How Now Should We Vote?

October/ November 2009WWW.GRACESANDIEGO.COMgracelutheran-sd@cox.netThe ReverendJohn J. Bombaro, Ph.D.Resident Missionary:Pastor Yong Mo LeeVicar:Brian ThomasDeacon:Gleason SnashallDeaconess:Doris SnashallOffice Manager:Katie St. PierreMusic Director:Michael BurkeDivine Service9:30 am+Adult Bible Study8:30 am+Sunday School8:30 am+Fellowship Hour afterDivine Service+Wednesday EveningPrayer & Eucharist6:00 pm+EucharistEvery SundayNursery availableHow Now Should We Vote?Here We Stand.Why Grace Lutheran Will Continue to Emphasize theMarks of the Church for Growth and MissionPerhaps you’ve noticed it, too ? People are talking about the sanctuary atGrace Lutheran Church less and less these days. Like me, maybe youdon’t hear much from newcomers about the beautiful stained glasswindows anymore either. It seems like the heavy columns and polishedwainscoting are going unnoticed by visitors. The architecture and fixturesjust aren’t holding their attention and, perhaps surprisingly, they are notbringing them back. And I, for one, could not be happier.Oh, to be sure, the sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, classrooms, and groundsare looking better all the time. I’m exceedingly grateful for theimprovements, benefaction and maintenance efforts that make Gracesparkle. But there is a shift taking place; a most welcome shift. Visitors arenot talking about the walls, but the Word; not the spaces but thesacraments. Substance and meaning is the topic of conversation for ourvisitors and new members. And that is why they are coming back makingthe kingdom of God manifest on the corners of Park & Lincoln theirhome.One would have thought that it had to be something other than God’sWord and sacraments to serve as the conversation piece in the parish.After all, the service time at Grace has significantly lengthened, theEucharist is celebrated twice a week ( at least ) through a long distributionprocess, and we are devoid of technological enhancements andscintillations. Seriously, one would have thought it was the café bar in thenarthex that was doing it, or perhaps our fantastic gift shop, or perhapsthe awesome singles ministry and Christian Pilates program we havegoing that was the cause of people being baptized, professing faith inJesus, catechized, confirmed and receiving Holy Communion. But it hasbeen none of these things. Instead, it has been a sure and steady work ofthe Holy Spirit through the Word of God and the sacraments of our LordJesus Christ.Pastor’s Article ................................................................................................... 1-3Catching Up with the Vicar .............................................................................. 4-6The Prince of Power of the Air ........................................................................ 7-8Catechism History ................................................................................................. 9LWML Corner ...................................................................................................... 10Music Musings ..................................................................................................... 10Something to Celebrate .................................................................................... 11VBS Report ........................................................................................................... 12

Here We Stand…There are a few indicators that tell us that it is the church’s substance and not the church’s stuffthat always and only yields the salvation of souls and the sanctification of the saints. First, there arepew-Bibles with creases in their spines. This means the people of God are opening the word of Godduring the Divine Service. “The sword of the Spirit is the word of God” ( Eph. 6.17 ) . The Holy Spiritmakes Jesus the Messiah known by way of the Holy Gospel. When we open our Bibles, revere andesteem God’s holy Word for what it is, then the forum in which the Holy Spirit saves and sanctifiesis established. Visitors see that we are not here for merely social reasons, but rather because of thepower of God’s Word to accomplish the good purposes He intends. That is why since 2008 alonewe have witnessed former Mormons and Muslims, Jews and Gentiles, both adults and children,agnostics and atheists professing Jesus as the Christ and only Savior of the world, and beingbaptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For “the gospel of Christ … is the powerof God unto salvation to everyone that believes ” ( Rom. 1.16 ) .Second, there is doctrine. While other groups may shy away from the theological language of theBible and the dogmatic expression of the Creeds, we unapologetically “believe, teach, and confess”biblical Christianity as articulated in the Lutheran Confessions. That is the line we draw over-againstfalsehood. Here we stand for truth. We are people of conviction, people of purpose. We areLutherans because we are Christians. Visitors see that and know that they