Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

It happens almost every day now. Someone stops by and asks me if they can have my flooded out 68 Chevy pickup which is standing in our vacant lot. Of course they never want to pay anything for it, they just want it for free. I always tell them that I have already given it away to a friend. I’ve decided not to try to fix it up. This week we are expecting our living room furniture to arrive. (This has been a long story. Most of you know what it is even without hearing it. We are able to buy new furniture with the gifts that people sent us.) Since we lost almost all of our “stuff” we decided that as we set up again, we are going to KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid). We have a chance now to streamline our living conditions and unclutter our lives. We plan to use the loss to rebuild better. But that can apply to other things too.

Solomon was looking for the meaning of life. He searches for it the way most people do, in wealth, enjoyment, books etc. But he never finds it. What he learns is the words that I made bold in the passage above. Without God there is no enjoyment in life, not really. Without God it is all meaningless. And you can understand that. If this life is all there is, how much real purpose is there to it. But if our life looks to our God for enjoyment, wisdom and happiness, then we will find it, find it in Him. It is one of the great truths of the scripture, if you focus on happiness you will never be happy. If you focus on God, you will know God and be happy. It seems like a no brainer.

We are not just rebuilding our homes we are also rebuilding our lives. This might be a good time to get some of the clutter out, the distractions. This might be a good time to KISS when it comes to every part of our lives. Simply focus on Jesus our Savior and see what else the Lord loads in.

News:
1. Randy is back and beginning the final stages.
2. New cooks are in. Pastor Schuppe and his wife Joyce. Thanks for coming.
3. A few other workers will be coming this week.
4. Did you hear that Nash Roberts evacuated? First time in 60 years.
5. Congregational meeting after church on Sunday.
6. A reminder, we are no longer having communion on the 5th Sunday of the month (this Sunday).
7. “The Word is Near” Radio Show on Saturday, Noon, AM800 or www.wsho.com. The web cam is back on so I guess I’ll have to wear a better shirt.
8. Worship at 11:00 Sunday. Choir 10:00 AM

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” Luke 12:19-20

Did you hear about the family who evacuated from the storm to Milwaukee and then were killed in a house fire? When people hear that they do what I did. You see them look up in the air and contemplate the meaning of it. Were they scheduled to die anyway and it was either by the hurricane or some other disaster? Was God after them and they escaped his judgement once but not a second time? Is it all just luck, or in this case bad luck? Probably none of that. But it is something. What?

A rich man decided that he was going to make his life secure. He didn’t want to have to worry about tomorrow and all the things that could happen to him. So he set out to protect himself from troubles of life. He stored up his wealth and prepared for the future thinking that then he would be well protected. But Jesus says, “Tonight you die.” It is good to plan for your future. It is good to be prepared. But it isn’t good if you forget that God is the only one who can keep your from harm and danger. The only guarantees that this life has is the ones that God give us: forgiveness through Jesus, his daily love and protection, a home someday that is nothing but guarantees.

Last Sunday, the paper had stories about those people who were moving out of the New Orleans area. They said that they had no guarantees that another hurricane wouldn’t come along and do the same thing. Of course they are right, there are no guarantees that another hurricane wouldn’t come along. And no one can fault someone who doesn’t want to live where there are hurricanes. But if they think that now they will be immune from personal and family disaster they are wrong. Look at the family who died in the fire and the man who stored in barns. There is one place we can move to where we are guaranteed no more tragedies, no more problems. That will be our last move.

News:

1. Final layout of the pews is finished. We will have room for a few more people. Let’s be optimistic.
2. Carol and Joyce painted doors for the fellowship hall yesterday. Pastor Ed is making our lawn look nice.
3. A man from Wisconsin wrote a card saying he was sorry that he couldn’t come down and help rebuild our Chapel so he included $1000.00 check. What has God done to these people? (I guess we know.)
4. We are having devotion tonight at 7:00 PM. All are invited.
5. We have some more volunteers coming in this week to help out. What has God done to these people? (Oh, I already asked that.)
6. Check out our website at www.colnola.com
7. Saturday “The Word is Near” www.wsho.com or AM800, Noon – 1 PM
8. Sunday Choir at 10:00, Worship at 11:00 AM. Pastor Ed is doing the preaching. Congregational meeting after the service, lunch too.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things…. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

It is like a 1000-pound gorilla in the room. It is hard not to notice. I was listening to some of the volunteers talking about what it is like to come here. They say it is like the normal events of life sort of fade out and disaster that still envelops us takes over. It is true; you can’t listen to the news or read the newspaper without this gorilla and its recovery being a part of every story. Crime, jobs, sports, weather are all reported with that big gorilla sitting right there. I guess it comes with the territory.

Last night after dinner with the workers, we took some time to think about something noble, right and pure – we sat around the Word of God together. Pastor Ed worked on through Ephesians Chapter 2. We discussed God’s amazing grace for us, His love for us in Christ Jesus, and His plan for us to do good things. For a little while there was no gorilla in the room. These great truths overshadow anything that has happened or will happen. They are truths that stay the same no matter what. They are the “excellent” and “praiseworthy” things that bring us peace.

The 1000-pound gorilla will be with us for awhile yet. It doesn't pay to pretend he isn't there. And it doesn’t do any good to run away. But we can find peace where we have always found it. Sit with God’s people around His word. The gorilla can wait outside.

News:

1. Stone work begins today in the Chapel. A lot of the new wiring has gone in.
2. Sauder says that maybe the pews can come a little sooner.
3. “The Word is Near”, Saturday at noon, www.wsho.com or AM800. Give me a call 504-527-0800.
4. Worship 11:00 on Sunday. Choir at 10:00 AM. Congregational Meeting following.
5. Jeffersons make their final move back to the city this week.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine… Ephesians 3:20

I really don’t want this to go unthanked. We were sitting together discussing the rebuilding of our church last night. We went through a couple of lists of questions and proposals, the usual stuff. But what was amazing was that all there had smiles stuck on their faces. I’m not an expert on this but I don’t think many building committee meetings in the last couple months of a building project find themselves with smiles pasted on their faces. There are deadlines not being met, budget overruns, fights about what color the bathrooms should be, etc. Maybe it is for us because, thanks to volunteer labor and generous donations we will be coming in under budget. Maybe it is because we can see that the whole process is bigger than putting up a building. Maybe it is because we are just so happy to have our place of worship that the color of the bathrooms doesn’t seem all that important. Whatever the reason for the smiles, I don’t want them to go unthanked.

