March 2017

“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