LWML Home Page Archives - April 2012
Week of April 29
Week of April 22
Week of April 15
Easter (April 8)
Holy Saturday (April 7)
Good Friday (April 6)
Holy Week (April 1-5)
Week of April 29 - Haskell LIGHT
Haskell LIGHT (Lutheran Indians Gathering and Helping Together) is the Lutheran Student Ministry at Haskell Indian Nations University, located in Lawrence, Kansas. Pastor Will and his wife Patricia Main, are co-directors of the Lutheran student campus ministry where worship and Bible study provide a foundation for support. Together they make personal visits, host outreach activities, and plan fellowship events at the University.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Haskell LIGHT House. The student center is a truly a home – when I walked in I felt safe and loved. Weekly worship and Bible study are held at the LIGHT House. Pastor Will and Patricia are a blessing to the University and our church!
Haskell Indian Nations University Lutheran Campus Ministry Expansion is one of our 2011-2013 Mission Grants. The grant funds will be used to purchase a passenger van and office equipment. These will be used for leadership training, office administrative help, and supporting student outreach teams. As our Lord continues to bless this mission, they have plans to build a much needed student center. As you give your mite offerings, thank God for Pastor Will and Patricia and ask His continued blessings on this amazing ministry.
Kay Kreklau
LWML President
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Week of April 22 - Your District Convention - An Opportunity!
Recently the Structure Committee encouraged you to attend your district convention. Let’s expand on that theme a bit. Yes, please attend your convention. It is where you learn about your mites and which mission grants they will support, meet district officers and become familiar with the mission of the LWML on both local and national levels. I have a suggestion: invite a young woman, an ethnic woman or someone not yet familiar with LWML to come to the convention as your guest. If your society has the resources one or two or even more women could be supported. These young ladies will be the face of LWML in the future. The convention is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to LWML on a little larger scale than your local meetings. They will soon realize the global impact of our organization and the commitment of our members to using their gifts in ministry to the people of the world. We pray they will soon be eager to join us as we serve the Lord with gladness!
Pat Reichert
LWML Vice President of Special Focus Ministries
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Week of April 15 - Enjoy Your District Convention!
Your upcoming district LWML convention is not for delegates only! Everyone is invited to attend to become informed and inspired by the mission speakers, servant events, worship opportunities, Bible studies, and to share fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ.
If you are a delegate, prayerfully prepare to vote on the new mission grants and new officers. Ask questions before the convention about bylaw changes that may be unclear to you. Download and study “You are the Convention Delegate” (PDF 143KB) and other resources from the website. Make note of what you want to share with the women in your congregation when you return home.
Delegate or not, keep the convention in your prayers, that it will give glory to God. Circulate; network; make new friends. Bring your Gifts from the Heart and extra mites to fill the convention Mite Box. Be a good Christian witness to the convention facility’s staff and be patient if the schedule needs to change.
Have fun and remember to smile! It’s contagious!
LWML Structure Committee
Elaine M. Hankel
MaryAnn Waldon
Marilyn Schroeder, Chairman
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Easter (April 8)
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
We did not hear it during the days of Lent, but you’ll hear it throughout the season of Easter. It will return to our liturgy and be joyfully sung in our music.
Welcome back that word of great joy, Alleluia! Alleluia quite simply means “praise the Lord,” and how fitting that it return to our worship language as joy of the Resurrection is proclaimed. Those faithful women first heard it while on their way to the tomb to do for their Rabbi what must have seemed like a hopeless, sorrowful, ritual of giving Jesus a final burial anointing. “But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead…” [Mt. 28:5-7a].
Jesus risen from the dead is good news, for it is the sign of certain hope that we likewise will rise to eternal life. How fitting the church shouts, “Alleluia,” praise the Lord for this amazing gift, and like those first women who heard this good news, that we would go quickly and tell others what Jesus has done that we all should live eternally. “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!” “He has Risen indeed! Alleluia!”
Rev. Kris Whitby
LWML Senior Pastoral Counselor
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Holy Saturday (April 7)
57 When it was evening . . . Joseph . . . 58 went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body,wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb . . . He rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. (Matthew 27:57-60)
This Holy Saturday, we focus on Christ’s rest in the tomb, remembering that our Savior who died and was placed in a borrowed tomb has risen, just as He said. We too will die and through faith in Him be raised to new life with Him. That is not something we could do on our own, nor something we would knowingly ask for if we could. But we are the recipients of this great gift: Christ died for you, so death and the devil no longer have authority over you.
Creator God, grant that as the crucified body of Your dear Son rested in the tomb on this holy Sabbath, so we too may await the coming of the third day, and rise with Him to newness of life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!
Rev. John Heckmann
LWML Junior Pastoral Counselor
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Good Friday (April 6)
Good Friday - Confession at the Cross
“When the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” [Mk. 15:39] It was finished. Jesus had fulfilled the Father’s gracious plan, suffering the full wrath of the Law of God for the sin of the whole world. Jesus had done so willingly, out of His perfect love for us. In fact, it was His action that brought about His death. The flogging, the nails, even the cross itself did not bring about His death. As He said “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.” [John 10:17-18a]
The centurion had been witness to this as he participated in the central event in all history, the Lord of Life dying for His creatures’ sin. As he sees the grace of God in Christ’s death, the Spirit moves him to confess the good news. Christ crucified is the Son of God. As the Spirit draws us through the Word to the cross of Christ today, may His sacrifice completed, once again cover our sin and move us to confess to the world this Savior slain for our redemption is the Son of God
Rev. Kris Whitby
LWML Senior Pastoral Counselor
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Holy Week (April 1-5) - Holy Week
“And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it.” (Luke 19:41 ESV)
This is one of only two places recorded in the Bible where Jesus weeps. The other is upon hearing of the death of His dear friend Lazarus.
How interesting that as Jesus enters Jerusalem and should have been on top of the world with crowds following Him and shouting Hosanna, He would weep. The Pharisees even murmured in John 12:19, “Look, the world has gone after Him.” Yet He wept for Jerusalem and those oblivious to its coming destruction. He also knew what lay ahead of Him. Soon, when He needed them, the Hosanna shouters would flee. He who rode into town in a grand parade, would be led out of town bearing the cross on which He would die for the sins of the world.
This week we again stand with Jesus as He was arrested, tried, whipped, humiliated, spit upon, cursed at, plotted against, crucified, dead, and buried to pay for every sin. What joy is ours to know that Christ willingly did this in our place so that we through faith can enjoy the benefits as the forgiven, redeemed, children of the King and heirs to eternal life.
Rev. John Heckmann
LWML Junior Pastoral Counselor
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