St. Paul ends the 3rd Chapter of Ephesians with a powerful prayer for the Ephesians and ends that prayer with a song of praise to God who makes it all possible. He praises the God who “is able to do immeasurably more that all we can imagine.” I always say, “I don’t know, I can imagine a lot.” It is true, no one would ever imagine that God would save us by giving up his own son for us. No one ever could imagine that kind of love. And to be honest with you I didn’t imagine that the Lord, through his people would make our rebuilding not just possible, but such a positive experience for so many people, including ourselves. I’m not saying that it has been easy. But there was never a moment, if you were paying attention, that you could not see the hand of God working.

So I hope that you will join me in thanking the Lord who somehow manages to do even more that we can ask or imagine. Thank you for all the smiles.

News:

1. The painting in the chapel is finished.
2. The man who is building our new altar is making good progress. What a gift!
3. More of the rocks are being put on the wall today.
4. Evelyn’s foot is feeling better. She asks for your prayers.
5. Check out our website at colnola.com
6. Saturday radio show at noon. WSHO.com AM800
7. Choir practice 10:00 AM Worship 11:00 Pastor Ed Schuppe preaches.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper….) John 21:20

Is it possible to love people you don’t even know? Yesterday, in church, I read letters with gifts in them to our church. There were some school children from Bloomington, MN who had taken up a collection for us. There was a Sunday School class from Lake City, MN who sent a donation. There was a couple from Watertown, WI. A gift from a school in Anchorage, AK, A gift from Yuma, AZ, a VBS from Hutchenson, MN. These gifts to us are gifts of love, they are an indication that they love us even though they don’t know us. (Maybe that is the key. Maybe they love us because they don’t know us. If they knew us… Well.) I guess that on some level it is easier to love people in theory from a distance. But this is not love in theory. There is action here. Somewhat outrageous action. So what is this?

John liked to talk about love. He always called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. I think it is interesting that John does not describe himself as the disciple who loved Jesus. But of course we know which is more important. If I love Jesus it doesn’t do for me what I need. It doesn’t forgive my sins or raise me from the dead. If I love Jesus, it doesn’t mean that Jesus loves me. What is important is Jesus does love me and that changes everything for me. My love for Jesus is a good thing, a natural thing now but it doesn’t get me anywhere. Jesus’ love for me gets me everywhere. It is even the source of our love for one another.

So they don’t need to know us in order to love us. They know Jesus who loves them and that is enough.

News:

1. Nice attendance in church yesterday. Pastor Ed preached on the 1 Peter passage that calls us, “People belonging to God.” The King James translation translates that “Peculiar people.” I always thought that fit better.
2. Talked to Margie. She is asking for prayers for a nasty eye infection she has. It has got her down and unable to work.
3. Maurice and Kathy called. They had lunch with Chris Driesbach yesterday. They passed a good time. The Lord continues to bless their lives. Thank Him.
4. Ms. Barbara and Ms. Land were in church yesterday recovering nicely from their surgeries. An answer to a prayer.
5. Chris got back last night from another sweeping tour and leaves again soon. Welcome back.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

I think they were in the comic books. There was this group of super heroes who worked together to help the good people and stomp on the bad people. Each one had special powers. Seems like there was a rubber man who could stretch real far. (I can’t remember how he used his power but it looked good in pictures.) There was someone who could fly and someone who was real strong and they would all use their various powers for good. We had a couple around here yesterday. Electric Man (Bob Barker, no not that Bob Barker, the super hero Bob Barker) and Stone Man (Randy Baker) went over to Jefferson’s house and fixed their electricity so that their air would work. I think they flew over there in their invisible jet. Wouldn’t it be fun to be a super hero?

St. Paul is talking about how we are all part of the body of Christ. Each person has a special job to do as the body of Christ. They are all different but all just as important. I guess I’ve always wanted to be Music Man, able to play and sing music in church. But it looks like I’m more like Lawn Mower Repair Man. But have you ever thought about it? You are part of the body of Christ so what part do you play? Don’t say you don’t have any because that would be denying what the Bible says.

So maybe you are Comfort Man where you can use your skills at comforting others. Maybe you are Prayer Man so you can pray for others. Maybe you are Giving Man, Cook Man, Clean Man, Teach Man, etc. Be a super hero. Use your skills for the good of the body of Christ. No tights please.

News:

1. New cooks coming in today. Lee is heading back to Minnesota to have his accent renewed.
2. Work on the stone in the front of church is about half done.
3. Katherine Jefferson had a job interview yesterday. Hope it went well.
4. Please keep Margie Thomas in your prayers.
5. The mural artist comes to begin work on Friday.
6. Join us for Vespers/Bible Class Wednesday Evening at 7:00 PM
7. “The Word is Near” radio show on Saturday, Noon, AM800 or www.wsho.com

Be Strong in the Lord

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Chris is in the Gulf and I’m thinking that we should be asking God to just make it stop. We could ask that he make sure the storm doesn’t hit us, but that means it might hit someone else. But it doesn’t seem very nice to pray, “Lord have it hit someone else this time.” We know that Jesus can make it stop. He did it in that boat. He said to the wind and waves, “Be still.” And they listened because they had no choice. So Jesus could just say to Chris, “Chris, shut up!” And it would. But I think it is safe to assume that there will be many more storms to come. Can we keep asking that Jesus just stop them? Is that reasonable?

The passage above is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He takes up a wide variety of topics. It is only a few verses after Jesus tells us not to worry that he invites us to “ask, seek and knock.” Look at it carefully you will see that there are no restrictions put on this praying. Jesus does not say, “Well, go ahead and ask for things as long as it is reasonable.” He also doesn’t say, “You don’t get to ask for the same thing twice in a row” or “You asked to be healed once but you can’t expect never to be ill, that would be unreasonable” or “I can interfere with nature some times but finally I have to let nature take its course.” No, he doesn’t. The course that nature takes is the one God says it takes. Nature takes its course when it does what God determines. Nature is listening for God’s commands.