will get answers at GraceLutheran from God’s Word. It is no wonder, then, that our “hottest” moving tract last year wasLuther’s Small Catechism. More than 150 were voluntarily taken from our modest literature table,with another 35 hardbacks ordered independently, and this is to say nothing of resurgence of TheBook of Concord in our midst. Likewise, the theologically robust The Wittenberg Way monthlynewsletter distributes in the range of 150 copies per month, with abundant hits on church’s websiteedition. Substance and meaning is prevailing over sensation and feeling.Third, there is integrity regarding the Sacrament of the Altar. In 2007, Grace Lutheran Church hada wide-open communion practice; communing anyone indiscriminately. This practice requiredchange that conformed to the word of God and our Confessions. Holy Communion is for thosebaptized into God’s triune name and life, and further catechized to acknowledge and receive byfaith the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ “for the forgiveness of sins, life andsalvation.” Extolling the power, presence, and profundity of Christ in the Eucharist has broughtnumerous people into catechetical instruction and, ultimately, their First Holy Communion. BecauseGod’s Word matters, because the reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist is most holy, becausethe benefits of the Sacrament are so extraordinary, it behooves us to embrace the counsel of St.Paul ( by way of the Holy Spirit ) in 1 Cor. 11 and ensure that our Communion celebrations are forthe eternal blessing of those who partake. This, in and of itself, has been a profound witness to theHoly Gospel.Fourth, the additional mid- week Mass ( Service of Light with Holy Communion ) has been blessed bythe Lord according to His promise. The attendance remains steady between 12-20, but with new orreoccurring visitors nearly every week. To sit in a small side-chapel, on hard chairs for 30 minutes ona Wednesday night isn’t exactly the most inviting thing in the world. But Christ is. Jesus Christ isthere inviting His disciples to hear His word of absolution, His Holy Gospel, and receive Him in all ofHis once-crucified, now-resurrected benefits in Holy Communion. This intimate time with our Lordis my favorite time during the work-week. The promise-making God manifested as the promisekeepingGod present to bless and heal His people.Martin Luther highlighted that Scripture teaches there are two essential marks of the Church: thepure preaching of God’s Word and the proper administration of the sacraments. This biblicalteaching has been codified in the Lutheran Confessions. Consider the words of the SmalcaldArticles: “We ought and must constantly maintain that God does not wish to deal with us otherwisethan through the spoken word and the sacraments, and that whatever without the word ands acraments is extolled as spirit is the devil himself” ( Art. III, iv ) .

Our commitment to these two marks of the Church stems much more from a confidence in God’scharacter to do what He says He will do and how He will do it than because these things “work.”Our commitment is about faith, not about pragmatism. What is more, it tells the world—a lost andneedy world—who and what we are: We are Lutherans because we are Christians. This means that,according to God’s Word, it will be the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone,on account of Jesus Christ alone, that defines us as the children of God. Our commitment to thebiblical fact that God freely justifies sinners by faith, not works, because of Jesus’ representativelife, vicarious death, and vindicating resurrection, will manifest itself through the marks of theChurch – the pure preaching of God’s Word and the proper administration of the sacraments.God’s Word and sacraments are the means of His grace. The Holy Spirit binds the Church, andbelievers in it, to His gracious operation through or by the means of grace, never apart from thesemeans. The means of grace do one thing – they give us Christ in all of His saving benefits. This iswhy the marks of the Church are never dead letters or empty rites. Quite the opposite: their offerand working of forgiveness, life and salvation are always valid.This brings to mind an ancient Latin maxim that addresses the centrality of means of grace in thelife, identity and mission of the Church: “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi”. Have you heard or read thatphrase before ? The phrase literally means ‘the law of prayer constitutes the law of belief’ or, putdifferently, ‘ the way we worship ( lex orandi) forms what we believe ( lex credenda) .’ In short it sayshow we worship determines the content of our belief. It carries the implication that the way weworship reveals what we believe about God, ourselves and the world around us. For the Christian,nothing is more basic than the pure preaching of God’s Word and the proper administration of thesacraments.This well-known phrase is sometimes written as, “lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi,” furtherdeepening the implications of this truism: how we worship reflects what we believe and that in turndetermines how we will live ( vivendi) or, in other words, ‘as we worship, so we believe and live’ ...and so we teach and become ! Lutherans are no exception. In our embracing the marks of the Wordand sacrament marks of the Church we evidence the things we believe and that sets the course forhow we live. So, if the law of prayer or worship is the law of belief and life, then what takes place inthe Divine Service the pure preaching of the Word and prayer administration of the sacramentspowerfully shapes both what we think of God’s presence and work through Jesus Christ and HisChurch. Additionally, lex orandi, lex credendi fundamentally shapes who we are as Christians asLutheran Christians.What a safe place to be ! What security there is to rest in the realm where God has promised to!bless His Word and be present through His sacraments The marks of the Church are where westand as Lutheran Christians because nowhere else and through nothing else is the justifying graceof God given to His people and those in need of His mercy and goodness. Our growth and missiondepend entirely on the twin engines of Word and sacrament. And since the growth of God’skingdom and the mission of evangelism is why we exist as a church, of the church, with steadfastfaith in the Lord to do what His word promises.Pr. JohnHere We Stand…

Catching Up with the VicarYour words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by yourname, O LORD, God of hosts. .Jeremiah 15:16In n the course of their conversation at a dinner party, Albert Einstein's young neighbor asked thewhite- haired scientist, "What are you actually by profession ?"" I devote myself to the study of physics, " Einstein replied.The girl looked at him in astonishment. " You mean to say you study physics at your age ?" sheexclaimed. "I finished physics a year ago. "I open with this humorous anecdote because I havefound many Christians tend to think, if not act, likeEinstein’s naïve neighbor. “I was baptized as a babyand confirmed at the age of thirteen, why botherparticipating in a boring Bible study ?” This is a goodquestion; certainly not one that would have beenasked a generation or two ago, but in today’s post-Christian climate, it is a question that church leadersare going to have to tackle if they desire to see theirparishioners growing in the grace and knowledge ofour Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ( 2 Pet 3:18 ) . It is anespecially acute problem in light of recent researchshowing how woefully illiterate the average believer is with respect to the basic fundamentals ofthe Bible. Lutheran theologian, George Lindbeck, has argued that the church today is in dangerof failing to transmit our faith to the next generation, noting how secular culture has successfullydefeated some of the pillars of church life, such as diminishing the observance of the Lord’s Dayand participation in Sunday school classes. 1 So much for the old adage that described Christiansas “people of the book.” Oh, the book is still there, of course, collecting dust at the end of ourpews while read aloud in the Divine Service. I just get the feeling that very few care to know muchabout it anymore, and the percentage of members at our church involved in an on-going Biblestudy confirms as much. I hope to change your mind.What is a Disciple ?Prior to his ascension, Jesus commissioned his apostles to make disciples through the means ofbaptism and teaching (Matt 28:19– 20 ) . The word Jesus used for “disciple” is mathetes in theGreek and means “learner” or “follower.” The word mathetes has a long history and refers to onewho sits at the feet and follows the teaching of a master. Thus, Christian disciples adhere to theteaching of Jesus Christ. Being a disciple of Jesus, however, is unlike any other educationalendeavor in which you may have engaged in. For example, when I reached the age of sixteen, Iwas of f legal age to obtain a driver license in the State of California. I attended the required classprovided by my high school, took and passed the necessary tests, and was awarded my license.This was over twenty years ago and I haven’t put much thought into California roadside lawssince (except the few occasions when I’ve sadly found a black and white car with flashing lightspull up behind me ) .Discipleship learning is different because it is relational. The Christian does not just learn factsand figures to pass an exam, but like any important relationship, desires to grow in understanding,building our trust and affections in our Triune God. This is not to say that we are saved by howmuch we know of the Bible, but once we are made disciples by His sovereign power and grace,the desire to continually grow is the natural affect of receiving God’s forgiving love. God wills not1 George A. Lindbeck, The Church in a Postliberal Age, , ed. James F. Buckley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003).

