is lived in the water of holy baptism. Marriage is lived on the body and the blood of the holy supper. Marriage is lived from the words put into our ears at holy absolution. Marriage is lived in Christ, who shares his gifts with us each holy day. Today when you go home, you might take off your shoes, bow down, tremble, and rejoice that Jesus with the shining face is present there by word and sacrament, remembering that for his sake your marriage is holy ground.
I pray you enjoyed this excellent article. May God richly bless you and yours and we continue through this time of Pandemic.
God bless,
Pastor Fisher (Heb.12:1-2)

Inside this Issue:
Pastor’s Page	1
Voters’ Meeting Minutes	2
Pilgrim Reports	3
Volunteer Schedule	6
From the Synod	7
Lutheran Education	9
Lutheran Worship	10
Lutheran Missions	11
Birthdays & Anniversaries	15
Communal Prayers	16
Calendar	17

Voters’ meeting minutes
June 28, 2020
Jim Behrens [standing in for Jerome Sommer in his absence] called the voters meeting to order at 1 p.m.
Pastor Fisher opened with page 282 in the hymnal and prayer.
ROLL CALL– 31 members attended.
MINUTES: Nancy Rosenthal– minutes were revised from original minutes from January 26, 2020.
Endowment section I stated that the by-laws maybe needed to be revised, change to by-laws need to be looked over and maybe revised for next year. Motion made to accept minutes by Judy Frank and seconded by Jeff Steely, all accepted.
ELDERS REPORT: Tanner Schmidt - The elders have done their best to get us thru this difficult time, not meeting this summer unless need be. Have a confirmation today.
TRUSTEES REPORT: Pastor Fisher - maintenance being kept up a the church and Pastors homes, a leaky roof was repaired with flex seal, in the church, seems to be holding. Cut down a tree and made into wood. Trying to save money whenever possible. Also, got an amazing price on weed killer and fertilizer for the grounds.
BOARD OF EDUCATION: Pastor Raffa - The Lutheranism 101, 102, 103 classes have been successful. Five youth were confirmed: Kyle Voll, Timothy Grosskreuz, Abby Mulvey, Lucas Skrentny, and Jessica Stange.
Vacation Bible School has been postponed until 2021. First day of 2020-2021 Sunday School will be September 13. A church picnic is being planned for that day. Volunteers are needed to help with picnic. So far, hot dogs, brats, burgers, cake and a beverage will be provided. The congregation will be asked to provide side dishes and desserts. New this year, the Sunday school registration form will also be available online. We have children who are eligible for Sunday school but do not attend, so post cards will be sent out to children, inviting them to Sunday school.
CONCORDIA REPORT: Ron Kabitzke - Concordia classes are planning to resume/masked and only one person in elevator at one time.
PASTORS REPORT: Pastor Fisher - Again 5 children confirmed this year. Pastor very proud these children all attended Sunday school and Church regularly. Pastors have been going out and communing shut-ins. Bible class on Sunday morning will continue after the movie THE CHOSEN is over.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Jim Behrens - By-law #5 per Church Council feels that maybe it should read different than disbursements of undesignated funds of $3,000 or more must be approved by the Church Council. After a long discussion motion to pass change and Bill Schepp seconded to for minutes later to have it tables for the next meeting. This motion was made by Jim Behrens to table the motion and seconded it by Dave Boehlke. No real problem with #6– donors wish to designate funds must give to an established fund or a new fund needs to be approved of by
Church Council. Seminarians not doing well thru this difficult time.
NEW BUSINESS: Jim Behrens - Next meeting we will elect a President, 2 elders, 2 trustees, 2 church council and board of ed. If you are interested in any of these positions please let someone know. We really should have 3 people on nomination committee, no volunteers. Otherwise it will be discussed at church council. Also need 3 volunteers to go over budget before October meeting. These 3 volunteers are Ron Kabitzke, Tanner Schmidt and Jeff Steely.
Ron Kabitzke motion to adjourn meeting everyone seconded it.
Pastor Raffa closed with prayer.
Sincerely Submitted ,
Nancy Rosenthal, Secretary of Pilgrim Voters meeting
NR/ss