So I’m going to go ahead and pray that the Lord say to Chris, “Chris be still.” I know that if God says that, Chris will be still. Jesus himself has invited me to “Ask, Seek, Knock.” And if another storm comes up, I’ll pray the same prayer. How long should I keep this up? Until it is unreasonable?

News:

1. New cooks rolled in yesterday. Our workers will keep eating good.
2. Stone work continues. Air conditioners in the church are up and running again.
3. Vespers/ Bible Study tonight at 7:00 PM. Join us.
4. Saturday, noon, “The Word is Near” radio show AM800 or www.wsho.com. Call in 504-527-0800
5. Choir Practice 10:00 (Chris is back). Worship11:00 AM. Lunch to follow.
6. August 20: First worship service in rebuilt chapel. Also Kid’s Kount Sunday.
7. October 29: Rededication

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32

I went fishing today with two of my kids, Beth and Seth. (That is why this letter is so late in coming.) It is one of those nice things that we are starting to do again, kind of like old times. The fishing was a little weak today. The tide was slack and you know how that affects the fishing. Beth caught a nice trout and we talked about a lot of things. . .you know how that is too. One of the special features of our trip was we got to watch the pelicans fly in formation. When I first moved here over 20 years ago there weren’t enough pelicans around to fly in formation. Now there are plenty of these gracefully ugly birds. For some reason they get themselves together and they start to fly in huge numbers high in the sky in a sort of spiraling up pattern. It looks like they catch a thermal and just fly up in the sky together. They are not mating. They are not hunting for food. They are flying because they can. Do we?

In what looks like prose but sounds like poetry, St. Paul talks about the power, the joy and the glory of being a child of God. He revels in being justified. And then he says something that touches every part of every day, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” The answer is that many people and things can be against us, but it doesn’t really matter because God is for us. The sky is the limit for people for whom God gave up His son. What could possibly be left? Do you hear St. Paul’s invitation to grab hold of life and live it? Do you see the confidence that we have been given?

If you get a chance, read this whole section in Romans 8. It should be clear that like the Pelicans we should be flying, because we can.

News:

1. Yesterday I prayed that the Lord would say to Chris (Tropical storm Chris), “Be Still.” Last night they said that an odd wind blew the top off the storm and it looks like it was going to dissipate. Hmm??
2. I saw the new cooks walking down the street today. It looked like they were up to no good.
3. The mural artist begins work tomorrow. The brick work is pretty much done.
4. Our “We’re back” signs and banners will be complete soon.
5. “The Word is Near” radio show, AM800 or www.wsho.com, noon-1:00PM. Call in so I don’t’ get lonely 504-527-0800.
6. August 20th: Plan to join us for our first service in the chapel.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary. 1 Kings 6:21-22

Over the past year we have worshipped in at least 4 different places and under many different circumstances. Even after some of the most rudimentary worship settings our visitors often said what a beautiful service it was. Sitting on various lawn chairs, the fireplace as the altar – beautiful? Wooden chairs surrounded by gutted walls – beautiful? Today the mural painter is beginning her work in the chapel. The stained glass lady is beginning her work on the window in front of church. The stone work will be complete soon. All the fine finishing work is under way. Will our worship in this new beautiful place be beautiful?

Solomon went to great lengths as he built the Temple for the Lord. They say his temple was not as big as the one we hear about in the New Testament. But they also say that Solomon’s temple was a real class act: gold walls, the best of everything. You know that some beautiful worship took place there. But you also know that it wouldn’t be all that long and the Lord would find their worship there detestable. The walls were just as gold, but the hearts of the people were not right.

Our chapel will be modest by Solomon’s standards. Probably even modest by modern church standards. But the beautiful touches being added will remind us of the beauty of our God. But you know, we will be the ones who will put the finishing touches on it. If we worship him in Spirit and in Truth, if we listen to His word, if we act and live like His people, that will be the finishing touch. That is what made our worship beautiful in all those other places. That is what will make worship beautiful even in a beautiful place.

News:

1. Pastor Warskow and his family left this morning. He took his vacation to help us out. Thanks for the gift.
2. Did you notice: The Walgreen’s on Bullard is being rebuilt, the Comfort Suites is open.
3. The hurricane center reduced their predictions of hurricanes this year, now that the year is about half over. I think they should just want till the season is over and then make their predictions. They would be a lot more accurate that way.
4. Chris Driesbach has been ill lately. Remember him in your prayers.
5. Speaking of Chris…. Tropical storm Chris mysteriously is losing its power. I wonder what could have happened?
6. Radio show, tomorrow at noon. WSHO.com Give me a call. 504-257-0800
7. Choir on Sunday at 10:00 Worship at 11:00
8. Remember August 20

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in the inner being. So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of god. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work with us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generation, fore ever and ever! AMEN Ephesians 3:14-21

By now we should be getting used to it. Just about every week we have new people coming in to help and “old” people returning home. We have come to expect this. They come, we get to know them, pray with them, sing with them, pray with them. Then they leave. It isn’t too bad because we know that this was all part of the plan. But when people are with us a longer time, it seems more difficult. Like any church we have people moving away. (unlike most churches we have people who were driven away and might not be coming back) So yesterday we said “Goodbye” to Dan Hayes. Dan had come down here about 6 months ago to do a job for the Navy. During that time we got to know him pretty good. We ate crawfish with him. (It is hard to remain strangers with someone after you have spent the day sucking heads and pinching tails) He helped work around the church, he sang in our choir. So now he had to go back home. As you know, we don’t like saying “goodbye.” We “commission” people who are leaving to continue to serve the Lord in their new place. We bravely talk about the Lord, “scattering his gifts” in this way. Its OK if he scatters his gifts toward us but not away from us. Part of the commissioning is reading the passage above. I usually have a hard time reading it.

