Category: Pastor’s Posts
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Reintroducing the Small Catechism
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective December 2024 Happy New Year! Advent marks the beginning of a new church year. As we begin this new church year, let’s take a moment to reflect on what it means to grow in our faith. This Advent, I’m excited to introduce a new feature in our bulletin: each week, you’ll discover…
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Advent 2024
Advent begins on December 1. This season in the Christian liturgical calendar marks the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. Advent is a time of reflection, prayer, and anticipation. It emphasizes themes of hope, peace, joy, and love symbolized by the lighting of Advent candles on an…
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Prayer Formulas
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective: November 2024 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV) I don’t know about you, but I…
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Nones & Unaffiliated
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective, October 2024 This month I want to share my thoughts rather than present a devotional. Where does the church fit into our lives? We all continue to lament that fewer and fewer people attend church. Why is this? What is this? Lets start with some raw facts. The Pews Research Center and…
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The Father’s Son
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective, September 2024 In that same hour {Jesus} rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been…
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Life in the Desert
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective, August 2024 “The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches,Because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert,To give drink to My people, My chosen.” (Isaiah 43:20 NKJV) Jackals and ostriches are creatures of the desert, often seen in places where life is harsh…
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Making the sign of cross at start of Gospel
I notice before reading the Gospel that the pastor is cross himself three times, once the forehead, once on the lips, and once over the heart. Why? This practice began between as early as the 9th century. It is the outward sign that correspond to a prayer that silently say. “May the Word of the…
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What does the Bible have to say about cremation and burial practices?
Answer The Bible presents a variety of burial practices. In the Old Testament, we see examples of mummification, burning, and burial. Joseph was embalmed in Egypt (Genesis 50:2-3), reflecting Egyptian customs rather than Hebrew practices. Typically in the Old Testament, burning the dead was associated with judgment and disrespect (Joshua 7:25; Amos 2:1; 2 Kings…
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Peace of the Lord
Pastor Patrick’s Perspective: June 2024 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body”(Col. 3:15). The New Testament talks about new life in Christ using a number of different images. Jacob Preus organized these images into six categories in his book, Just Words: Understanding the Fullness…
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What is a Sanctuary Lamp?
Answer Ok. No one asked this question yet, but we will soon be installing one, and I thought everyone would like to know about this new fixture. It has various names, Sanctuary Lamp, Chancel Light, and even Eternal Flame. A Sanctuary Lamp is a small lamp or candle holder suspended from the ceiling or mounted…