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

Church council Report
June 8, 2020 Meeting Minutes
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by President, Jerome Sommers. Others in attendance were Pastor Fisher, Rob Selzler, Judy Frank, Tanner Schmidt, Mary Lehtimaki, and Jim Behrens.
Pastor Fisher led an opening devotion from the Hymnal.
The minutes for the March 9 and May 16 meetings were accepted without revision by common consent.
President Jerome Sommers - Correspondence:
Request for donations from the Orphan Grain Train.
Request for donations from Barnabas Aid.
Thank you note from the Gabor family.
Elders Report – given by Tanner Schmidt
Confirmation plans for youth are moving forward.
Copies of the article that was printed in the Herald about the Paschal Candle are available in the Narthex for those who may not have read the article.
Trustees Report – given by Rob Seltzer
Wasp nests have been removed from Fisher parsonage.
A water leak from the roof/wall has been repaired.
Trees that were blown down in the creek area have been cleaned up.
Weed killer and fertilizer have been applied to the lawns at both parsonages.
Treasurers Report – given by Pastor Fisher
A current financial statement was presented and a motion to accept it, subject to audit, was made by Tanner, seconded by Judy, and passed.
Board of Education – given by Pastor Fisher
Planning to meet on Saturday, June 13.
A motion made by Judy, seconded by Tanner, and passed that Pastor Raffa will fill in as Interim Sunday School Superintendent until January 2021.
Pastor Fisher’s Report
Thank you to the Altar Guild for sanitizing the hymnals and pews.
Plans for confirming five youth are moving forward.
Three sanitizing stations have been installed and a fourth will be put in the Sunday School area.
Old business
A motion was made by Judy, seconded by Jim, and passed to add two sentences to the constitution under Article III, Duties of Officers, Boards, and Church Council, II. Boards and Church Council, D. Church Council
Additions as follows:
5. Disbursements of undesignated donations of $3000 or more must be approved by the Church Council.
6. Donors wishing to designate funds must give to an established designated fund or a new fund must be ap proved by the Church Council.
These additions will be voted on at the June 28, 2020 Voter’s Meeting.
New business
Offices up for election at the October 2020 Voter’s Meeting are President, Elder (2), Trustee (2), Church Council Member (2), Board of Education, Endowment Committee Member
A motion was made by Tanner and passed on voice vote to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting ended with the singing of the Common Doxology.
Respectfully submitted, Jim Behrens

July 2020 — Page #

Board of Christian education report
June 13, 2020 Meeting Minutes
Present: Scott Densow, Carylon McAfee, Carol Heger, Pastor Fisher, Pastor Raffa
Pastor Fisher opened the meeting with prayer at 9:00 a.m.
Lutheranism 103 & Confirmation:
Each student in the 2019-2020 Lutheranism 103 class has now completed instruction either through Zoom or individual instruction.
Rite of Confirmation will be held the weekend of June 28 for Kyle Voll, Timothy Grosskreuz, Abby Mulvey, Lucas Skrenty, and Jessica Stange.
Jane Gohr is taking the photos for the confirmands.
Lutheranism 102:
Each student in the 2019-2020 Lutheranism 102 class were sent an email reminding them if they desire to enter Lutheranism 103 this fall, they will need to successfully complete their recitation of Luther’s Small Catechism and a pastoral examination before the fall.
Lutheranism 101:
The 2019-2020 Lutheranism 101 class was successful in its goal to assist the students in learning the words of Luther's Small Catechism. This class will continue to be offered; it is open to all families desiring help with teaching their children the words of Luther’s Small Catechism. Teachers will remain the same: Becky Boehlke, Carolyn McAfee. Substitute Teacher: Ginny Schober.
Vacation Bible School has been postponed until 2021.
Sunday School:
Diane Swanson has retired from the S.S. Superintendent as of May 2020. We thank her for her many years of service in this vital position.
Pastor Raffa will serve as interim S.S. Superintendent until 2021. (This is an appointed position.)
Sunday School teachers for 2020-2021 will remain the same: Ginny Schober, Lauran Oppermann, Paul Grosskreuz, and Pastor Raffa. Teacher Aids: Sarah Opperman, Cassidy Schmidt.
2020-2021 Registration Forms are now available
Plans implemented for the return to Sunday School on September 13th:
- social distance will be maintained
- sanitary precautions:
- Purell Hand sanitizing dispenser will be installed at the entry way to the opening room.
- hand sanitizing wipes will be available in each classroom
- opening room and classrooms will be sanitized weekly
- parents are asked to be considerate of others and keep kids home when they have a fever or feel ill
Church Picnic:
Began planning a Church Picnic to celebrate the return to Sunday School. It will be held on September 13, following the 2nd Divine Service.
Hotdogs, Brats, hamburgers, cake, and beverages will be provided.
The congregation will be asked to provide side dishes and dessert.
Will look into renting fun equipment, such as a slip in slide, dunk booth, bounce house.
Will send a postcard to all families with school-aged children.
Volunteers from the congregation are needed to help the Board of Ed with various parts of the picnic, cooking, such as set up, serving, washing dishes, kid crafts, operate snow cone machine, clean up………Volunteers with a truck or other large vehicle will be needed to pick up, set up, break down, and return rental equipment (bounce house, dunk booth, etc.).
Next meeting will be held Saturday, August 22 at 9:00 am.
Pastor Raffa closed the meeting at 10:15 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted, Pastor Raffa

