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Archives:
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Special Message From the Pastors
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December
20, 2007
You Can't Take Christ
Out Of Christmas!
“This whole push to remove Christ from the Christmas season has gotten so ridiculous that it's pathetic..”
Roland S. Martin
Pastor's Note:
The time has
come for we Christians to stand up against the attacks on
Christmas by our secular society. Seldom do we include
articles from the secular press on these pages. However,
CNN contributor, Roland S. Martin, has hit the nail on the
head with his recent commentary with the following
commentary:
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Because of all the politically correct idiots, we are being encouraged to stop saying "Merry Christmas" for the more palatable "Happy Holidays." What the heck are "Seasons Greetings"? Can someone tell me what season we are greeting folks about? A Christmas tree? Oh, no! It's now a holiday tree. Any Christmas song that even remotely mentions Christ or has a religious undertone is being axed for being overtly religious. And I'm sorry, forget X-M-A-S. Malcolm X? Yes. X replacing Christ? No.
Don't get me wrong; I'm very respectful of other religions. I don't want anyone to be afraid of discussing the Jewish faith when we address Hanukkah. And we shouldn't dismiss Muslims when the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is held during December. In fact, Americans are so ignorant of other faiths that we can all learn from one another.
But this seeming backlash against Christianity is bordering on the absurd, and we should continue to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.
I know that may sound strident, but it's true. We spend an inordinate amount of time focused on shopping and buying gifts, but really, what does any of this have to do with the birth of Jesus? We have families all over the nation killing themselves to buy a tree they can't afford, running up their credit to buy toys and other gifts, all in an effort to make someone else happy.
What if families decided to forgo gifts, and instead, used their shopping days giving back to those in need? What if more of us went into our closets, grabbed old toys and clothes, repackaged them, and provided them as gifts to those without? Instead of gorging on food, what if we used some of the dough to feed those who are in need?
....Sure, I know I sound like a reincarnation of a flower child, but really, do we have to be so crass during the Christmas season?
Its time that we return to traditional values, and end this ridiculous charade. It's important that we take a fuller account of WHY we celebrate Christmas, as opposed to falling for the barrage of ads that tell us what is most important.
Parents, don't be so consumed with the notion that your children will have a terrible Christmas because the tree isn't overflowing with gifts. The true love that you show them is more important than anything else.
America might be the king of capitalism, but secularism must never become so prevalent that our religious traditions are discarded.
Roland S. Martin is a nationally award-winning journalist and CNN contributor. Martin is studying to receive his master's degree in Christian communications at Louisiana Baptist University, and he is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." You can read more of his columns at
www.rolandsmartin.com.
reprinted from CNN http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/20/roland.martin/index.html
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October 14, 2007
Loneliness
“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” Mother Teresa.
"Loneliness seems to have become the great American
disease" wrote journalist John Corry. This sad but
true commentary on life in modern-day America should be a
challenge to the Church and to Christians
everywhere.
We contend that the roots of
loneliness can be found in not having a close, personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. Yet, in our society today
it is easy to have a close relationship with our Lord and still
be lonely for human contact.
Who are the lonely people in Trinity's congregation? Are
they the elderly who have very little contact with other people,
particularly people they have known and loved? Are they
the middle-aged, or perhaps the young?
The answer is simple. Being lonely has very little to do
with one's age or position. Rather, loneliness can creep
up on people of all ages, even children. The question
is...What are we doing as a church family to attack this
problem?
Consider the following quotes
from people of various backgrounds. Then think about what
we should be doing!
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“The whole conviction of my life now rests upon the belief that loneliness, far from being a rare and curious phenomenon, peculiar to myself and to a few other solitary men, is the central and inevitable fact of human existence” Thomas Wolfe.
“Loneliness is the first thing which God’s eye named, not good.” John Milton.
"No one would choose a friendless existence on condition of having all the other things in the world." Aristotle.
"the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started." Ernest Hemingway.
"When Christ said: "I was hungry and you fed me," he didn't mean only the hunger for bread and for food; he also meant the hunger to be loved. Jesus himself experienced this loneliness. He came amongst his own and his own received him not, and it hurt him then and it has kept on hurting him. The same hunger, the same loneliness, the same having no one to be accepted by and to be loved and wanted by. Every human being in that case resembles Christ in his loneliness; and that is the hardest part, that's real hunger." Mother Teresa.
"The body is a house of many windows: there we all sit, showing ourselves and crying on the passers-by to come and love us." Robert Louis Stevenson.
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August
7, 2007 Heavenly.
Beautiful. Powerful.
“Jesus
Christ is the best thing that ever happened to me!”
Nineteen of our youth and youth counselors just returned from the triennial LCMS International Youth Gathering in Orlando, Florida. What they saw and experienced there is worth sharing with our entire church family and friends.