only our justification ( salvation ) , but according to St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, also oursanctification ( maturing in holiness ) .One of the more interesting features of the Greek language that I have been learning about thissemester is called “aspect” in the verbal system. The Greek verb not only indicates when theaction of the verb occurs ( time ) , but what type of action it descri bes ( aspect ) . We could say, “Istudied last night.” This would indicate a past tense event that is now complete. Or we could say,“I was studying last night.” This is an example of continuous aspect as it describes an ongoingaction, a process, something that will take place over a period of time. A good example of this isfound in Jesus’ words to his disciples: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himselfand take up his cross and follow me” ( Mark 8:34 ) . The verbs “deny” and “take up” are undefinedwhile the aspect of “follow” indicates that it is continuous. Here Jesus is emphasizing that thecommitment to discipleship involves a continual action, which in this case is a day-to-day one. 2 AsLuther put is so beautifully:This life is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, butexercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it; the process is not yet finished, but it is going on;this is not the end, but it is the road; all does not yet gleam with glory, but all is being purified. 3Time to Grow UpCatching Up with the VicarEveryone likes babies. They’re adorable and cute. But even babies have to grow up sooner orlater; so to with Christians. Can you imagine a forty-year old man that still needs a pacifier and anightlight before bedtime ?The author of the letter to the Hebrews is unknown, but scholars have come to the conclusionthat it is a pastoral letter written in the form of an ancient homily that was to be read aloud tocongregations that would have largely been made up of Jewish converts. It is a rich and complextapestry of truths showing how Christ has fulfilled all the Messianic prophecies of the OldTestament. In this homily, the writer warns his listeners of falling away from the faith because theyrefuse to listen, learn, and grow. In Hebrews 5:11–13, he pauses to give a loving rebuke:11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by thistime you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You needmilk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solidfood is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish goodfrom evil.The concern of this pastoral writer is that the members of these congregations were contentbeing perpetual infants in the faith and would not grow to make wise choices in life by easilydiscerning good from evil. To go from babies to being mature disciples ( from milk to meat ) , weneed “constant practice.” And the author of Hebrews indicates what kind of practices he has inmind: the study and application of the Word of righteousness ( 5:13 ) . Faith and obedience to theMessiah is rooted and grounded in His Word. Practice at anything is hard work, especially at thebeginning of an endeavor. Perhaps this is what causes so much resistance to becoming studentsof Scripture. But it does get easier and more enjoyable over time. St. Paul encouraged his youngdisciple to work hard at this: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman whodoes not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” ( 2 Tim 2:15 ) .Our Lutheran tradition was founded on the basis that the Holy Bible is the sole source ofauthority for Christian thought and life. The Scriptures are a divine resource, Luther argued, aguide to truth unavailable anywhere else. The truths of the Bible are shallow enough that a childcan wade across them and discern, and yet deep enough that even the smartest of doctors canspend eternity trying to sound their depth. Countless men and women of faith throughout the2 This is a simplified version of an example given by William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, 2 nd ed. (GrandRapids: Zondervan, 2003), 126.3 Cited by J.T. Mueller, Christian Dogmatics (St. Louis: Concordia, 1934), 389.