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

Board of elders report
June 1, 2020 Meeting Minutes
Present were Pr. Fisher, Pr. Raffa, Gary E., John, Bob, Dennis, Brian, Gary J., Jake and Tanner.
The meeting began with prayer and devotion at 6:30.
Schedules were made through 9/6. The next meeting will be on 9/8. The elders may elect to meet between Sunday services at need if our response to Covid-19 needs to be changed for better or worse.
Pr. Fisher will be out of state 7/8-12 and 7/20-27 (roughly).
Confirmation is pending communications with some families and some testing for the novel coronavirus, as a confirmand is a potentially non-symptomatic carrier given family exposures. The students are, however, doing very well.
The elders discussed some transfers and deaths along with spiritual care issues.
The elders would like to note that there will be some copies of the newsletter article re: the Paschal candle in the narthex, especially given that the stay-at-home order resulted in most of the congregation not having the opportunity to see the candle in services! We simply additionally note that the Paschal candle is a truly ancient element of church furniture and predates both the Christ candle (as seen during advent) and the eternal flame (now new and improved!) by hundreds, if not over a thousand years. It is as much a part of church furnishings as the altar, pulpit, and so on. Finally, the Paschal candle is very much a part of the Lutheran tradition in every respect. It does not represent something new, but something ancient rightfully returned. For more on the excellent theological significance behind the candle we direct the reader to the articles available in the narthex.
The elders discussed Sunday School as we plan for the future.
The elders elected to continue their book study next month owing to time.
The meeting closed with prayer at 8:20.
Respectfully submitted,
Tanner Schmidt

July 2020 — Page #

Membership report
Baptized: None
Died in the Faith:
Camilla Kreis
Transferred In: None
Transferred Out: None
Released from Membership: None
Confirmed in the One Holy Catholic & Apostolic Church:
Timothy Grosskreuz
Abigail Mulvey
Lucas Skrentny
Jessica Stange
Kyle Voll.

July volunteer schedule
[Subject to change due to Covid 19]
Thursday, July 2: 7:00 p.m.
Altar Guild: Pat K.
Elder: Dennis Engmann
Usher Team: B
Acolyte:
Sunday, July 5: 8:00 a.m. / 10:30 a.m.
Office Volunteer: Caryn Lewandowski
Altar Guild: Laurie L./Ellen R.
Elder: Jake Hand/ Gary Jenovai
Usher Team: 5/2
Acolyte: Abby Voll/ Georgia Janssen
Thursday, July 9: 7:00 p.m.
Altar Guild: Karen S.
Elder: Bob Knuth
Usher Team: A
Acolyte: Dylan Kabitzke
Sunday, July 12: 8:00 a.m. / 10:30 a.m.
Office Volunteer: Julie Raffa
Altar Guild: Nancy R./Bonnie M.
Elder: Dennis Engmann/ John Heger
Usher Team: 1/4
Acolyte: Dylan Zehetner/ Caden Olson
Thursday, July 16: 7:00 p.m.
Altar Guild: Ruth K.
Elder: Brian Skrentny
Usher Team: B
Acolyte:
Sunday, July 19: 8:00 a.m. / 10:30 a.m.
Office Volunteer: Linda Mejchar
Altar Guild: Norma B./Carolyn M.
Elder: Gary Erdmann/ Gary Jenovai
Usher Team: 3/8
Acolyte: Ian Zehetner/Rachel Raffa
Thursday, July 23: 7:00 p.m.
Altar Guild: Ginny S.
Elder: Bob Knuth
Usher Team: A
Acolyte: Dylan Kabitzke
Sunday, July 26: 8:00 a.m. / 10:30 a.m.
Office Volunteer: Kathryn Parker
Altar Guild: Cheryl T./Rita F.
Elder: Dennis Engmann/ Gary Jenovai
Usher Team: 5/2
Acolyte: Tyler Densow/ Luke Selzler
Thursday, July 30: 7:00 p.m.
Altar Guild: Ginny S.
Elder: Brian Skrentny
Usher Team: B
Acolyte:

