LUTHERAN Come, thou long-expected Jesus MID- Presidential Message SOUTH By Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola Mid-South District President Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art, Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. LSB#338 A lady with a Jewish surname was caught in a snowstorm and forced to spend an unanticipated Christmas Eve at a fashionable Eastern-resort hotel. When she explained her dilemma to the desk clerk, he asked for her name. Upon hearing that her name was Pearl Rosenberg, the clerk looked down at his appointment book and said, “I am so sorry, Mrs. Rosenberg, but we have no rooms. The hotel is full.” She glanced at the half-empty parking lot and the green fluorescent sign near the entrance and protested. “But your sign says that you have vacancies!” The desk clerk stammered, then admitted sheepishly, “You know that we do not admit Jews. Now if you will try the other side of town…” Rosenberg stiffened noticeably and interrupted him, saying, “I’ll have you know I converted to Christianity several years ago. In fact, my whole family attends a Lutheran church in Minneapolis.” The desk clerk said, “OK, let me give you a little test. How was Jesus born?” Rosenberg replied, “He was born to a virgin mother named Mary, in a little town called Bethlehem. He was born in a manger and shepherds came to worship Him when the angel of the Lord announced His birth.” “That’s right,” said the hotel clerk. “But why was Jesus born in a manger?” A wry smile appeared as she replied tartly, “Because some stubborn, bullheaded innkeeper — like you — wouldn’t give a Jewish lady a room for the night!” We know the story of the birth of Christ. We know what happened there in the little Palestinian village of Bethlehem. We know why the Lord God chose Bethlehem for the birth of the greatest person to ever cross the pages of human history. At that time in history, Rome would have been a good choice since the Roman Empire ruled virtually the entire civilized world. On the other hand, Nazareth was the home of Mary and Joseph. It would be convenient because most of Mary’s relatives wouldn’t ask questions about her pregnancy. But we were told that nothing good comes out of Nazareth! Hebron might have been better; Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and David had close associations with that city. Then again, Jerusalem would have been my choice (in naïveté), since most of us (if we were on the site-selection committee for the coming of God-in-flesh) would have chosen Jerusalem. It was a city near the royal palace, or the headquarters of the temple’s chief priest. Wouldn’t it be logical for the King of kings and the manifestation of the Royal Priest to be born in a city mentioned hundreds of times in the Old Testament? King David captured the Holy City from pagans and turned it into the center of religious and civil life for the Israelites. We’d be hard pressed to find excuses to deny Jerusalem. But she didn’t make the cut. There would have been several other locations, but Bethlehem wouldn’t have made our short list. The ancient prophet Micah wrote “But, you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me One who is to be Ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). Two significant events stand out in the history of an insignificant Bethlehem. Bethlehem was where David, a future king, poet and military hero, was born. The beautiful love story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz (See Christmas, Page B) DECEMBER 2014 A News Christmas (Continued from Page A) took place with Bethlehem as its backdrop. For the most part, however, Bethlehem was a grain-storage town, a village of about 300 people at the time of Christ’s birth. Bethlehem’s obscurity is highlighted in the favorite Christmas carol: O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. LSB#361 For thousands of years, Bethlehem wasn’t much more than a granary and a place for smelly shepherds to find a bed for rest. Her Hebrew name meant “House of Bread.” So, come to think of it, maybe the wisdom of God trumped our site selection committee … again! After all, Bethlehem would be a place for the humble, common folk. It would also mean Jesus wouldn’t be born for political, cultural, royal or societal reasons. It meant His life and message would overshadow the significance of any given town or city. It meant His lineage was a perfect fit in the clear picture of God’s saving grace that appears to us as an enormous, onecolored billion-piece picture puzzle. What’s more, Christ’s birth was announced by the angelic host to common shepherds — outcasts among the elite. He was born in a barn and laid to sleep in a feed trough. Being born in “The House of Bread” meant Christ’s birth brought the “Bread of Life” to the world. “ ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and B MID-SOUTH DISTRICT he who believes in Me will never thirst’ ” (John 6:35). So, from the very first prophecy of the Messiah (Genesis 3), through the thousands of prophetic pieces God gave to the ancient fathers, the chances of any one single child to meet each intricate detail of