ages have given of their lives that we should have a Bible in our hands today. To disregard thisresource–to neglect the Bible–is is to remove the chief authority on which our faith is built. We areleft vulnerable, unable to check the false teachings of heretics, and incapable of charting a truecourse past the siren voices of a culture that is antithetical towards the will of God.If discipleship involves an on-going process of learning and following as I’ve been arguing, thanwhat should we do ?The answer is to regularly attend to the marks of the church, Word andSacrament. These are the means that God has left for our salvation and continued growth. Notone of us has arrived. It doesn’t matter how well educated we may be, nor how old. Theleadership of Grace Lutheran desires to follow St. Paul’s instruction to Timothy by faithfullyattending to the public reading of Scripture, to o exhortation and to teaching ( 1 Tim 4:13 ) . Thus,we have set in place numerous opportunities for our members to grow in grace and wisdom byhaving a wide variety of Bible studies throughout the week.To be a “people of the book” is to be a people that understands the Bible to be a divine gift ofour gracious God for our good and joy. Gary Burge put it this way:In a world that seems intent on rejecting every source of authority, it is a precious thing to discover andacknowledge–to embrace with one’s whole heart–the the divine book that can comfort and guide. Christians whohave never had this gift, who possess a Bible and don’t read it, who know a few stories without being immersedin its world, who possess no sense of the potency of special revelation for them, live with a remarkableimpoverishment. Yes they can be Christians, but they are not rich Christians who drink from deep and preciouswells. 4As a fellow disciple, I strongly urge you to begin the practice of Bible study in the life of thechurch. It will not only benefit your life, but your presence will benefit your fellow disciples on theroad of faith.By: Vicar Brian ThomasOctober & November Birthdays!!!Catching Up with the VicarOctober1st Melinda Bombaro November 1 st Lois PaylorJacob Zabor November 12 th Jessica MoriatesOctober 2 ndMike Hutto November 13 th Andrew CurryOctober 5 thDestinee Kalber November 14 th Thekla BunnettKristine PaylorQuinn RazakOctober 6 thCharles Anderson November 15 th Jane SouleOctober 7 thPatty Morgan November 17 th Pastor JohnOctober 10 thBernice Williams November 18 th Deacon SnashallOctober 13 thRebecca Kipertz November 19 th Ruth ColvinOctober 20 th Zaro RazakNovember 23 rd Dave JaniakOctober 28 thAnnette Maggiora November 24 th Michael PaylorOctober 31 stWednesday Bushong4 Gary M. Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read: Recovering Biblical Literacy in the Church,” Christianity Today (Aug 9,1999), 47.

The Prince of Power of the AirIn our parish, I sometimes notice that all is not well with everyone. I think of it as a malaise 5that stems from the feeling or thought that our lives fall short of what a Christian has toexpect from a loving God. I use the term malaise because it suggests a vague or unfocusedfeeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy, or discomfort. 6 I hear the symptoms of thisunfocused feeling of mental uneasiness in: “a good God wouldn’t make my mom suffer somuch.” Suffering is a way of life for so many; it can be my suffering or another’s suffering.It is persistent, insistent, never relenting. What may be sharp at first merges into acontinuous ache that shuts down our lives. Pain becomes normal ! ! Life before the painbegins to appear as a good full life; everything is now compared to this golden time.This is the time that the prince of the power of the air 7 begins to speak so effectively to us.It is the time that our suffering creates feelings that create thoughts that amplify sufferingthat creates feelings...This is cycle created by Satan to move us from the reality of theGospel to a belief in the “power of the air.” When you have lives that are so circumscribedby suffering that we only have time to engage in this cycle of suffering-feeling-thought,then the ground has been prepared for Satan to ask the next question: whose fault is itthat you are suffering ? At first, this thought creeps in quietly and slips into the cracks andcrevices of the mind and of the emotions where it cannot be excoriated. It hides andcomes out only when the suffering is sharpened by thoughts and emotions. Finally, itemerges as a full blown decision that is set to battle your faith in God. 8 It takes on acomplete reality. Luther 9 describes it as:Thus a Christian man is righteous and a sinner at the same time, 10 holy and profane,an enemy of God and a child of God. None of the sophists will admit this paradox,because they do not understand the true meaning of justification.Luther recognized that we are always open to sin and will remain so until resurrected atthe sound of the trumpet. 11 What has emerged from the suffering-feeling-thought cycle isthat statement “a good God wouldn’t make my mom suffer so much.” This is not sodifferent from those of Richard Dawkins 12 :The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in allfiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; avindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist,infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic,capriciously malevolent bully.5 Revelation 3:15-16 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot ! So, becauseyou are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.6 Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.7 Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, thespirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-8 Romans 7:19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.9Luther, M. ( 1999, c1963 ) . Vol. 26: Luther's works, vol. 26 : Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters 1-4 ( J. J. Pelikan, H. C.Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed. ) . Luther' s Works ( 26:232 ) . Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.10 The Latin phrase, which has since become a technical term, is simul iustus et peccator.11 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of anarchangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.12 R. Dawkins; The God Hypothesis, Bantam Books Publication, UK, 2008, p. 31.