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

From the synod
Summary of
One little word can fell him—Addendum to “Communion and Covid-19”
Ten reasons to question whether “online Communion” is “truly good, right and salutary”
The CTCR document, “Communion and Covid-19” (CC19), offers an opinion on Holy Communion practices during the coronavirus pandemic. Reactions have been both positive and negative. An anonymous reaction, “Communion in Homes During Times of Crisis: Scriptural and Confessional Principles” (CIH), has circulated within the Synod. CIH offers three reasons supporting the practice of online family Communion:
The validity of the Lord’s Supper is not based on our location, but wherever Christ promises to be present;
It is appropriate for both pastor and people to speak the Words of Institution Holy Communion since the gifts of Christ are given to the whole Church;
(3) The certainty of the Lord’s Supper is not found in mere recitation of Christ’s words or in the location where the words are spoken, but in Christ and Christ’s Word alone.
The authors of CIH wish to engage in “fraternal discussion.” In that same spirit, we are offering 10 reasons in the accompanying opinion to support the conclusion of CC19, that LCMS churches should refrain from online home Communion. This summary identifies points of agreement and apparent disagreement on the practice of online home Communion. The full document gives the rationale for the CTCR’s concerns.
God’s Word alone gives us everything we need for faith, life and salvation.
We are agreed that the Lord’s Supper is Christ’s body and blood and conveys forgiveness of sins together with life and salvation, and that the Word of Christ alone ensures the Sacrament’s validity, not the particular time or place where it is offered.
We disagree with certain conclusions drawn from this valid assertion by the author(s) of CIH (see 2–10 below).
It is the Lord’s Supper, not our supper.
We are agreed that the Lord’s Supper is given by our Lord Jesus Christ and that we “do this” according to His command and promise.
The question that divides us is whether online family Communion is a right use of the Sacrament according to Christ’s institution, and (therefore) whether it can be done with certainty and full assurance of our Lord’s own approval and blessing.
Holy Communion is to be celebrated in community with God’s gathered people.
We agree that the gifts offered in and through Christ’s body and blood are intended for all members of His church and that Holy Communion is not bound to any set time or place.
The matter that divides us is the significance of the New Testament’s portrayal of the Sacrament as a gathering of the church community, not a family group, and (therefore) whether it is a proper and acceptable practice for individuals and/or families to observe Holy Communion by means of a streaming video (as CIH advocates and encourages) rather than in a congregational (communal and churchly) setting.
Emergency Baptism? Yes. Emergency Communion? No.
We are agreed that Baptism is to be administered even in an emergency, whether or not a pastor is present to baptize the person in need.
We are divided over the question of whether the kind of situation we are facing in this epidemic means that the Lord’s Supper can and should be offered as an “emergency sacrament” by means of the unprecedented practice of online family Communion.
Responsible pastoral care is essential for the proper scriptural and confessional administration of the Lord’s Supper.
We agree that responsible pastoral care is necessary for right use of the Lord’s Supper.
We disagree whether such oversight is actually and/or fully possible in the varied circumstances that inevitably exist in online family Communion, many of which would almost certainly be unknown to the pastor. We ask: How can one oversee what one cannot see?
“I Want It All and I Want It Now”: Discerning the influence of culture on our theology and practice.
We think that all would agree that American culture can influence theology and practice both positively and negatively, and that Americans often assume that — if at all possible — their desires and perceived needs should be met according to their own timing.
The CTCR is concerned with the possibility that our God-pleasing desire for the Sacrament can become a less-than-God-pleasing demand for it, which may stem from or result in an unwillingness to bear a temporary cross of deprivation and self-denial (as Israel suffered during its exile from the temple and previous generations suffered when they could not receive the Sacrament — in some cases, for an extended period of time).
7. “Online Communion” has questionable roots.
We are agreed that creative and innovative methods of delivering God’s Gospel gifts (when in conformity with God’s Word and will) can be and often are good, right and salutary.
We disagree on the question of whether this particular practice is an appropriate and beneficial innovation and are concerned that it is more informed by the theology and practice of evangelicalism (where the practice first originated) than by Lutheran theology and practice.
8. Novel practices often establish dangerous precedents.
We agree that exceptional practices should not become the rule, as evidenced by the fact that many practitioners of online family Communion have indicated that this is an “emergency” measure and should be discontinued after the Covid crisis is over.
The CTCR is concerned that since “online family Communion” has been endorsed as an appropriate Communion practice now, it may be accepted and employed in the future (even in non-emergency situations) as an alternate method of Communion — especially since many of the reasons given to justify it pertain to more than just “emergency” situations.
9. Walking Together: Does it even matter anymore?
We acknowledge that the Synod has not addressed this matter in a doctrinal resolution in convention and that the CTCR opinion on online communion (CC19) is not binding in any formal or official sense.
We disagree on the necessity or importance of seeking consensus as a Synod before introducing and engaging in a novel and potentially divisive practice such as this.
A final word: The purpose of this precious Sacrament is to create faith, not raise doubts.
We are agreed that the Lord’s Supper is given to strengthen faith.
We disagree whether the unprecedented and extraordinary practice of online family Communion can be done with certainty and (therefore) whether it serves the primary purpose for which Christ instituted His Supper: to strengthen faith, not create doubt.

July 2020 — Page #

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

Lutheran education
Teaching Little Ones: About Pastor’s Vestments
By: Beth Schultz