It is a pretty amazing prayer that St. Paul prays for the Ephesians: to know the depth of God’s love, to be filled with the fullness of God, to be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner being. I’m not sure I understand everything that St. Paul is praying for. Will we ever, in this life be able to grasp how “wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Do you think we will ever in this life be “filled with all the fullness of God?” I have a feeling that the joys of heaven will involve these things, knowing God as we are known. Still it is something we strive for. Still it is something that we can grow in by the power of that Spirit. These are things we long for here and hereafter.

Think of all the “lame” things we say to people when they leave. “Have a nice trip.” “Drive safe.” “See you later.” “Goodbye” (God be with ye) isn’t too bad. How about, “May you learn how deep God’s love is for you.” “May you be filled with all the fullness of God.” “May you be strengthened with power through his Spirit.” No one likes to say “Goodbye.” But at least we have something good to say when they leave.

News:

1. Nice attendance yesterday. Everyone hung around. They didn’t want to leave. Like old times.
2. The mural is started in the church.
3. It looks like it will be plenty bright in there with all those lights on.
4. Keep Margie Thomas and Jeremy’s dad in your prayers.
5. The cooks and Carol are painting the walls in Seth’s house today.
6. Next 2 Saturdays are clean up days. We want to get ready to make the move into our Chapel.
7. Today I leave for and Africa Committee Meeting in Milwaukee. Back on Wednesday.
8. Vespers/Bible Study, Wednesday night at 7:00 PM Join us.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. John 17:20-21

I got out of the dentist chair so that I could think about something else. Well, that isn’t exactly what happened. Actually I got on an airplane and flew up here to Wisconsin. I’ll be attending 3 different meetings here about our work in Africa. I’m staying with my Mother-in Law here in Brookfield and do you know that people live in all the houses around here. There are no white trailers parked in front of any of the houses here. I have to resist the temptation to knock on a door and ask if they have their, gas, electricity, telephone yet. There is a whole world out here that has not been flooded. There is a whole world out there that still doesn’t know Jesus. There is a whole synod trying to figure out the best way to reach them. It is hard to see all these things when you live where we live these days. That is why I used the example of the dentist chair. (My apologies to all those dentists out there) But isn’t it true, with the dentist’s drill whining, you probably don’t think about all the people around the world who don’t have good dental care. Well, I guess it is possible that you would think of that. But it isn’t likely while in the dentist chair that you would be thinking of all the people around the world without a Savior, and those people actively trying to reach them.

I guess it is hard for Jesus not to see the big picture. Still, Jesus is getting ready to suffer and die on the cross. (Worse than dentist’s chair. Sorry again dentists) He was about to suffer the punishment for the sins of the world. But when He prays, He prays for his disciples and their world wide mission. And then He sees an even bigger picture, he sees all those who would believe on Jesus because of their message. He sees us. His vision not only reaches around the world but to all time around the world. And all of this while getting ready to be beaten and whipped and crucified. It is good to be able to see beyond our lives, our house, our street, our time.

I don’t like flying much anymore. And I really don’t like leaving home. Once you get there, you hate to leave, it feels so good. But it is good to get out and see beyond. It is good to see the Lord working His miracles in other people, not just us. It helps me pray better.

News:

1. Our two cooks leave today. They would not be restricted to just cooking. They painted and cleaned. We thank them.
2. The mural painter, I don’t think her name is Muriel, will be finishing up this next week.
3. I think I heard Randy say that the flooring guy was coming in this week.
4. One of the trailer’s air conditioner is out. Where is Electro Man when you need him?
5. My neighbor across the street just got a FEMA trailer. His has a slide out and color stripes. I’m jealous.
6. Wednesday 7:00 PM Vespers/Bible study.
7. Saturday, clean up.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

They call it the Holy Ghost room. It is that room at the Seminary that is located above the arch. I think they call it that because that is where the calls to the Seminary Graduates are decided. On the walls of that room are the presidents of the Wisconsin Synod. (Actually just the pictures of them.) Someone commented that none of them were smiling. That is true but one of them looked like he was the cat that just swallowed the canary. Some of these guys had served in our church over 100 years ago. How different life must have been for them. Then we walked down the hall, where all the pictures of the graduates are. (There are so many pictures now that they line the hallway and the other rooms in the seminary. My class is in the basement janitor’s closet.) We looked at the new refurbished seminary chapel. The configuration is a lot like our fellowship hall, although their big pipe organ looks a little more impressive than our plastic keyboard. This is where the seminarians from around the country worship every day. Then while leaving I bumped into Professor Lawrence who is setting up a seminary in Hong Kong. He was there because there was a conference of all our worldwide seminaries. When I saw him it reminded me of the gift the Lutherans in Hong Kong had sent to us to help in our recovery. He said, “It was just something they wanted to do.”

Last night at our Vesper/Bible class, we looked at the passage above. We talked about unity and what really binds us together. St. Paul is trying to get the Ephesians to work together and grow up together. How could they not work together, they have the same Lord within them. How could they not be united since they have the same Spirit. We have been working at rebuilding our church building so that we can come together and worship together. But it is clear that our unity is not found in the place where we live or the location of our building. Our unity comes from “one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all who is over all, through all and in all.”

All those unsmiling synod presidents, all those caring people from China, all those students worshipping in their new chapel join us, scattered though we are, in the unity of the Spirit. How can we not work together? How can we not revel in this unity?

News:

1. Windows are finished (including lintels), woodwork is getting done, and mural is getting done.
2. Work day on Saturday, 8:00 AM. Bring paint clothes.
3. Lee is back in town working on the church.
4. Mr. Bill Rose completed our altar furniture and is shipping it down. Bless you Mr. Bill Rose. (Although a Rose by any other name would not smell as sweet.)
5. Keep Trent in your prayers; he had an operation this week.
6. August 20th: first service in chapel, Kid’s Kount Sunday. Potluck dinner!

Be strong in the Lord

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

There in the back of the fellowship hall sat the new lectern, altar and pulpit. It looked kind of odd sitting there. One of our fellow believers from one of our sister churches in Ohio had put them together with his own hands. One of our family members had stained them and the cooks, just recently down, tung oiled them. They are looking pretty good, but they seemed a little out of place. That is because they were. They were not being used (yet) for the purpose for which they had been constructed. I guess the lecterns would make decent lecterns for any speechmaker. But they wouldn’t be very happy, since they were made to be places from which the word of God would be proclaimed. I guess the altar could be used as some kind of TV stand. But it wouldn’t be happy either since it was created to be the place where God’s people come with their sacrifices of prayer and praise and a symbol of the God’s great sacrifice for us in the death of His son Jesus. They have only one more week of being sad. Next Sunday we are planning to use them for the purpose for which they were made. Then they will be happy. (Yes, yes, I know they are furniture and can’t feel, but work with me on this.)

