September 2015 – Pastor Eric’s Letter

Friends in Christ,

Two years ago our three congregations, St. Peter, Trinity and Waverly, as the newly formed “Circle of Faith” parish spent a year around the theme of “Who are we?” We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people. (I Peter 2:9) Then last year we focused on “What we do”, reflecting on the words; worship, pray, rejoice, share and fellowship. (Acts 2:41-47) This year we are going to take a closer look at what Jesus asked his disciples to do, which is what we are also asked to do because we are disciples.

Before Jesus went back to heaven he told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that he had commanded them. (Matthew 28:19-20) That is known as the “Great Commission”. We already started this with our “mission on the prairie” summer series that many of you attended. From Carl Rabbe I remember hearing how our mission begins in worship and then moves into witness and service in the world (“Go in peace, serve the Lord”), and I remember how the early Christians were known for taking care of orphans because that is one of the things that Jesus commanded. The Christians in Madagascar were also known for that. When twins were born the tradition was to leave one of them on an ant hill to die of exposure. The first president of the Malagasy Lutheran Church was one of those babies that had been taken off the ant hill and raised by a Christian family. From Pastor Larry Strenge, I remember Tootsie Rolls and how much more fun it is to give than receive and how our mission is not just overseas, but right next door and often accomplished through helping others in their time of need. From Dr. Alvin Luedke, I remember that our back yard is a mission field and that instead of looking at what we don’t have and being afraid of ‘the Giants’, we are simply called to try and see what God is doing and point it out to others.

This year we want to take a closer look at these things. How do we make disciples? How do we grow in our discipleship?

Blessings,     Pastor Eric