Tag: Festival

A Beautiful Feast of and for Living People.

Ghent Altarpiece: Adoration of the Lamb by Jan van Eyck

“This is a day wherein, at this Festival Service, we will take time to remember the members of this congregation who fell asleep in Christ in the past year. As we do that, we are called to remember that the All Saints’ Feast has been handed on to our generation of the Faith. Further, as we
have received it rightly, we recall that this Feast Day has been accompanied by an ongoing prayer that it will be celebrated as a beautiful feast of and for living people.
Therefore, we declare that All Saints’ Day has been given to us to bring forth a remembrance of God’s grace and mercy for all the saints in heaven and on earth. That emphasis for this day has been in the Church for over 1,600 years. It was added to the Church calendar in the land of Syria.
From that, the joining of the primary readings for today was done, long ago, to bring clarity to the beatitudes that we heard from St. Matthew’s Gospel. Those are the “blessed be” proclamations of our Lord. Those may be heard in the Lord’s Services each year especially during this Feast Day.”
Click on the title above for the full sermon.

Reformation_2025

Lutero expone al público sus tesis from Fondo Antiguo de la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Sevilla

Festival of the Reformation

…Click on the above title for the bulletin.

He Who Has Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear.

Lutero expone al público sus tesis from Fondo Antiguo de la Biblioteca de la Universidad de Sevilla

Over time, the Church has heard a number of things. In its first days, the Church heard
the public preaching of Peter, Paul, and the other Apostles, as well as the cries of glee and horror as they were martyred. It heard Constantine end it’s persecution. It listened closely as the Church Fathers fought over confessing rightly the Trinity and the divinity of the Son of God. The Church
listened as Islam threatened to wipe the Truth and Word of God away, all the while seeking to replace it with lies, hatred, and the worship of an idol. The Church heard the ground rumble from the marching of boots and hooves as armies advanced under the banner of the Faith as they
waged wars across the land in the crusades. ”
For the full sermon click on the title above.

The Feast Day of Saint’s Simon & Jude

It is written in the Augsburg Confession, Article 21, our churches “teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling,….” So then, this appropriate question is put forth: “Who follows the example of obscure apostles?” Obscure preachers like me – like Pastor Morehouse, like many other pastors I have known in my lifetime. Let’s face it, none of us are going to be another Martin Luther. Some may preach as well as Luther,
but none of them will very likely be a world-changing figure like Martin Luther.
Yet, we all are preachers like Simon and Jude. Unlike them we were not blessed to see Jesus’ earthly ministry, His passion, His death, and His burial. We weren’t present for His ascension or the coming of the Holy Spirit.”
Click on the title above for the full sermon.

Feast Day of Saint’s Simon and Jude

“It is written in the Augsburg Confession, Article 21, our churches “teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling,….” So then, this appropriate question is put forth: “Who follows the example of obscure apostles?” Obscure preachers like me – like Pastor Morehouse, like many other pastors I have known in my lifetime. Let’s face it, none of us are going to be another Martin Luther. Some may preach as well as Luther,
but none of them will very likely be a world-changing figure like Martin Luther.
Yet, we all are preachers like Simon and Jude. Unlike them we were not blessed to see Jesus’ earthly ministry, His passion, His death, and His burial. We weren’t present for His ascension or the coming of the Holy Spirit.”
For the full sermon click on the title above

Pentecost_2025

Building of the Tower of Babel by Master of The Duke of Bedford from The Bedford Hours (1410–30)

Pentecost

…Click on the above title for the bulletin.