Today marks the day, one year ago, when I was ordained into the Office of the Holy Ministry. It was a very special day for me. My home pastor preached my ordination sermon, I had a classmate from the seminary lay hands on me and read words of Scripture as words of encouragement for the Office that I had just entered. Unfortunately, I don’t have any digital pictures from that day, but I wanted to recognize the day anyway. I still find it shocking one year later that God would choose to use a person such as myself to be a pastor in His church. Soli Deo Gloria!

I know that this doesn’t deal with the LCMS, but it is religous related. In a story from the Indianapolis Star, the United Methodist Church in Indiana might be close to merging the North Indiana and South Indiana Conferences.

At stake is the future of one of the most important movements in Indiana, one whose influence extends beyond its approximately 220,000 members, 1,600 clergy and 1,200 congregations. Its institutions include Methodist hospitals in Indianapolis and Lake County, three universities — DePauw, Evansville and Indianapolis — and various social services… “We’re very different. We’re very different,” State Sen. Patricia Miller of Indianapolis repeated for emphasis, but she added, “I think merger is a real possibility.”

Here’s the thing: if you are a member of the United Methodist Church, as both Conferences are, then how different are you from each other? The UMC is not as polarized as the LCMS is (to the best of my knowledge) so what is the reason why they have not merged before now or talked about merging? Hmm…

Hard to believe, but it was exactly one year ago last night that I received my call into the Office of Holy Ministry. Who would have thought that when I started at the seminary in the summer of 2001, that I would eventually be placed in Gillette, Wyoming. Though I haven’t been a pastor for a full year yet, it has been one year since I received my call.

For those interested, last evening at Concordia Theological Seminary, they held their annual placement service for men to enter the Office of Holy Ministry. 64 men received calls last night. God’s blessings to each of them as they finish up their time at the seminary and prepare to begin their work at their churches.

From the hymn, "I Know that My Redeemer Lives"

I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead; He lives, My everliving Head.

He lives to grant me rich supply; He lives to guide me with His eye;
He lives to comfort me when faint; He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to bless me with His love; He lives to plead for me above;
He lives my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.

He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to His name!  He lives, my Savior, still the same;
What joy this blest assurance gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Allelujah!

Good Friday is a very somber service.  During the Office of Tenebrae (where we read the last 7 words of Christ and extinguish candles), we sang verses of several hymns after each reading.  The first hymn we sang was "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded," a very moving hymn.

O sacred head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, your only crown.
O sacred head, what glory, And bliss did once combine
Though now despised and gory, I joy to call you mine.

How pale you are with anguish, With sore abuse and scorn!
Your face, your eyes now languish, Which once were bright as morn.
Now from your cheeks are vanished Their color once so fair;
From loving lips is banished The splendor that was there.

All this for my transgression, My wayward soul to win;
This torment of your Passion, To set me free from sin.
I cast myself before you, Your wrath my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore you, O Lord, condemn me not!

Here will I stand beside you, Your death for me my plea;
Let all the world deride you, I clasp you close to me.
My awe cannot be spoken, To see you crucified;
But in your body broken, Redeemed, I safely hide!

What language can I borrow To thank you, dearest friend,
For this your dying sorrow, Your mercy without end?
Bind me to you forever, Give courage from above;
Let not my weakness sever Your bond of lasting love.

Lord, be my consolation, My constant source of cheer;
Remind me of your Passion, My shield when death is near.
I look in faith, believing That you have died for me;
Your cross and crown receiving, I live eternally.

Everyone wants to have a nice, clean Jesus as their Savior.  But if you read the accounts in the Gospels of the final day of Christ, you will see that He was not nice and clean.  He was beaten, scourged, bloody, and down right nasty to look at.  That is the cost of our sins.  That is what was necessary to make us children of God.

I know it’s a little late posting this, but last week was a bit busy.

I’ve assisted with Holy Week services at my home congregation and on vicarage, but never have I assisted with Holy Week services as a pastor, until last week.  I have to say that it is rather emotional seeing the altar stripped at the conclusion of the service.  It marks the finality of everything leading up to Good Friday.

My sermon was centered on what Christ did that evening: washed His disciples’ feet, instituted a new command ("Love one another"), but more importantly, He instituted the Lord’s Supper, where He gives us His precious body and blood.

From the Associated Press: Episcopal churches seem to be moving away from the hymns they once sang to the music of U2. 

Ushers handed out earplugs and fluorescent glow
sticks for the "U2 Eucharist," a communion service punctuated by the
Irish rock band’s music. Episcopal parishes from California to Maine
have hosted similar events, weaving U2’s tunes – laced with biblical
references – into the liturgy.

The sad thing about this is a book written by a Lutheran pastor and professor at Yale Divinity School.  He says that it doesn’t surprise him that some congregations have caught on to this style of "worship."  Let’s hope that U2 doesn’t become the norm for worship.  Don’t get me wrong, U2 has good music, but it doesn’t belong in church.