But Dawkins is an avowed atheist and will remain so until called to judgment by our lord,Jesus Christ. The malaise gives us much in common with those who need to hear and cometo faith in the Word of God. It speaks to a problem that confronts every parish as newChristians are created at the baptismal font. How can we as a parish combat the malaise ?The solution is to recognize the obvious. Satan’s defeat is certain- given in the shedding ofthe blood of the innocent lamb who was then resurrected to justify us. However, it isequally important to recognize that the war to take a Christian from the body goes on. Inhis epistle to the Ephesians, Paul recognized this battle when he said: “Put on the wholearmor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ” [ Ephesians6:11 ] Paul is saying that Satan will continue to make war on the faith that God has createdin you. His intent is to trick you out of the body of Christ. But how can we put on the wholearmor of God when the suffering is so strong and the machinations of Satan are soeffective. There is only one way for the Christian to put on the whole armor of God in thebattles of this life and Paul speaks to that in his first epistle to the Corinthians: “For Idecided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” [ 1]Corinthians 2:2 The key to retaining this knowledge is also given by Paul in Ephesians: “Inall circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flamingdarts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which isthe word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”[ Ephesians 6:16- ] 18Paul is not calling for us to accomplish this putting on of the armor of and by ourselves; herecognizes that prayer to our Lord is answered in the Spirit-that is that our helper 13 will beright there with us in putting on the whole armor of God. But how is this possible when mythoughts and emotions work so hard to declare God as the source of evil in my life ? Thisanswer is also given in Scripture: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through theword of Christ.” [ Romans 10:17 ] As the pastor proclaims the word, as your Bible studyleader struggles with Scripture just as you do, and as you read the word, the Holy Spirit isrearming you in your struggle against the malaise, the darkness of this world. It is in yourrearming that the prince of the power of the air is seen as just what he is: the master ofnothing and the promise of the Gospel is ours:No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For Iam sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present northings to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [ Romans8:37- 39 ]By: Deacon Gleason SnashallThe Prince of the Power of the Air13 John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper willnot come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Catechism HistoryOn n October 31, 2017 Christians all over the world will be celebrating a very importanthistorical event. Can you guess what it is ? No, it is not 500 plus years of Halloween Trick orTreating. Rather, Christians, particularly Lutheran Christians, will celebrate the 500 th anniversaryof Martin Luther’s nailing of his Ninety-Five Thesis on the Schlosskirche ( or Castle Church ) doorin Wittenberg, Saxony (now Germany ) , which roughly marks the beginning of the ProtestantReformation.Although Luther expounded on numerous errors in the Catholic Church in his Ninety-Five Thesis,a dozen years later the average laymen was still ignorant about the Christian faith. To correct thislack of knowledge Luther wrote the Small Catechism. . Luther’s Preface to the Small Catechismreads: “Martin Luther to All Faithful and Godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace, Mercy, and Peace inJesus Christ, our Lord. The deplorable, miserable condition which I discovered lately when I, too,was a visitor, has forced and urged me to prepare [ publish ] this Catechism, or Christian doctrine,in this small, plain, simple form. Mercy ! Good God ! what manifold misery I beheld ! The commonpeople, especially in the villages, have no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and, alas!many pastors are altogether incapable and incompetent to teach [ so much so, that one isashamed to speak of it ]. Nevertheless, all maintain that they are Christians, have been baptizedand receive the [ co mmon ]holy Sacraments. Yet they [ do not understand and ] cannot [ even]recite either the Lord's Prayer, or the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they live like dumbbrutes and irrational hogs; and yet, now that the Gospel has come, they have nicely learned toabuse all liberty like experts.” Wow ! Quite a condemnation ! Yet it was this realization thatprompted Luther to write the Small Catechism.What is a catechism , anyway ? Ask one of our young catechumens—I’llbet they can tell you. A catechism is a book of ( usually