I guess you know where I’m going with this, especially if you read the passage above. The “for” above refers to the powerful passage before it. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9 Our salvation is a gift from God; our good deeds don’t buy it or earn it. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do good deeds. As a matter of fact this is a gift from God too. He has actually made us for that very purpose, to do good deeds. One of the big things that people are searching for and not finding is happiness. There may be a lot of reasons people aren’t happy but one of the big reasons is that they were built by God to be altars and they are living like TV stands. No wonder!

I think that next Sunday the altar and lecterns will be happy. Next week they will begin what we hope will be a long life of service. They will help God speak to his people. They will help God’s people thank their God. They will serve their God the way they were created to. It sounds a little like my job. It sounds a little like OUR job.

News:

1. Good work day on Saturday. We got a lot accomplished. We continue on next Saturday starting at 8:00 AM. Final touches for our first day back in the Chapel.
2. Nice attendance yesterday. A lot of birthdays. Katherine played, the choir sang, Randy mellophoned.
3. Did you notice…. They were stinging TV cable on Marywood Ct. last week. Can phone lines be far behind? We have bulletins in church again.
4. Wednesday is Bible Study and Devotion time: 7:00-8:00 PM.
5. Council meets on Thursday at 7:00 PM.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: How I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Psalm 42:4

Last Saturday, I sat on my own couch and watched a football game. It was nice. (Of course it helped that the Saints looked pretty good and won the game.) But it would have been nice even if they played like last year. It is one of the thousand of simple pleasures that we took for granted but not this year. I know that many of you are still working at getting to that place. I just talked to the lady down the block. When she said she was moving back into her house this week, I said, “It’s nice.” She smiled and nodded. She knew. Sunday we will be doing that as a church. Did we ever take our church home for granted? Absolutely! We worshipped there as if we would always be able to.

We don't know the circumstances of when the Psalm printed above was written. If you read the whole Psalm (please do) you hear the psalmist talk about the oppression of his enemies. There are those who think that it might have been the time that Hazael, the Aramean attacked and troubled the people of Israel. It is possible that the writer was taken captive. It sounds like it. It sounds like he longs for the days when he could worship and praise God in his temple. He remembers what a joy it was and now he is unable to. If he ever got to worship in the temple again, I would have liked to see it.

Sunday we will be leaving our fellowship hall and “parading” into our Chapel. We will re-dedicate the building when it is all finished and shiny, Oct 29. But Sunday we will re-dedicate ourselves. We will go back into the building that we left in such a hurry almost a year ago. I guess it would be unrealistic to think that we would never take it for granted again. But God works miracles, he can work that in our hearts too. I know this, it will be better than watching a football game on my own couch.

News:

1. Flooring is finished in the entrance and office and nursery rooms. Carpeting is arriving today, I believe.
2. The stone work is getting finished in the front of the church, it looks pretty impressive.
3. Beverly Boczon will be working with Randy to design our landscaping. Did you notice that two of the three crape myrtles survived and are doing what they do so well at this time of the year. (Pastor Ed pruned them while he was here and they are loving it.)
4. Please keep Jeremy’s dad in your prayers. He is still recovering from a fall. Also Patience has had a relapse of her lupus. Let’s lift them up in prayer.
5. Chris Driesbach says he is having “fun” on tour. Is it OK for a Lutheran to have “fun?”
6. Bible Study Tomorrow Night at 7:00. Lets sit together with the Word.
7. Work day on Saturday 8:00 AM We want to get it as nice as we can.
8. Michael from California called. He rejoices with us and sends his greetings.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Job 42:5

I don’t think I’ll watch it….that new Spike Lee documentary on Katrina. It will be shown here in town tonight and then on PBS later on. From the early review in the paper it is pretty heavy on the anger and sadness of the hurricane and flood. I think I’ve see about all of that I care to. I’m not sure outsiders documenting our sorrow really does us any good. But they aren’t doing it to do us good, I don’t think. To me it is a little like the cameraman who sticks the camera in the face of the grieving mother whose son was just shot in the street. It makes a good picture - the kind some people like to look at. I always turn my head away. It is her private moment of sorrow and grief. Publishing it won’t help her. Will documenting our private sorrow make our sorrow less? Will it even help others to understand it?

I guess the book of Job looks like a documentary into the sorrow of Job. If you are not paying attention, it might look like the writer stuck a camera in suffering Job’s face and took a picture to show us how much he suffered. (When you realize how much he lost, we know we will never understand his suffering and I hope we never will.) But if you look more closely it is more a story of how to view loss in our lives and how the Lord uses it to strengthen us. Through his ordeal and his striving to understand God, Job learned to know God better. He learned that there are some things in life that we will not understand. He learned that there are many things about God that we will never understand. He learned that God is faithful even when it looks like He isn’t. At the end of the book, Job says to the Lord the passage above. I had heard of you but now I see you. The focus of the book is not on his suffering but on the God and how Job learned to know him better.

It is probably too much to ask that Hollywood would focus on how this disaster has opened the hearts of so many people. It is probably too much to ask that they would document how the people of God found strength and courage to pick up their lives and move on. It is probably too much to ask people to see how we have come to know our God better and understand life better through this all. Who wants to watch that? I for one!