The following is an account of just Tuesday night's session:
“Jesus Christ is the best thing that ever happened to me!”
Dr. Reed Lessing, the preacher for Tuesday night’s worship service shouted
these words, as everyone repeated.
Heavenly. Beautiful. Powerful. Those are some of the best words to describe the Gathering Worship Service.
The masses of CHOSEN people worshiped the amazing creator together — as undeserving sinners, celebrating the sacrifice that was made.The service was focused into sections where the people declared how HE was CHOSEN before everyone else, All were CHOSEN with Others, and All are CHOSEN to the World.
“Oh the Wonderful Cross!” was sung throughout the room as a team of actors entered the room, dressed as guards, beating and striking Jesus. As Jesus yelled with screams of pain that echoed through the space as the others hurled insults at him and whipped him — others carried the cross behind him, creating a powerful reenactment of the crucifixion. Those gathered were focused on how they (as sinners) crucified him and most importantly, of how Jesus was crucified because of his everlasting love for
all. Excited and moved by the service, the crowd cheered and applauded throughout many portions of the worship service, especially when Jesus resurrected.
A segulah – the Hebrew word meaning ‘a one-of-a-kind treasure’ – was used by Dr. Lessing to describe God’s CHOSEN
people. “A segulah is not loved because it is valuable, for ‘… you were the fewest of all people.’ No, a segulah is valuable because someone dares to look it straight in the eye and say, ‘No matter what … I— love—- you!’” Lessing
explained. Israel was God’s CHOSEN people. Lessing vividly illustrated how Israel was truly treasured by the Lord — but Satan still continues to roam throughout the land trying to take God’s treasures in many different ways.But Jesus defeated Satan on Easter for ALL.
Lessing ended by saying, “And because we are so loved, so forgiven … so CHOSEN … we can’t help but celebrate all the days of our lives. Repeat after me with a full heart and a full voice — Jesus Christ is the best thing that ever happened to me!
AMEN!”
The message, the visual effects and videos shown, the youth choir and band consisting of over 100 teens, and the graceful liturgical dancers all added to the power and beauty of the worship
service. While all were drawn together to worship — all confessed their sins together and joined together for Holy Communion. Tens of thousands came to the Lord’s Table together as the band sang
out: “I’m forgiven, because you were forsaken. I’m accepted, you were condemned. I’m alive and well, your Spirit is within me, because you died and rose again. Amazing love how can it be? That you my king would die for me? ... You are my
King.” What a joy and honor it was for everyone at the Gathering to join together and worship God as part of one, massive body of believers.
To see a video
presentation of that night's sessions, Click
Here
reprinted from Chosen
(International Youth Gathering)
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| July 15, 2007
Be a Five-Star
Christian:
A great church is made up of strong
Christians and strong Christian families.
Read God’s Word
The Bible says, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by
the Word of God.” Reading the Bible is vital to the
Christian life. As we read the Bible, we should search the
Scriptures, comparing Scripture with Scripture. Also, set a goal
to memorize Scripture and meditate on the Word of God. In our
personal lives and with our families each day, we need to be
reading the Word of God.
Pray
We believe that God hears and answers prayer. There is no
doubt
about it, the greatest untapped resource in the Christian life
is the matter of prayer. Pray each day. Pray for loved ones.
Pray for church leaders and their families. Pray for your
church. Pray for our nation. Pray for the lost. Establish a
prayer list. Pray.
Attend Church Faithfully
The Lord Jesus Christ deserves your faithfulness. Attend
every service of the church. A great deal of the strength of the
church is based on the faithfulness of the people. Support
special meetings at the church with your faithful attendance.
Give
God’s work is to be supported God’s way. The Bible
teaches that we should pay the tithe and give our offerings.
Practice tithing as a conviction. Bring the Lord's tithe with
you to church each Sunday. Support the ministries of the church
with offerings. By faith give to worldwide missions. Support the
Christian education endeavors of the church. We cannot outgive
God.
Witness to the Lost
Our Lord Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which
was lost. He left us on earth to tell others about the Savior.
Determine to bring others to the Savior. Work to bring other
families to Christ and to the church. Set a time to go. Make a
list of names and addresses of people you want to reach for
Christ.
Determine to Be
a Five-Star Christian
This is a time when you
can be a real help and encouragement to your pastor. May God
help you to work together to see something beyond the ordinary
accomplished for Christ through your church.
reprinted by
permission from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Clovis,
California http://emmanuellutheranclovis.org/
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Trinity
Lutheran Church, 201 S Pleasant Avenue, Centralia, IL
62801 (618)532-2614, is a member congregation of the Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod with offices in St. Louis,
Missouri and seminaries in St. Louis and Ft. Wayne, Indiana.The
Synod also operates 10 colleges and universities
in the United States.
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