the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah is astronomical. The Old Testament writings date back thousands of years and were completed near 450 B.C. They contain hundreds of prophecies that a single person would have to fulfill through his life, death and resurrection in order to be the Messiah, the Savior. Mathematically speaking, the odds of any one person fulfilling that many prophecies are staggering. The odds of one person fulfilling eight prophecies are one in a quadrillion. A person fulfilling 48 prophecies are one in 10 to the 157th power. A person fulfilling more than 300 prophecies? Only Jesus! Only God could foreknow and accomplish all that was written about the coming of the Christ. Add in the probabilities of the Savior through specific descendants, the Virgin Mother, the little town of Bethlehem … creation scientist Henry Morris calculates a chance of one out of 1,000 trillion (one pentillian!) that one person could be the Christ. It has been suggested by skeptics that all of this could be possible because someone in Judah might have made a lucky guess that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. But no, this is all about Jesus the Christ, our Savior — God with us — to save us from our sins and bring us the promise of everlasting life. As we prepare our hearts to be warmed, once again, by the story of lowly shepherds who came to seek a babe lying in a manger, or the story of Magi from the east who were led by a star and bowed to the new king, we also bow in humble reverence, asking God to bless our Advent and Christmas worship together: In that unlikely place, I find Him as they said: Sweet newborn Babe, how frail! And, in a manger bed: A still, small voice to cry one day for me, A still, small voice to cry one day for me. Can I, will I forget how Love was born, and burned Its way into my heart — unasked, unforced, unearned To die, to live, and not alone for me, To die, to live, and not alone for me? “While Shepherds Knelt” LSB#369 MID- SOUTH Orphan Grain Train delivers! Orphan Grain Train (OGT), a Christian volunteer network and Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, ships donated food, clothing, medical supplies and other needed items to people in 64 countries, including the United States. These goods help children and families who are in deep poverty or suffering from an overwhelming disaster. In August, the OGT Indiana branch delivered goods to an Appalachian ministry called “Manna from Heaven.” Lois and Ralph Tackett have operated the Myra, Ky., ministry for 12 years and report that this is the worst economic situation they have seen, with unemployment at 70 percent due to the shutdown of the coal mines. They are striving to help meet the immediate needs of the people in this region. The delivery from the Indiana OGT to the truly needy — along with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and His love — included more than 6,000 square feet of carpet, padding, bikes, boxes of children’s books, building hardware, tools, baskets, kitchen appliances and more. A new Orphan Grain Train branch started this year in New England. Paul Arbesman, New England branch warehouse manager, is investigating ministries where they could make a connection and help with supplies. Operating in donated space, Arbesman’s crew worked since last September to prepare the facility, which was dedicated on June 1. A group of faithful volunteers from area congregations then met each week in June and July to sort, pack and label items destined to be shipped to those in need. The inventory is growing, thanks to donations of materials and money from those with a heart for helping others. Already, more than 200 boxes have been packed and labeled to conform to shipping requirements, especially for international delivery. They contain hygiene kits, school supplies, clothing, shoes, coats, toys and medical supplies. The inventory also includes hospital mattresses, walkers, commodes, wheelchairs and crutches. More is expected from generous donors in New York, which is part of the area served by this warehouse. LUTHERAN Hygiene kits include a bath towel, washcloth, soap, toothbrush, comb and band-aids. There are anywhere from six to eight hygiene kits to a box ready for shipment. School kits contain backpacks, spiral notebooks, pens, pencils, construction paper, crayons, rulers, glue sticks, blunt scissors, markers and a protractor; and there are usually four schoolkits to a box. Clothing is separated into children and adult, male and female and each box is so labeled. Blankets, linens, hospital gowns, IV supplies, surgical supplies and many other items are also collected. The warehouse operation is just getting underway, but is off to a good start with a goal of making its first shipment this year. To make a shipment economical, enough goods must be collected and packaged to fill a semi-trailer. Anyone interested in helping or donating should call Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 860-5820723. For more information about Orphan Grain Train, go to www.ogt.org. Congregation mission commitments Mission commitment receipts as of Sept. 30, 2014 (9 months) Anticipated amount (75% of budget). . . . $1,287,947 Actual receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200,214 Over (under) anticipated amount . . . . . . . . . ($87,733) Use of mission commitment receipts (9 months) Allocated to Synod for world missions. . . . . $335,313 Allocated to TCN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,001 Allocated to Tanzania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,750 Retained for district mission/ministry support (70% of receipts). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 840,150 Total receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,200,214 Mission commitment receipts comparison (9 months) Actual receipts as of Sept. 30, 2014. . . . . $1,200,214 Actual receipts as of Sept. 30, 2013. . . . . $1,163,046 Over (under) prior year receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . $37,168 DECEMBER 2014 C News Trinity/HOPE Grant helps Haitian children Trinity/HOPE was blessed to receive a $5,000 grant from the LWML Mid-South District, which was presented on Oct. 19 at Emmanuel, Hermitage, Tenn. From left, John Hall, Trinity/HOPE; Mary Anne Whited, LWML; Denise Gudlin, Trinity/HOPE; Debbie Cox; and the Rev. Keith Enko, pastor, Emmanuel. Children attending school at Balague in Haiti will benefit from the LWML Mid-South District grant. Trinity/HOPE thanks the LMWL for helping them spread the Gospel of Christ through a bowl of rice and beans. “You are all amazing women living out your Christian lives in active global mission ministries with Trinity/HOPE!” Brothers in arms Dr. Hubert Dellinger (right), Christ the King, Memphis, and son, Preston (left), recently had an opportunity to visit with Lutheran Hour Speaker Rev. Gregory Seltz during a theological symposium at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Faithful women On Sept. 28, the Ladies’ Aid of Faith, Fairfield Bay, Ark., celebrated LWML Sunday and displayed some of the quilts created for Lutheran World Relief. D MID-SOUTH DISTRICT UTHERAN LLUTHERAN MID- M IDOUTH SSOUTH The Mid-South District of The Mid-South District The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Ordained Ministers Celebrating Anniversaries in 2014 65 Years Rev. Norman Groteluschen (EM) Memphis, Tenn. 55 Years 30 Years Rev. David Rubke (EM) Tullahoma, Tenn. 25 Years Rev. Marvin Otto (EM) Kingsport, Tenn. Rev. Paul Bushur First, Knoxville, Tenn. Rev. Richard Graves (Chaplain) Office of International Mission, St. Louis, Mo. Rev. Michael Miller Redeemer, Harriman, Tenn. Rev. Brian Pummill Peace, Cherokee Village, Ark. 45 Years 20 Years Rev. Roy Bingenheimer (EM) Cassville, Mo. Rev. Stanley Jones (EM) Bella Vista, Ark. 50 Years Rev. Alan Bachert Prince of Peace, White House, Tenn. Rev. Clifford Herd (EM) Chattanooga, Tenn. Rev. Robert Mader (EM) Clarksville, Tenn. Rev. Herbert Swanson River Valley Grace, Lamar, Ark. Rev. Louis Trebus (EM) Seymour, Tenn. 40 Years Rev. Chris Powell (EM) Nashville, Tenn. Rev. Albert Quoss Zion, Waldenburg, Ark. 35 Years Rev. Gordon Besel Holy Trinity, Rogers, Ark. Rev. Richard Elseroad Grace, Knoxville, Tenn. Rev. Martin Nutter Faith, Tullahoma, Tenn. 30 Years Rev. Duncan Cox Bethel, Fort Smith, Ark. Rev. Dennis Fitzpatrick First, Blytheville, Ark. Rev. Robert Kellerman (EM) Casa Grande, Ariz. Rev. Nathan Jansen St. John, Burns, Tenn. Rev. David Krause Trinity, Heber Springs, Ark. 15 Years Rev. Dean Bauer (EM) Hot Springs, Ark. Rev. Timothy Henning (Candidate) Russellville, Ark. Rev. Hiram Nunez (EM) Granbury, Texas Rev. Meredith Jackson St. Phillip, Chattanooga, Tenn. Cookeville, TN 10 Years Rev. Joshua Willadsen Bethel, Fort Smith, Ark. 5 Years Rev. Ronald Bacic First, Little Rock, Ark. Rev. John Easterling Redeemer, Mountain Home, Ark. Rev. Matthew Peeples The Point, Knoxville, Tenn. Rev. Steve Schneider Grace Celebration, Cordova, Tenn. Rev. Emil Woerner Friends in Christ, Bryant, Ark. Rev. Michael Schleider Zion, Avilla, Ark. Well done good and faithful servants! DECEMBER 2014 E DECEMBER 2014 E OFFICIAL NOTICE Dates: The 19th Regular Convention Mid-‐South District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Memphis, Tenn. Convention Location: Friday, June 26, 2015 (mid-‐afternoon) to Sunday, June 28, 2015 (mid-‐afternoon) Theme: “O God Our Help in Ages Past, Our Hope for Years to Come” Psalm 90 Hilton Hotel 939 Ridgelake Blvd. Memphis, TN 38120 901-‐684-‐6664 Synodical Representative: The Rev. Daniel Preus, LCMS Third Vice-‐President Opening Service with Holy Communion: Friday, June 26, 2015, 7:30 p.m. Christ the King Lutheran Church, Memphis, Tenn. Preacher: The Rev. Daniel Preus NOTICE TO ALL CONGREGATIONS: Please remember the following deadlines to submit nomination ballots and convention resolutions: NOMINATION BALLOTS FOR DISTRICT PRESIDENT Deadline: FEBRUARY 26, 2015 To be sent to the Mid-‐South District Secretary The Rev. Lane Reuter LCMS Mid-‐South District 1675 Wynne Road Cordova, TN 38016 NOMINATION BALLOTS FOR CIRCUIT VISITORS Deadline: MARCH 26, 2015 To be sent to the Mid-‐South District President Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola LCMS Mid-‐South District 1675 Wynne Road Cordova, TN 38016 OVERTURES TO BE PRESENTED TO THE DISTRICT CONVENTION