Here, today in 2024, we are still faithfully reading the scriptures and sift-
ing through the teachings which give us our identity as the children of

God. In 2024 we are still devoted to the faithful preaching Gospel of
Jesus Christ and praying for his return in glory.

It’s Christmas time. No doubt you’ll get a few Christmas cards with
traditional depictions of the Child Jesus, Joseph and his Mother Mary—
the history of our Savior according to Matthew and Luke, as illustrated
by St. Francis. But John from the very beginning took a different
approach. He bears witness to the meaning of Jesus’ entrance into our
world.

November: one month to go. It’s countdown time; countdown to
Thanksgiving, countdown to Black Friday, countdown to
Christmas. The first Sunday in November celebrates All Saints’and
we get an extra hour of sleep on November 5. That’s all well and
good, but it also signals to pastors that there is three weeks until the
Feast of Christ the King.

What hasn’t been said up to this point is that the service outline continues to preserve a Lutheran -ized version of the Latin Mass. Just as the sacred scriptures preserve for us the Word of God, so the Divine Service preserves among us Christian tradition and the Lord’s Supper. There are some things you just don’t play with. More on that next time: and I promise, not so long.

During this time of pastoral vacancy, may our Lord continue to bless this congregation with wise leaders, capable volunteers and eager workers. In all things may Jesus be honored and adored.

Holy Lamb is a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Through this synod, we operate colleges and seminaries, schools and high schools, and of course Concordia Publishing House.

As time moves forward, we will get to know a lot more about each other. If you need to know something, please ask. I look forward to meeting all of you and learning about you. Together we are God’s children.

We may not get 3000 in one Sunday, but I am confident that God has great things in store for Holy Lamb – well above what any of us can imagine today. I encourage you to plan NOW to be ready to reap the harvest that will come as the Holy Spirit works the miracle of faith in the hearts of hearers in the years ahead.

In this, my second-to-the-last newsletter column, I would like to
share some thoughts about my optimism for Holy Lamb’s future. Paul
begins his second letter to the Thessalonians with these words, “We ought
always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your

faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one an-
other is increasing.

This year, the first week in April is Holy Week. Over the course of
just eight days, we go from the jubilation of Jesus triumphantly entering
Jerusalem as the crowd shouts, “Hosanna to the son of David,” to his
appearance before Pilate amid shouts of, “Crucify him,” to his victorious
resurrection, reported by Mary Magdalene to the disciples, “I have seen
the Lord!”