religious )instruction, in the form of questions and answers, much of which is tobe memorized. Christian catechesis is as old as the first centurychurch. The primary catechist ( teacher ) for children is, or should be,their parents. In fact, Luther wrote this Little Instruction Book, as theSmall Catechism is sometimes called, for the family. Each of the SixChief parts of the Small Catechism begins with the words, “As thehead of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.”The first three “parts” of the Six Chief Parts of Luther’s SmallCatechism explore the three essential Christian writings: the TenCommandments, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer. Eachsection asks and answers, “What does this Mean? ?”The last three partssurvey the three sacraments: Holy Baptism, Confession( andAbsolution ) , and the Sacrament of the Altar ( or Holy Communion ) .These last three are looked at in distinctly Lutheran ways.The Large and Small Catechisms s were the earliest of the writings ( except for the ancient creeds)to be included in the Book of Concord, or Lutheran Confessions. The Small Catechism has beenstudied ( and memorized )by generations of Lutherans for nearly 500 years. But why study, muchless memorize, , an old book like the Lutheran Confessions or any of its parts, like the SmallCatechism? Because it is what we Lutherans “believe, teach, and confess” about our Christianfaith. And what is in the Small Catechism that we believe, teach, and confess ? The Confessionsreveal who we are as the church. As Luther writes, “A seven year-old-child knows what the churchis, namely, holy believers and sheep who hear the voice of their Shepherd.”By: Deaconess Doris Snashall

LWML CornerThe Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Zone 24 gathered together at Holy Cross LutheranChurch for our Fall Rally. There were 33 women and two pastors attending for installation ofofficers, devotion by Pastor Steve Benson, and a talk by Pat Digre explaining the many facets ofLutheran Social Services. A luncheon followed giving everyone a chance to talk with old friendsfrom other churches.Mite boxes were collected on October 11 th. . Our large Collection Mite Box was filled, so weexpect to have a good amount to send into District. Remember to pick up another Mite Box to fillwith your change ( dollars are good too ) ! The new rules for saving stamps ( which are turnedinto dealers for money ) have been posted on the upstairs bulletin board.We have made up Chrismon kits so that you can make an ornament for our Christmas tree, pleaselet us know if you would like one and we will make arrangements for us to get a kit to you. The“Chrismon Tree” or “Christ Tree” has been a favorite among churches of many denominations tomark the Advent and Christmas seasons. “Chrismon” is a shortened form of the words “Christmono-gram,” and these symbols represent a rich heritage of visual arts that reach back to thevery early church - even to New Testament times.Yours in Christ,Pat McDowdPresident, Grace LWML♫ Music Musings ♪♪♪W !e have a God who answers prayer I’m probably not telling you anything new, but it’s nice tobe reminded every now and then. Let me explain further. Beginning at the end of last season,the Chancel Choir began praying in earnest to enlarge our group. We committed to each otherto pray individually as well as corporately that new members would be drawn to us so that wemight better serve Him as well as the congregation. Well…have you noticed the size of the choirlately ??? God has graciously provided us with 4 new men! We extend a warm welcome to OlegChikunov, Curtis Fletcher, John Moore, and Elder Darryl Newton. This addition brings ournumber to 15. We are continuing to pray for new members. Would God be calling you to jointhe choir ?Soon you will see the choir in new robes ! Pastor called my attention to an ad in the LutheranReporter from the music director of a high school in Illinois. They had 40 robes that they nolonger use and wanted to give them to a church that needed them. The best part is, they werefree of charge. I immediately emailed the director and Grace was chosen to receive them. Theyhave arrived. Now we are looking for help to have them dyed. Praise be to God for his wonderfulprovision !I have been remiss in highlighting the people that provide special music for you each week. Theseindividuals work very hard to bring honor and glory to God through music and I believe that eachof them have enhanced the Devine Service. If they have been a blessing to you, please let themknow. They are: Andrew Burke, Wednesday Bushong, Melinda Bombaro, Laura Cecil, Joel Davis,Gene & Kathy Dolphin, Arleigh Jay, Rebecca Kiperts, Debbie Lenart, Danny & Tim Paylor, VicarBrian Thomas, Renee Thompson and Christine Tripp. Thank you all very much for using yourtalents for His glory and may God continue to bless your ministry here at Grace.Soli Deo Gloria!