News:

1. The carpeting came in yesterday. The doors didn’t. What is it with doors anyway? Where is Jim Morrison when you need him?
2. Bolder Boy (Mark Baker) returned home today. We thank him for lending his skill all this time. Rumor has it that he will be back.
3. Evelyn reports that the pins are in and looking good. Thanks Evelyn.
4. Late breaking news: (The cooks just came over to do their wash and reported that the doors are in.)
5. Thanks for the Superhero names for our floor and tile men. See below
6. Bible Study tonight at the Fellowship at 7:00 PM.
7. Thursday night council meeting
8. Saturday clean up, Radio show at noon.
9. Sunday choir at 10:00 AM. Worship at 11:00

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same and your years will never end. Hebrews 1:11-12

It almost seems like a different life. I was looking at some pictures from a couple years ago and it almost seems like it was a dream or someone else’s life. Do you think I’m going crazy? Those of you who aren’t here yet don’t know all the “buzz” about the first anniversary of the storm. Do we celebrate it? Do we commemorate it? Do we mourn it? Do we ignore it? There is a part of us that wants to fight to get things back the way they were. There is a part of us that wonders if it is even worth all the effort. There is a part of us that realizes that getting it all back to “normal” is not even possible.

The writer to the Hebrews is talking about how Jesus is greater than the angels. He’s preaching to the choir with us. We know that Jesus is greater than the angels. He makes the point that Jesus has these great divine attributes. He is the creator of the world. Only God can create. He is also not like his creation. He is talking about he heaven and the earth. These are things that seem to be the same. When you look up into the sky at night you see the same sky that Adam saw. The same sky that Jesus saw. The same sky as we saw a year ago. The same can be said of most mountains, they don’t change much. But compared to Jesus they are like a garment that wears out. The stars and the mountains are temporary “flashes in the pan” when compared with Jesus. Jesus never changes….never.

I don’t know if we have started our life over or not. I don’t know if what was before will ever feel like it is a part of what is now. But I know who has remained the same throughout it all. The Jesus who loved us and made us his children …. The Jesus who washed us in his blood….the Jesus who watched over us every day in our “former life” is the same one who does all these things in our “new life.” Maybe it will be in him that we can put our two lives back together.

News:

1. The carpet is going in the church. I think it is going to look pretty good. The new doors are on the front of the church.
2. Talked with Chris Driesbach yesterday. He is fine. He reports that his new CD is finished so let him know if you want to buy one.
3. Tonight Council meeting at 7:00 PM
4. Saturday, “Get the church ready” day. Radio Show Noon
5. Because we have invited many visitors on Sunday we will not be having Communion.
6. Sunday: 10:00 AM Choir practice. 11:00 Meet in the Fellowship hall. We will “Parade” to the chapel. Will this feel good?

Be strong in the Lord

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. Job 42:12

Last night we met as a church council. We talked about our family members who were still far away and those we hadn’t seen for awhile. We talked about ways to keep in touch. We looked at our finances and discovered to our great joy that our member contributions were holding strong. How many churches can say that? And then we turned to our new chapel, almost rebuilt. We walked around the building. There was still plenty of construction material around, but you could see it. You could see how the colors were coming together. You could see how a vision was starting to take place. Colors blending with textures. Light filling and blending. Will this building actually be better than it ever was?

I find myself poking around in the book of Job a lot lately. But in the end God blessed Job so that the last part of his life was even better than the first. It doesn’t always happen that way. When the Israelites rebuilt their temple after their captivity, some of those present remembered the dignified, rich beauty of Solomon’s temple and wept when they saw the “cheap” replacement that the people were building. But Solomon’s temple in all its beauty did not inspire the people to worship there more faithfully. That was really their problem. In the end what is important is recognizing the blessings of God whenever they come.

I guess it is easier to be thankful for the blessings of God when they are big blessings instead of ordinary blessings. Somehow I think we would be better off if we realized that none of God’s blessing are ordinary and appreciate them now while we have them.

News:

1. Most of the carpeting is in. The new glass doors are in. You can see the altar from the street. Randy and his crew have been working long hard days to get ready for Sunday.
2. I’ll be going up the Builder’s For Christ’s retreat next month. They left here before I finished torturing them, so I’m crashing their party.
3. “The Word is Near” radio show, AM800 or www.wsho.com, Noon, Saturday. Call in: 504-527-0800.
4. Come to the First Service in the rebuilt Chapel - Sunday 11 AM. The service will be a processional service starting in the fellowship hall. Potluck to follow.
5. Kid’s Kount Sunday – your kids will receive free school supplies – this Sunday also!
6. Choir practice, 10 AM Sunday.
7. Saturday 8:00 AM - workday to make the final preparations for Sunday. We need everyone: painting, vacuuming, washing windows, planting flowers, yard work, putting out signs to announce our return, something for everyone!!!

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

How lovely is your dwelling place O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah. Blessed are those whose strength is in you who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they past through the valley of BACA, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength till they each appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:1-7

This will be different. Yesterday we entered our renovated church for the first time. 104 people were there, most of our scattered members were also there. The pews still aren’t in and the stained glass for the round window but for the most part it is finished and on schedule. (Pictures below) Today I’ll include the sermon I preached yesterday because it says what is on my mind today.