Church services can sometimes be confusing for little ones. Why is it so quiet? Why does pastor wear that funny robe? Why do we say the same thing every week? Teaching young children about the individual parts of the church service can seem daunting. And it starts with learning yourself what it all means! This is the first of a series of posts on teaching our youngest churchgoers about the parts of service.
We thank God for the work that our pastors do for us. God uses them to turn us away from our sinful actions and to give us His forgiveness, love, and grace. God uses the pastor to care for the spiritual growth of His people. Pastors have a job that is very important: we call the pastor’s job the Office of the Ministry. What pastors wear can help us to understand that office is.
Black Shirt: Typically, pastors wear a black shirt called a clerical. It reminds the pastor and those who see him that he is a sinner who needs Jesus too—just like everyone else. We think of our sins as black and dark.
White Square / White Backwards Collar: The clerical collar that he wears on his black shirt white over his throat, where his voice comes from. This shows that the words he shares are not his own sinful, human words, but the words of God from the Bible: clean and pure and white.
White Robe: When the pastor puts the white robe, called an alb, over his black clerical shirt, or the black robe , cassock, covered by a flowing white robe, surplice, it symbolizes that his sin is covered by the pure glory of God. The pastor’s robe covers up the man so that we think about God’s work when we see our pastor. It covers the black sin and shows the mercy and grace of Jesus. Elders and acolytes might wear white robes when they help out in the service too. This helps us not to focus on the people themselves but the gifts of salvation and righteousness that God gives us all.
Colorful Cloth: The colored band of cloth a pastor wears around his shoulders is called a stole. It is usually the same color as the altar cloth and paraments in the church as the Church Year changes. Wearing this marks the role of the pastor as distinct from the other people who may help serve communion or assist with the service. You can ask your pastor about the pictures that may be embroidered on his stole. Those pictures remind us of stories in the Bible and God’s promises to us.
The special things the pastor wears make up his uniform. Just like a firefighter’s uniform lets people know they can go to a firefighter for safety, a pastor’s clothing lets people know right away what his job is. No matter which pastor is wearing the uniform, all LCMS pastors share the same true words of God. We can go to them to hear the comfort of our Lord.
When it comes to teaching our little ones about being in church, it can be hard to know how to explain all that’s going on. I pray that this is a helpful guide as you teach your young children about the service.
____________________
This article was originally posted January 23, 2020 on Concordia Publishing House’s blog; it has been edited to conform it’s content to Pilgrim’s pastors’ vestments. It is the first in a series of blog posts giving adults tips on teaching children about what they see in the Divine Service. The author, Beth Schultz, is the first grade teacher at Bethany Lutheran Church and School in Naperville, Illinois and a mother of one.

July 2020 — Page #

Lutheran worship
Church Shopping and Hopping
By: Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly

You have been baptized and catechized in the Christian faith. At your Baptism, the Holy Spirit worked faith in your heart to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. At the time of your confirmation, you acknowledged that God, at your Baptism, gave you faith in Jesus, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. You further confessed your faith in the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You also confessed that “the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Scriptures, as you learned to know them from the Small Catechism is faithful and true.” You promised, “By God’s grace, to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully, to live according to God’s word and to remain true to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, even to death” (see Rite of Confirmation, Lutheran Service Book, pp. 272-273).
There is a growing phenomenon in the LCMS where confirmands who made these commitments are forgetting, minimizing or ignoring their confirmation vows. It saddens me whenever I hear about someone who was taught the entire teaching of Jesus drawn from the Gospels in the Holy Scriptures leaving his or her LCMS congregation to become part of a congregation that denies the real presence of the body and blood of Jesus in, with and under the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper.
I find it unfathomable that these people learned from the Holy Scriptures that we are sinners from the moment of conception and that babies and young children are in need of the benefits and blessings of Baptism but choose to become part of a congregation that denies infants and children this Sacrament instituted and commanded by Jesus Christ.
There are many rationalizations given by those who leave the LCMS to join congregations that do not teach, preach or practice all that Jesus taught and commanded. They say that the pastor in winsome, the music lively. The people are friendlier! They have a better youth ministry! But these are not the most important reasons why one should join a congregation. Yes, worship should be edifying. Yes, the pastor should have a healthy relationship with his people. Yes, we should be friendly to all people who worship with us. But none of this merits our salvation.
The difficulty today is that there are many pastors who use Jesus’ name liberally in their sermons and teaching. They tell people that Jesus is their Savior. They teach that only true believers in Jesus will go to heaven. This is all music to the ears of a Lutheran Christian. All of this is true! But . . . and isn’t there often a but? But what else do they teach? Do they: (1) Teach Law and Gospel correctly; (2) Administer the Sacrament of Holy Baptism to all people? Do they teach that when the water is connected to God’s Word that the Old Adam is drowned and dies and one is given a new life in Christ Jesus?
The church shopping and church hopping occurring today is not new. Read carefully Paul’s words to the Galatian church: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel–not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:69).
Brothers and sisters in Christ, there is only one Gospel, one Lord and Savior of us all, one heavenly Father and one Holy Spirit. God has only one plan of salvation, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works” (Eph. 2:8-9). The Bible has only one teaching regarding the Lord’s Supper and Holy Baptism.
Cowboy churches may be folksy, relational and casual. Dr. Seuss liturgies (yes, they really exist) may be the current new idea. Gender-neutral language replacing the original words of the inspired, inerrant and revealed Word of God may be politically correct. But Peter warns, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Luther encourages us to pray “and lead us not into temptation,’ explaining that this prayer is so important for us to pray “so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice” (Explanation to the Sixth Petition, Small Catechism).
If you are tempted for any reason to leave your current LCMS congregation in order to join a different church, it is critical that you first check out the entire teaching and practice of that new church. Using your Small Catechism, compare what they teach and practice with what God’s Word teaches and commands.
Jesus knew the temptations that you and I would experience. Therefore, He prayed to his Father in heaven, “I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:1419). May the Holy Spirit, working through the means of grace, keep each one of us in the true faith to life everlasting.
———————————
This article was originally published May 10, 2012 on the LCMS Reporter blog by The Lutheran Witness. At the time of publication, it’s author, Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly, was the President of the LCMS Missouri District. He has since retired to Buckeye, Arizona.
https://blogs.lcms.org/2012/church-shopping-and-hopping-5-2012/

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

Lutheran missions
Spring 2020
News from the Wildauer Family:
... The days of this life are limited and transient, but the faithful in Christ have fixed their hearts and minds on His throne above where we will dwell for eternity. This is our hope. From God can nothing move us, for to Him we entrust our days and burdens.
I pray that you will find this newsletter to be a slight distraction to the concerns around us all, provide a bit of humor, and increase your prayers for the preaching of the Gospel worldwide. Suffice it to say, the Wildauers are on the move. I invite you to follow along on a day-by-day journey of our departure from Togo due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Many missionaries had the option to stay or go. In concert with the LCMS International Center and the pastors on the ground in Togo, we opted to return to the States…
There are many things in which we continue to rejoice for Togo and Francophone Africa: The Word continues to be preached; Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper continue to be administered to the faithful; and the Lord raises up men to be preachers of Christ’s righteousness for the salvation of mankind. We are unified by faith in Jesus Christ as our days are ordered in His peace.
Leaving Togo for the United States A Daily journal, COVID edition:
… Tuesday, March 24: Our Area Director calls me to inform us that he and his wife have an opportunity to depart from their place in Brazzaville, Congo assisted by the U.S. Embassy. He is strongly encouraging us to consider our options whether it be to attempt a departure to the United States via commercial airlines… or to prepare to shelter-in-place for an unknown amount of months. This is a serious discussion and decision. Does the missionary remain in place to serve the people through this trying time? Does the father considering his family outweigh the reasons to stay? Are there particular family needs affected by this decision (Yes! Our son who has battled with a recurring form of malaria)? Are there other pastors who are already in place to care for the people? What are some of the other regional situations which could play out if things don’t go well? Luther’s piece on whether to stay or flee from the plague was of great insight. We were chased into prayer on this matter.
Wednesday, March 25: By mid-morning, Robin and I had made the decision that, for the sake of our family, it would be best if we were to return to the States. By no means was this easy. One of the encouragements from Luther to pastors is to make certain that there are pastors who will stay. Our fellow professors will remain, as well as fellow missionary Rev. Jacob Gaugert. If he is also called to depart, he will make certain that all is in place for the care of souls to continue. This all means that all of our efforts turned from sheltering-in-place to packing the bags. This also meant announcing our departure to the children. There were some tears shed for sadness that we would be leaving, smiles of anticipation of flying in an airplane and seeing family, and a mix of emotions all around…
Thursday, March 26: The packing continued throughout the day… I gave a look over the vehicle to make sure that all was in order…
Friday, March 27: Departure day for Lomé… The total distance from Dapaong to Lomé is around 391 miles. One cannot give an exact time of travel as one cannot gauge the traffic nor the condition of the route... Couple this with a recent declaration from the government that the routes are now only accessible to commercial trucks and those with a specific Laisser-Passez (...a document issued by the government…to travel…) We did not receive a laisser-passez since this was a new order, but traveled with the assurance that the Embassy had registered our vehicle with the National Police.
Unfortunately, the police check-points along the route were only enforcing the order concerning traveling with the specific laisser-passez. We were stopped at four newly established checkpoints located at the interior borders between the regions. They wanted to see our documents. Not having the pass which they asked for, we had to make the appropriate calls which they were unwilling to do. Some of the conversations became heated from their perspective. I cannot imagine the pressure and the fear which they were under in fulfilling this task. One stop took around 45 minutes to get through and necessitated a call from the National Police’s office in Lomé… Because of a later departure and these stops, we did not make it close to Lomé by sundown. We chose to stop at a fairly new hotel in Atakpamé which is around 3 hours north of Lomé.
Saturday, March 28: ...At the first police stop of the day, an officer stopped us and immediately showed me a handwritten scrap of paper with our license plate on it. He asked if this was ours then asked me to pull forward to the office just ahead. Oh, boy. He also asked us where all our masks were, a new order given down that all voyagers wear masks. The chief officer on duty did note that they had received information regarding our vehicle and proceeded to call Lomé to verify. We believe that he had this information the previous day, but because we had not passed through, he needed to find out why. Once we were verified, he called ahead to the next stop for us and notified them of our travel. This was apparently the work of the U.S. Embassy and their liaison with the National Police. Well done, U.S. Embassy! Thus, our morning travel to Lomé was smooth and without trouble.
At the hotel of choice, we found out that there were two other missionary couples hoping to fly to the States as well. One of them already had a flight cancellation. Now it was a matter of wait-and-see on all outgoing flights which are only with Ethiopian Air. Well, that didn’t last long. Within hours of arriving at the hotel, we received an email saying that our flight the next day had been cancelled and that we were now scheduled to fly on the Tuesday flight. The hotel, operated by a French family who had hoped to temporarily close down soon, more than graciously extended our stay for two more nights.
Sunday, March 29: Light breakfast and a general day of rest. In fact, after our morning prayers and meditation, the majority of the day was occupied in just relaxing… After a refreshing lunch... we joined Mt. Zion Lutheran, Greenfield, WI followed by Faith Lutheran, Wylie, TX in their broadcasted services...
Monday, March 30: The kids were disappointed that they needed to wait a few more days but I cannot express the resilience that they have expressed in all of this. The hotel is small, but there was a playground, sand, ocean front views, and enough to occupy them…
Tuesday, March 31: No news from the airlines and boarding passes are ready. That’s good! We made plans to head to the airport... Upon arrival at the external entry door, my temperature was checked. Good! Then we wait in line for the check-in procedure which already had numerous people waiting. From here on out, the process was courteous and the fellow passengers were understanding of one another. Security did there job well... Arrival in Newark, New Jersey at night presented the questions of any new Stateside processes that may have been introduced while we were flying. …A kind customs agent noticed that we had four kids so assisted us in expediting the process. Onward to claiming bags which were all there
Then the fun began...Three carts for twelve big bags, various small bags, four tired kiddos...The lady who was helping us became our advocate and searched for help. Two other attendants eventually came to our aid… Finally, one last wait for the hotel shuttle and we can have a good, short sleep.
Wednesday, April 1: We woke up in the United States of America. After ... breakfast, it was back to the airport. … the flight to Chicago…. We arrived in Bremen, Indiana in the afternoon... to my grandfather’s old house we went. It has been vacant since his passing in 2016. The families in town stocked the house with non-perishable food and beverage items, a few dinners, plenty of toys, a few movies, etc.
Thursday, April 2: The children woke up to find that the air was colder than usual. Well, anything less than 70 is considered cold when coming from Togo. This morning was around 45. Fortunately, the cousins had also donated warm pants and long sleeved clothing. We got into our routine of breakfast and morning prayers, a constant for our family during these transient days. Today began the long wait for what is next and that is truly in the Lord’s hands.
An exit is always an entrance to something else ...our return to the United States… was much sooner than anticipated when we had taken the call to serve in 2014. During our stay in Dapaong, militant Islam has been steadily growing in the region. Over the past year, nearly 1,000,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Burkina Faso, the country to the north of us. Though the border is well guarded and the Togolese military is doing their job, our presence in Dapaong has caused great concern for the local church, especially with the idea that we were training men to be pastors. It is not time to move the seminary, but the decision has been made for the missionaries to be relocated. Thus, with heavy hearts, we are announcing that our family will no longer be returning for permanent missionary service in Dapaong. What does this mean? We are currently in discussion with the Office of International Mission and considering either a transfer to a different region while continuing to serve as a full-time missionary or to repatriate to the United States and seek a parish call. Please pray for us during this time.
Rev. Micah Wildauer (micah.wildauer@lcms.org)