Deadline: MARCH 26, 2015 To be sent to the Mid-‐South District President Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola LCMS Mid-‐South District 1675 Wynne Road Cordova, TN 38016 F MID-SOUTH DISTRICT MID- SOUTH LUTHERAN You can’t out-give Jesus Alemayehu installed The Rite of Installation of Rev. Fasil Alemayehu as associate pastor of Faith, Thompson Station, Tenn. — and as minister to the Ethiopian members of Hope, Smyrna, Tenn. — was held on Sept. 28 at Faith. Alemayehu was installed after completion of colloquy from the Mekane Yesus Lutheran Church in Ethiopia. Attending the installation were, from left (front row) Mid-South District President Emeritus Rev. David Callies, District President Rev. Dr. Roger Paavola, Alemayehu, Rev. Jacob Heine, Rev. Jerry Meyer; (back row) Rev. Curt Hoover, Rev. David Rubke and Rev. Daniel Otto. Christmas resources from Lutheran Hour Ministries This children’s story book is about God’s expedition to earth as the Babe of Bethlehem. Enjoy this little booklet as it rhymes its way through the Nativity story. The man driving the Christmas story in this Bible study is none other than Joseph, the fosterfather of Jesus. The Rev. Gregory Seltz, Lutheran Hour Speaker, sheds light on one of the New Testament’s unsung heroes. This single-session Bible study, hosted by the Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, Lutheran Hour Speaker emeritus, examines a man who, next to Jesus Christ, is the most visible figure during the holidays. This booklet provides insights from a family going through problems and their celebration of Christmas. To learn more, go to www.lhm. org/advent By Julie Keck Are you a “taker” or a “giver”? When I was a kid anticipating Christmas, all I could think about was what I was going to get for Christmas? I was a “taker.” But now that I am an adult, I hope I think more about giving, with God’s help and nudging. And, of course, our best “giver” example is Jesus. No one can outgive Jesus! The Gospels show multiple examples of how Jesus gave to those around Him: healing, food, comfort, love, wisdom and the greatest gift — salvation! So this Christmas, look around for ways that you can give and be Jesus’ hands and feet. And if you need a suggestion, one excellent way to give is to save your mites (your change) and help fund the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) mission grants. To get your donation to the missions, give it to your local LWML society to send in with the group’s mites or mail a check directly to LWML, P.O. Box 411993, St. Louis, MO 63141-1993. Check out the latest updates for mites received and grants funded at www.midsouthlwml.org for district grants and www.lwml.org for national grants. DECEMBER 2014 G Celebrations Blackwells celebrate 70th anniversary Billy Blackwell and Ricka Deaton were childhood friends, born and raised in Memphis, Tenn., and were married Oct. 20, 1944, in Hernando, Miss., at the home of a Methodist pastor during a furlough from the war. Billy received his Navy wings as a fighter pilot on his 21st birthday. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Guadalcanal carrier, flying the heavy Hellcat fighter plane in the Pacific. By 1944, the Hellcat proved a superior fighter over the Japanese A6M Zero. Billy also served in the Korean War. While Billy was busy serving our country, the new Mrs. Blackwell served with the late Al Behnke and Rev. Everett Grese at the LCMS district office in Memphis. Before moving to Martin, Tenn., in 1977, they lived in Moultrie, Ga., where Billy served as plant manager for Combustion Engineering, Inc. In Martin, they founded and operated Arrow Aluminum Industries, Inc., until their retirement in 2013. They are the parents of Ted and Elaine Blackwell, and Ricka and Don McDonald, all of Martin. They have four grandchildren and are members of Faith, Union City, Tenn. 50-Plus Anniversaries ▶ Andy and Patsi Anderson of Faith, Hot Springs Village, Ark., celebrated 50 years of marriage on Nov. 7. Guest organist Douglas Schroeder joined his father Armin for a celebratory service. Merry Christmas Congregation celebrates anniversary with new organ Shepherd of the Hills, Horseshoe Bend, Ark., observed its 40th anniversary in September with a special service, featuring music and a dedicatory concert played on the congregation’s new Ahlborn-Galanti organ by guest organist Douglas Schroeder, who serves as organist at St. John’s, Fayetteville. Armin Schroeder, Douglas’ father and organist emeritus at Shepherd of the Hills, joined his son on the bench following the service, officiated by the Rev. David Tews. The new organ was imported from Italy and given to the glory of God in memory of Karen Tews. Following the service, worshippers enjoyed a catered banquet by Calabama of Franklin in the church fellowship hall. H MID-SOUTH DISTRICT Send us your stories and photos Deadline for the February issue is Dec. 18 Digital files, sent via email, are preferred. Email submissions to [email protected] or mail via U.S. Postal Service to: Judy Otto 150 N. Maury St. Holly Springs, MS 38635 Our submission deadline is the 18th of each month, two months before publication.
© Copyright 2024