Herb Mehne, the leader of the Builders for Christ, used to stand up here on Sunday and report how many volunteer hours had been spend working on our rebuilding project. Thousands of hours were spent rebuilding the parsonage and fellowship hall. And I suppose thousands of additional hours have been spent rebuilding the building we are sitting in today. Thousands of hours, thousands of donated dollars have gone into this project, to get our church back up and running. Now we have spent some time and we have spent some money but the vast majority was given by other people. By the end of October we will be ready to call the rebuilding process complete. But the rebuilding of our church will just have begun. The most important part of that work, and the most critical still lay ahead. It is work that we have to do. It is work that no one can do for us. So before we rededicate these building on October 29th, I thought it would be important for us to rededicate ourselves to the project that we set out on nearly a year ago. Friends, a lot of people have helped, God has helped us, but NOW IT IS OUR TURN. 1. To provide this place with true worship. 2. To be a growing church.
This Psalm that we have before us today, sounds like a song that was written for pilgrimage. Once or twice a year the people of Israel would make a journey to the temple. Walking was the only way to get there and sometimes it would take several days depending on how far away you lived. On the big festivals like Passover huge crowds of people would be heading for the Temple. I can imagine them walking and joining with others on the way and breaking into song. This sounds like one of the songs they would sing along the way. (Verses 1-2) You can hear a personal longing to worship the Lord in his house. There is a longing inside. I’m not complete unless I worship the Lord in his house. It is even beyond that. “My soul faints for the courts of the Lord.” If I can’t worship my God, I’ll die. It almost sounds desperate. “My heart and my flesh cry out to the living God.”
That is the kind of desperation that we need. In some way, it was that desperation that led us to this place. I remember clearly that meeting at Halls house last September. In that meeting we did what probably looked to many like a stupid thing. The water was still standing 3 feet deep in this building. The levees were all still down. There was talk about bulldozing this whole area. Toxic mold, poisons, gasses, waste, no one will ever be able to live there again. You remember. That is when we decided that with God’s help we would rebuild. That decision was born out of desperation. We would not lose our church. We could not lose our church.
There were easier and “smarter” choices. We were not the only Lutheran church in the area. We weren’t even the only WELS Lutheran church in the area. We could have done what many church did, they relocated to where their people had evacuated to. We could have waited to see how many people came back and what was going to happen in our neighborhood and then decide. That is where many churches still are. I guess we are more desperate than they. We wanted our church back. “My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord.”
But it is important that we keep that same desperation….even after we get all the building prettied up. Its not the church. It is not the steeple. Its the people. It is important that we rebuild a church not just so that our souls can find peace but also where other souls can find their rest. I like the way this Psalm says it. (V 3-4) How can we be a place for souls to rest? We can start by making our theme song that Oh-so-Lutheran song, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” We desperately need to rebuild a church that teaches what the Bible says. Souls cannot find their rest on the teachings and philosophies of man. Souls will never find their rest in human good deeds and thoughts, but only on the words and promises of God. If we are going to rebuild this church we will need to be standing solidly on the word of our God.
And we will rebuild it right if no one leaves this place without knowing that they can rest their souls on Jesus. You know we are here not because we are so smart, or clever or powerful. We are sinful people in desperate need for forgiveness. We are not here because we sing so good together or look so good together. We are here because we all sing with tears, “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.” We desperately need a church where our souls can rest in the love and forgiveness of our Savior Jesus. For us and for all who enter here.
But other people can’t do it for us. They can with their time, money and skill give us a place to meet. They can encourage us with their deeds of love. They can help us through art and symbols lift up our eyes to see to see the beauty of our God. We are the only ones who can build this kind of church. And we will only do it with the help and presence of God. We are the desperate ones –desperate for forgiveness and rest. With God’s help lets build a church for desperate people.
And lets build a growing church. (Verses 5-7) You get the picture of the people walking to the temple and brightening every place were they go. The desert valley of Baca springs forth when God’s people enter it. They walk toward their destination getting stronger each step along the way.
Normally when you talk about a growing church, you think of a church growing in numbers. That is the kind of church we want to rebuild here. But something has to happen first. We have to be growing people. We have to be growing in our faith and knowledge of Jesus. We have to be people who when we walk into the valley of Baca we make it a place of springs. People who bring life to the dying, light in the darkness, hope in despair. People who make a difference wherever we go. Salt of the earth, Jesus called us. That means that the most that we do for the church we don’t do in the church.
No one can do this for us. No one can live our lives for us. No one can walk our pilgrimage for us. No one can be salt and light for us. With God’s help, that is what we do. As we go from strength to strength, as we grow and faith and show our faith our church grows in faith and hopefully in numbers.
In so many ways this reentering the church is a far more emotional and joyful day than the first time we entered this building 15 years ago. I suppose that is understandable. There have been a lot more people involved this time. A lot more praying, a lot more work. The work has been more difficult, more challenging, more desperate. And the hand of God has been more obvious. In many ways, what has happened in the last year and what will happen in the next year will define our church for better or for worse. A lot of people have taken a turn at our building and rebuilding and now it is our turn. AMEN

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (Excuse my King James)

The news story said that there had been thousands of volunteers so far. They were talking about a school in St. Bernard Parish that had been converted into a place for volunteers who come from around the country to stay while they are here. They were interviewing them and they all said about the same thing. One girl said, “I accomplished more in this last week than I did in my 4 years at college.” (I'm sure her parents will be happy to hear that.) Anyway, they said what the volunteers who have come here have said. They feel tired but energized. How is that possible?

In our Bible study last night the passage above came up. It is one of my favorite passages because it points to a water shed moment in our lives. We can be walking down the street and if someone looks at us they won't have any idea that we have been washed, sanctified and justified in the blood of Jesus. They can't see that we are part of the royal priesthood, a holy nation. So they might want to know, what changes when you become a Christian? The easy answer is everything. Who we are. Where we are going. Our standing before God. And as the passage says above, our perspective. Jesus died for us, among other things, so that the most outrageous, rarest change would happen in us. We would stop living for ourselves….stop living for ourselves. That places us in a very strange place, a place out of step with our world. When we walk down the street we look the same as everyone else walking down the street, but we are not.

Could it be that when we stop living for ourselves is when we really start living? Is that what the volunteers are discovering? Could that finally be what life is about? I wouldn’t be surprised. Consider that the inventor of life, actually gave his life for us.

News:

1. Word has it that the pews will be coming in next week ahead of their behind schedule. (Does this make sense?)
2. Did you notice how many kids were at our Kid's Kount Sunday? It is good to see kids again. Did anyone use our new cry room yet. It almost makes you wish your kids were bad. (Almost)
3. Nice pins that Evelyn made! Actually she didn't make them, she designed them. The little ring on them is so that you can put it on your key chain if you want.
4. My daughter Mary and her youngest, Adam, are with us this week. This is her first time back to see her old home.
5. 105 people in church Sunday. More than I thought would be there. We pretty much filled the place. Thank God.
6. Talked with Brunette yesterday. She called to rejoice with us that we are back in the church. She says, "Hello" to all. It was nice to hear her voice again.

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 106:1

I didn’t want to go…again. My daughter, Mary, was here with our grandson, Adam. Of course she was interested in what has happened here. She grew up here and on some level considers it home. So it is natural that she would want to see for herself what we’ve all gotten used to seeing. But I didn’t want to take her around. To me it is a little like looking at a dead body every day. “Oh, look how it has changed today.” Some times it is just good not to look at a dead body. Yeah, that’s a pretty bad comparison, but I do get tired of looking at it. That’s the same reason I’m not excited about all the memorials that will be on TV and put on by the city this coming week. If you happen to have listened to my radio show on Saturday, you know that I have a different idea for a memorial.