By: Michael Burke, Music Directorg{x `tÜÜ|tzxá Éy ÉâÜ `xÅuxÜá 9 YÜ|xÇwáMMichael Larson & Jennifer SchmiedSomething to CelebrateMichael Harris & Anna MilesOctober 3 rdSeptember 24 th g{x [ÉÄç UtÑà|áÅá ÉyMJohn Lushenko & Mallory HoukOctober 10 thg{x [ÉÄç UtÑà|áÅá ÉyMPreston Aicher, , September 27 th Noah Preston, October 11 thCollin Southworth, October 4 th Kelsey Preston, October 11 th

VBS ReportWhat does the cross do for those who believe ? It forgives us all of our sins. IfJesus rose from the dead, what will happen after we die ? We will rise again justlike He did. Who did Jesus say the Scriptures were all about ? Himself ! Whereis Jesus rev ealed to us ?In the breaking of the bread. When do we see andreceive Jesus in the breaking of the bread ? In communion.These are some of the questions that were asked at the Vacation Bible Schoolone afternoon and the answers given by Lily Newton, David Paylor, Anyah St.Pierre, Claire Latham, and Sophia Bombaro, respectively. It was a true blessingto see God’s Word in action in the lives of the children through the gospel-centered catechesis and the fellowship of saints shared at this year’s VBS overthe lessons, games, crafts and other activities, surrounding a central focus onthe person and work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In every student from Gabriel to Gracecould be seen signs of the joy and peace that can only come from having the e Word of God richlypresent in both heart and mind. It all made for a wonderful, joyful, and deeply meaningfulVacation Bible School. It was a testimony to the goodness and love of God and of the powerfulwork He is doing here at Grace in the life of our church—even in the lives of our littlest members.It was also a whole lot of fun. Praise be to our great and holy God !The theme for the VBS was “robots” this year and the lessons focused on some of the coredoctrines and central narratives of Scripture: re: creation, fall, virgin birth, cross, resurrection,baptism. The simple and trusting way in which the children latched on to these teachings, werefocused, and able to grasp these concepts of the faith was, perhaps ( outside of Baptism ) themost marvelous testimony I have ever seen to the words of Christ: “let the children come to me,and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” ( Luke 18:16 ) . Otheractivities ranged anywhere from transforming students into robots with toilet paper and variouscraft items to duck-duck-robot and other fun games, along with fun and beautiful crafts whichwere a joy to make and which corresponded as an aid to the lesson for each day. Not to mentionthe delicious snacks !The highlight of each day, I think, would have to be the morning chapels.At morning chapel, Pastor would teach the story for the day while the Wildfire Youth Groupwould act it out in a very funny yet still powerfully catechetical manner. Thursday’s lesson on theBaptism of Jesus was a particularly fine spectacle as the water used to dramatically recreate thebaptism of Christ somehow managed to find its way all over everyone… there may have been ahose involved. Another highlight was singing “Praise Ye the Lord” so loud before the world out inthe Church Courtyard that we saw two or three people at the grace towers next door look overto see what was causing all this apparently uncontainable joy. We pray that they saw theanswer—the love of God for us in Christ.Our deepest appreciation and heart-felt thanks go out to all who aided the VBS and particularly:Pastor, Lois Paylor, Colleen Kik, Christy Van Dyke, Kim Newton, Mallory lory Houk, Cassie Hollman,Kristine Paylor, Carolyn Hansen, Joanna Paylor, Madie Thomas, Ethan n Kik, Jeremiah Hollman,Gillian Kik, Marcia Payne, Ms. Joni Guy, everyone who made financial donations, and everyonewho helped bring and prepare snacks. Pull these persons to the side and thank them for theirservice to the Church and to our youth. And keep our VBS in mind for this coming summer. Withfaith we pray that God would continue to grow our mission here at Grace to His glory and for Hisgospel. Surely y the Word of God does not return to Him void of accomplishing its purpose.There was one final question asked that one afternoon at the VBS: “Boys and girls, do you lookforward to learning about communion, where Jesus is revealed in the breaking of the bread, andthen partaking of it yourself ?” There universal answer, given so enthusiastically, still ringspleasantly in my ears: “YEAH!”By Danny Paylor