Tag: Reformation

July 2017

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” Mark 6:31

 

Dear Redeemer Family:

We are officially in Summer. Although I think that the heat and humidity arrived a couple of weeks early. It is a time when many of us decide that it is time to go on vacation, to kick back and enjoy life a bit differently. There is nothing wrong with that. From the text above, you can see that even Jesus took the apostles off on a vacation to refresh themselves. Leisure is not a bad thing at all. Ironically, Jesus took them to a place called by the locals as “The Gates of Hades.” Seems like an interesting place to choose to vacation.

 

Often we go off and visit friends and relatives. It is a time to renew our relationships and reforge old bonds. It can be refreshing and recreating.

This year, partially in honor of the 500th Anniversary of the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation, we went to Europe. It was a very good, and at the same time, very tiring vacation. But, as one of our tour guides put it, “Many of us were there to scratch things off of our bucket list.” Indeed, she even showed us the movie, “The Bucket List,” on the bus’ video. It was also partially true.

 

We got to stand in front of the doors at Castle Church in Wittenberg where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, and kicked off the Reformation. Inside the church, while trying to take a picture of Luther’s pulpit, I knocked at a stone with my foot. I looked down and read the words, “Here Lie the Mortal Remains of Martin Luther.” I was standing at his grave. I didn’t know that he was buried in that church. Across the way, I saw the grave of Luther’s best friend, and fellow reformer, Phillip Melanchthon, also buried at the front of the church. Later that day, we toured both of their houses. And in honor of the 500th, there was a special exhibition on Luther. In it, I saw Luther’s robe that he wore as a monk. It was a stunning day, and a very fulfilling one.

 

Days later, we were walking through downtown Hamburg, where I took a picture of a McDonald’s – you know, hamburgers in Hamburg. We walked in St. James Church, which has been Lutheran since 1520. They have a magnificent pipe organ. It is simply beautiful. Later, we learned that the pipe organ is world famous. And, that it used to be played by a guy named Johann Sebastian Bach. That was also awe inspiring.

There are many other things that we did on vacation. I will tell you about them later. And don’t worry, I took lots of pictures. May your vacations be just as re-creating.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Rose

March 2017

On: By: Rev. G. Michael Rose

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it
to the end.” Psalm 119:33

 
Dear Redeemer Family:
The year 2017 marks the international observance of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In honor of that
anniversary, our Wednesday Evening Lenten series is built around Luther’s Small Catechism. When we think of Martin
Luther, we tend to think of him as an Augustinian monk, pastor, and university professor. But, it is his work as a biblical
scholar, translator of the Bible, public confessor of the faith, reformer of the liturgy, theologian, educator, and also
father of German vernacular literature that holds him in our remembrance. In Luther’s own judgment, the greatest of all
of his works was his catechism, written to instruct people in the basics of faith.

 
The Small Catechism was designed as a teaching tool of the faith, not just within the church but in the home.
Luther intended for the home to be the place where faith was first shared and taught. To that end he created the Small
Catechism: a simple explanation of the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Sacraments.
He included basic prayers for morning and evening, and suggested ways to worship, praise, and revere God during each
part of our day.

 

The series uses scripture readings from the daily lectionary, or passages referred to in the Small Catechism itself. The first week of the series sets the stage for the handing down of the Ten Commandments in Exodus. The following weeks look at each major section of the Small Catechism in turn: the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Baptism, and Holy Communion.

 
Studying the Small Catechism offers a way of growing closer to God by thinking on God’s Word and the basics of our faith. As we enter the Season of Lent, and prepare for the arrival of Easter, this will be an excellent method to refresh our faith, and our understandings, as we seek to draw closer to our God. I hope to see many of you there. As always, service will begin on Wednesday evenings at 7:30. And yes we will be having our Lenten Soup Suppers, followed by a Bible Study, prior to worship. May we all have a good, and enlightening, Lenten journey.

In Christ, Pastor Rose