The Psalm above begins with that famous prayer that we use so often at meals. We remember to thank him for the food we have eaten or are about to eat. But if you read that whole Psalm it is a reminder of all the times the Israelites failed to thank God for his goodness and love. That was their big problem. God would help them, see them through a tough time and they would forget all about it. They always remembered how the Egyptians enslaved them, but they forgot how the Lord rescued them. We run the risk of missing the point if our look backward focuses on what went wrong instead of what God did right.

So I’d like to use this weekend to focus on how the Lord was with us through this whole thing. The Lord kept most of us safe. The Lord enabled us to find shelter and through the help of our fellow citizens sustained our lives. How the Lord moved the hearts of our fellow believers to offer their gifts, their hands and their prayers on our behalf. How the Lord never left us, held us together and is strengthening us for the task. Then our memorial will not be, “Look at how much we have been through,” but “Look at how much our God has done.” Which is more healing?

News:

1. Andy leaves next week. Randy leaves on Monday. He’ll be back in October to put the finishing touches on.
2. Ridge cap work begins today. Not as flashy as new pews but actually more important.
3. The work on the stained glass is moving ahead.
4. Chris had to order another shipment of CDs. They are moving out fast. He’ll be back with us on Sept 3. He is in Bloomington MN today.
5. Saturday noon “The Word is Near” Radio show, AM800 or www.wsho.com
6. Choir practice on Sunday at 10:00. Worship 11:00.

Be strong in the Lord

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

But by the grace of God I am what I am. (St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:10)
“Wyatt there is no normal life, there is only life.” (Doc Holiday to Wyatt Earp in “Tombstone”)

I opened the door and there was Vanessa. (And her dad.) This was now the 4th time she had come down here to work. She came as a Mold Krewe, Cook and helped with Jerry’s Kids. She said, “This experience down here has changed my life.” I asked her, “For the better?” (The jury is still out for many of us.) She said that it had been for the better. Those, of course, were those “heady days” when the volunteers were all over this place like ants. No one had really been a part of anything like this before. This was not business as usual. Things were not normal for us who used to live here and they weren’t normal for the “volunteer ants” either. At least they didn’t seem normal.

St. Paul talks about himself quite a bit. At this point, toward the end of his life, he could see how the hand of God had been active in his life. But did he always see it? When he was that boring Pharisee trying to earn his way to heaven like so many others? Did he see how God was shaping and changing his life during the “normal” times? But God probably was just as active in his normal life as he was during those “heady days” of running around the countryside sharing the good news of Jesus Christ from one village to the next.

Doc Holiday might be right. Who knows what “normal” is? I suppose there are times when God’s hand in our lives is more obvious. Those are probably times that don’t seem normal like: being forced to live in a different place, FEMA trailer, being a volunteer helper, running the countryside with the word. But we know that God never disengages from our lives that includes normal days as well as abnormal ones. Is he working to change our lives? Everyday. When God is working in your life can it ever be “normal?”

1. Did you notice that the traffic lights are working again on our street? Now all we have to do is start obeying them.
2. Lee went back to work at Home Depot.
3. I’m not planning a Katrina Memorial Service. I’m going to wait until she is dead first.
4. Randy is joining me on the Radio Saturday Noon. He’s going to explain predestination to us. Tune in, AM800 or www.wsho.com.
5. Choir on Sunday at 10:00 AM Worship at 11:00

Be strong in the Lord:

Dear Scattered Members of the Family:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you; The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said. This is my body which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

I guess I'm not surprised. Carol was giving her tour of the city to our newest volunteer, Joshua. She came back saying that there were camera crews from TV stations all over the city. The radio station that I do my show at said they wanted to call me tomorrow for an interview. They are doing a commemorative show on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking our city. That is what they are all interested in. One year after the storm, how are things going. Personally I've been resisting this kind of thing. But is it good to remember? Is it possible that I'm wrong about this? Me wrong?

The Corinthians were having some trouble with the Lord’s Supper. Actually they were having problems with quite a few things. It sounds like they had sort of lost their way. Their worship was disruptive; they were involved in things they shouldn't have been. And they didn't seem to understand how important the Lord’s Supper was. Apparently some didn't know what it really was. Others were getting drunk. Still others were fighting about who got the most food at the dinner that went with it. So St. Paul reminds them of what happened “on the night he was betrayed.” Jesus was giving up his life for the sins of the world. He was giving his body and his blood for us. This was no small thing. It was the thing that would change our lives and our world forever. The problems the Corinthians were having is that they forgot what it was all about. Because Jesus knew that we sinful humans tend to forget, he gave us the Lord’s Supper, among other things, so that we wouldn't forget. He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” I don't really think those words really applied to the disciples “on the night he was betrayed.” They weren't in danger of forgetting him that night. They also weren't in danger of forgetting Jesus while they were in the midst of his suffering and death. But the day would come when they would have to be reminded.

So I guess memorials are a good thing. It will help the vast majority of the people remember what happened a year ago. It is important that people remember. So much still needs to be done. So much help has been given. So much is still needed. But they go minutes, maybe hours without remembering what happened a year ago. We don't. What happened a year ago is still happening.

1. Stoneman returns home today. About three months ago he rode into town with his pickup and a load of hat track. Today he gets back in his truck and heads home. The majority of the job finished. He'll be back to put on the finishing touches next month. His good nature and positive spirit has been just what the doctor ordered in rebuilding. Thanks Randy and God speed.
2. Horace is officially back, living just a couple blocks from the church. One by one.
3. Pews come in today and will be installed tomorrow. That is going to change the look. I'm interested to see if it changes the sound.
4. Joshua, Lee and Andy will be installing the ridge vent this week. Vanessa was back in town and this time she brought her dad, Pastor Lehmann. Thanks for helping.
5. We've been praying that the Lord would just say, “Shut up” to Ernesto. Have you been watching? Do you think the Lord might be saying, “Yes:” to our prayers.

Be strong in the Lord: