Letters On The Page

Click here for the link to the service for the Easter Sunrise Service at St. Luke, Rensselaer, IN. 2024 Sunrise – Resurrection Sunday Exodus 15:1-11   1 Corinthians 5:6b-8   John 20:1-18 We cannot help but notice when we read through the four gospels that Holy Spirit allows each of the evangelists to bring their interests into the telling of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Matthew is probably the first Gospel written. It has a Jewish focus that is concerned that belief translate into right action. Mark is an efficient storyteller.  He never allows the listener or reader to dwell on any one incident for long.  His favorite word appears to be “immediately.” Then, one is immediately onto the next episode. Luke is a Physician.  He describes medical issues in more detail than the other gospels. John pays a lot of attention to whether it is day or night.  Not only is this about whether there is natural light or not, but light and dark are imbued with layers of meaning.  Day and light can in

You may watch the service on the St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Facebook Page by clicking here . The hymn text for Lutheran Service Book 447 Jesus, inYour Dying Woes is found at  https://hymnary.org/hymn/LSB2006/447 2024 Brief Meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ   First Word – Luke 23:34 34  And Jesus said,   “Father,   forgive them,   for they know not what they do.” [ a ]   And they cast lots   to divide his garments.   Luke 6 records The Sermon on the Plain where Jesus says, “ But I say to you who hear, ‘love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ” In this first word from the cross, Jesus is praying for his executioners. They are Roman soldiers who are following orders. But, they are probably not being very nice about it.  Nailing someone unto a cross is rough work and the executed don’t receive their punishment calmly or willingly. The instinct to fight or flee to stay alive would be in full force. Physical abuse and

  You may watch the service on Facebook by clicking here 2024  Maundy Thursday – Exodus 24:3-11; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; Mark 14:12-26 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. A gift of God’s Word is that from beginning to end we are told the truth.  We are told the truth about the human race, and we are told the truth about God. We are told about our sinful collective past and the future that faith in Christ will bring. We are told about God’s astonishing imagination and creativity, and God’s justice.  In the Old Testament, we learn the depths of humankind’s depravity.  Oh, the horrors we humans can do: brother kills brother, brother steals from brother, brothers sell a brother into slavery and then tell Dad that his beloved Son was killed by wild animals. Our depravity is not limited to family relations.  The Old Testament bears witness to a select group of people. They do what most other tribes and nations

Tracy Lee Simmons wrote Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin . It was published by ISI Books in 2002. Mr. Simmons is now working with Memoria Press and Memoria College .  In this video he introduces a book he found meaningful in his own educational development: A Defense of Classical Education .  His speech is essentially the introduction that he wrote for the reissue of Livingstone's book. I have purchased a copy and look forward to reading it shortly after Easter.  

 The memorial for the founder of Rensselaer, IN is on the lawn of the Presbyterian Church in town.

 We continue to enjoy walking around Rensselaer, IN and learning about its history.

 If you would like to view the service at St. Luke, Rensselaer, please click Here .  Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion John 12:12-19; Zechariah 9:9-12; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 15:1-47 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.  Identity continues to be an issue these days. If you key the word “identity” into your Internet search engine, the first thing that comes up is something relating to protecting your identity. A close second topic is identity politics.  In the Bible Readings for today, Jesus is given a number of different identities. In the First Gospel, we meet Jesus the King. As he enters Jerusalem, his rightful city, as he is a Son of David, the crowds greet him with joy and great expectation. Palm branches are waving and thrown at his feet. People’s cloaks are on the ground before him.  They cry out, “ Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel .”   By the time

( Prophet Joel  as imagined by  Michelangelo ( Fresco ,  Sistine Chapel  Ceiling, 1508–1512).) The video of the Vesper service and sermon may be found here on St. Luke's Facebook page .    2024-3-20 Joel Regardless of whether the prophet Joel is used in the lectionary in our three-year cycle, we do hear him quoted by the Apostle Peter on the Feast of Pentecost. Every Pentecost celebration incorporates Acts 2:1-21 which includes the first part of the Apostle Peter’s sermon to those who came to see the wonderous sign of flames of fire sitting upon the Apostles’ heads and hear them speak in the international languages of all those present in Jerusalem on that day.  The Apostle Paul also uses Joel in his letter to the Romans. He quotes Joel 2:32 which reads “ Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved ” in Romans 10:13.  While a portion of Joel is heard annually, we know next to nothing about him.  We can only surmise from who he is addressing that he is most likely pre

 

Mike Pence, So Help Me God . Simon & Schuster, 2022. One of the pleasures of reading this book is learning some of the inside moves and developments within our nation's recent history. I am glad that former Vice President Pence took time to tell his side of things.   Pence takes us through his remembrances of boyhood in Columbus, IN through courting his future wife to his defeats and victories in public office. I was particular interested in learning his thoughts and experiences in dealing with the Pandemic and then the January 6, 2021 mob action on the Capital.   Pence is an engaging writer that does not shy from telling embarrassing stories on himself. I was particularly amused by his recounting of meeting with Russell Kirk.  Kirk was generous and kind to an ignorant Pence.  Kirk's gift of his book, The Politics of Prudence, to Pence shaped Pence's conservative thought for the rest of his life.  He reports an annual reading the book.  Another foundational experience w

  Click here for a recording of the service at St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church, Rensselaer, IN 2024 Lent 5 Jeremiah 31:31-34          Hebrews 5:1-10              Mark 10:32-45 O Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.  What will be lost? What will be gained? The gospel reading addresses those two questions. But Jesus and his disciples are not in agreement, at this time, with the answers.  What will be lost is Jesus’ life. Jesus foretells his death for the third time. Using the third person designation for himself, Jesus declares that he, the Son of Man, will soon suffer, die, and on the third day rise again.  The first time that Jesus said this, Peter reacted and said that this can’t happen. The Messiah lives, the Messiah does not die! Jesus rebuked Peter strongly.  The second time Jesus told them that the Son of Man will soon suffer, die, and on the third day rise again, there was no argument.  Mark says, “ But th