July 2020— Page #

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

July 2020 — Page #

Birthdays
2 Sandy Schultz
4 June Fry
6 Timothy Grosskreuz
Janey Heckendorf
Ron Virchow Jr.
7 Sarah Neuman
8 Rebecca Fisher
Lacey Kemeny
Linda Reetz
John Valles
12 John Heger
13 Pamela Zenda
14 Glen Schnabel Sr.
16 Bonnie Mowery
17 Darlyn Dalton
18 Carol Neuman
Violet Schellinger
21 Matthias Raffa
Aliza Wollner
24 Laurie Lotz
Diane Swanson
Linsey Veselka
Sarah Voll
26 Samuel Boehlke
Kathy Sullivan
Sean Theusch
Samantha Veselka
29 Leighann Benz
Tammy Veselka
30 Kenneth Frank
Audrey Hilgendorf
James Roerdink
31 Rachel Raffa
JoAnn Weaver
Anniversaries
12 Gary & Carol Jenovai
14 David & Rebecca Boehlke
17 Kevin & Laura Hoffman
24 Jeffery & Darlyn Dalton
30 James & Nancy Audley

July 2020 — Page #

Communal Prayers:
For the nation: Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice and peace in our land. Wen times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, and in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For our Rulers: O heavenly Father, give us at all times pious and God-fearing rulers and governors. Make them to support the people unto the saving of the soul. Make them to govern with a good conscience, and finally, to render account to You, their God and Supreme Lord, in the day when You shall call them to Yourself. Bless the hearts of those in authority over us, O God, with the mighty and keen sword of Your Word, that they may realize what great power they have received, to be faithful rulers and guardians of Your creation. Grant that they may exercise justice and execute judgment without partiality or favor to anyone; that they be swayed neither by gift nor praise; that they follow Your Law day and night, seeking to do Your will; and not be swerved either to the right or the left hand from following the same. Assure them, O God, our Father, of Your support even as You did unto the leaders in Your ancient Israel, to Moses and Joshua. Make them to know Your presence in all their doings; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for the Country: Beloved Lord Jesus Christ, make our country, this commonwealth, our city, our communities, to be and remain always like unto a garden which the Lord blesses; as a fountain of sweet waters that never fails; as a vineyard planted by the right hand of the Lord, watched over by Your own eye, guarded day and night that no leaf thereof be missed. Cause our country, this commonwealth, and our city and communities, to have honor that You dwell with us unto the end of time. Grant, that among the nations of the earth we may be blest in You and You in us. Make our land to be filled with Your glory now, that, in the last day, the resurrection of the just be great in it. Hear us, O King of all the earth, Lord Jesus Christ, and let not our prayer come to nothing before You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Independence Day: Eternal Father, Ruler of the nations, on this day when our country celebrates its birth, we thank you for all spiritual and temporal blessings enjoyed in our land. In Your mercy, You have sustained this nation in times of troubled and preserved its liberties. Teach us anew to treasure especially the dearly won freedom of conscience and worship that is the cornerstone of this country’s principles. Let us not misuse this liberty nor forget that true freedom is freedom to serve. Give us a willingness to share in the process of democratic rule, to respect our country’s laws, and to work for the preservation of its institutions; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Family and friends requesting our prayers: Donna Sommer, Pat Knuth, Rev. John Klieve, Debra Ziemann, Kandie Darmody, Wilma Wilson, June Fry, Orville Heckendorf, Erv & Ruth Mertz, Jerry & Gert Sullivan, David & Olivemae Olson, Richard Reich, Judy Clark, Louise Kreis, Dot Miller, Jennifer Jensen, Eric Johanen, Diane Behrens, Marge Legate, Suzanne Stadelmayer, Elaine Kuenzel, Ray & Frances Neerhoff, Karen Haufmann, Donald Teske, Connie Hackbarth, Sheryl Pajewski, Jeanette Guillaume, Inez Schwoch, Glenn Schnabel, Tim Allen, Jenny Vickerman, Carl and Lois Pritzlaff, Linda Lukas, Linda Borneman, Tracey Leffin-Hedrick, Nancy Nicholas, Scott Biskobing, Carolyn Bren, Rachel Davis, Marissa Flanders, Linda Schmidt, Vanessa Kuehne, Laverne Gierach, Travis Winkler, Brian Vonlender, Scot Meisenheimer, Thomas Kramlik, and Jody Meisenheimer.

Voice of Faith

The Pilgrim Herald — Page #

July / 2020			1 / 6:30p Bible Study	2 / 7p Divine Service	3 / Office Closed	4 / 7a Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study
5 / 8 & 10:30a Divine Service / 9:15a Adult Class: The Chosen / 12:30p Bible Study: Galatians	6	7	8	9 / 7p Divine Service	10 / Office Closed	11
12 / 8 & 10:30a Divine Service / 9:15a Adult Class: The Chosen / 12:30p Bible Study: Galatians	13 / 5:30p Trustees Meeting / 7p Council Meeting	14	15 / 6:30p Bible Study	16 / 7p Divine Service	17 / Office Closed	18 / 7a Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study
19 / 8 & 10:30a Divine Service / 9:15a Adult Class: The Chosen / 12:30p Bible Study: Galatians	20 / Submissions Due for the August Herald	21	22 / 6:30p Bible Study	23 / 7p Divine Service	24 / Office Closed	25
26 / 8 & 10:30a Divine Service / 9:15a Adult Class: The Chosen / 12:30p Bible Study: Galatians	27	28	29 / 6:30p Bible Study	30 / 7p Divine Service	31 / Office Closed	August 1 / 7a Men’s / Breakfast & Bible Study

#

Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
462 Meadowbrook Drive
West Bend, WI 53090

#

Phone: 262-334-0375
Email: office@pilgrimlutheran.wb.org
Website: www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend.org

Church picnic
Sunday, September 13, 2020
following the 2nd service
Pilgrim will provide:
Brats, Hotdogs, Hamburgers, Cake, and Beverages
The congregation is asked to provide:
a side dish or dessert to share

I am a pastor,
not a family therapist or marriage counselor.
If you come to me about marriage,
you will hear about sin and grace,
about confession and absolution,
about Holy Jesus and his holy gifts.

(Marriage...Continued on page #)

(Marriage...Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Marriage...Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Missions… Continued from page #)

(Missions...Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Marriage...Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Church Shopping...Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Church Shopping...Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Synod...Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Synod...Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)

(Continued on page #)

(Continued from page #)