November 2021 Newsletter
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread.” 1 Corinthians 11:23
In this section of 1 Corinthians, St. Paul tells us what the Lord’s Supper is: our heritage from the Lord. It is the Promise of God that each generation of Christians passes onto the next. This Sacrament teaches us to treasure, safeguard, and deliver the Gospel to another generation. The Lord’s Supper is how Jesus sustains His Church until His coming again, and the Eucharist is how we can endure the Lord’s delay for however long Jesus tarries in returning.
Without the Lord’s Supper, the Church would simply fizzle out. That is just how serious its institution and practice are to the life of the church and why much of my thought and preaching centers on it and why the Office of the Ministry is dedicated to its administration.
As the years have gone on for me, and now as a Pastor, I have come to see how vital and precious Communion is to tether me to Christ and to tether you to Him as well. And as I watch and look at each of you as you approach the table, I become more aware of the fellowship Christ is making in His Church through this Sacrament. Christ is joining us together physically and spiritually as one.
And Communion also is how the Lord fulfills that great promise he said as he departed in the Ascension, “Lo, I am with you always, until the very end of the age.” God with us, or as we say, Immanuel. Communion is literally God with us, in us, and sustaining us.
You will then recognize that the Lord’s Supper fits perfect with Christmas. The Word become flesh. God’s Son comes and takes on the stuff of His Creation and becomes man. “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Communion is the perfect thing to do at Christmas.
Except we have made it a practice of not having Communion at Christmas Eve, the night when the angels tell us that “unto you is born a Savior!” This is not just here at our congregation, but the general practice of most churches I have been at. So, this leaves me to ask: what is the disconnect?
We could argue that time is the reason. There is just not enough time in the service. So, we cut out the most important and usually time-consuming thing. But the consequences of that, which we don’t realize we are doing but that we communicate with our actions and decisions in worship, is that we don’t have time for Jesus to do his thing. Or, man-made traditions get precedence over the Sacrament. Or—and perhaps the worst—we really don’t believe what the Lord’s Supper is and does. But I know and expect that we Lutherans are better than all those implications, so I won’t even get into it past that point.
The real reason as I see it is this: Christmas Eve is usually attended by many guests and visitors. Guests and visitors, including family, that do not share our faith and therefore are not able and fit to partake of the body and blood of Christ with us at the Lord’s table. The thought alone hurts and pains anyone who seriously understands what sin and the devil has done to cause some to hold to a different gospel of Christ, not that there is one, as Paul says in Galatians 1.
So to avoid the mess and the hurt and the uncomfortableness of it all, it is easier to just not have Communion.
That’s honestly the reason.
But every Christmas Eve the words of my Seminary Professor, Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, have rung out in my ears. He is my favorite Professor, and he is the one that gave me a conscience as a Pastor, so if you love or hate my style, you can thank him. I thank God for him regularly. He stirred me up to be a better pastor when I was in Seminary.
But here is what he said to our class about having Communion on services like Christmas Eve:
“Sure. It is easier to not have to deal with doing the job that Christ has sent you to do. It is easier to not have to deal with the hurt and the pain and the anger because someone might not be able to have Communion. So, we take Communion out. But make sure you are not cheating your people, God’s people, out of giving them what Jesus won for them and wants for them.”
“Don’t cheat your people.” I am going to be honest. Every Christmas Eve, part of me has walked away from service worried I have done just that. The night we celebrate the Word becoming flesh, we don’t do the one thing that celebrates and does that enfleshment in the present: The Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is the angels telling us in the present: “Unto you is born this day…A Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
I have cheated you on Christmas Eve, because up until now it has been easier to not deal with it. One less battle to fight, that has been my excuse. But then I hear Jesus, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, I will be ashamed of him before my Father in heaven.” Please forgive me. Keeping Jesus and our teachings out just because it is hard and because someone might not like it is not a good reason, especially on Christmas Eve, the night the Gospel rings out so clear: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”
Christ’s presence when he was born caused Herod to want him dead. Christ’s words as a grown man eventually caused the religious leaders to crucify him. His presence and words might want people to do the same today. We should expect that, especially the leaders of the Church. “If they call me the chief of demons, what will they call you?” Thankfully, we belong to Christ who is raised from the dead and reigns, despite the raving and anger. By the way, that is the point of Psalm 2, the Psalm appointed for Christmas Day.
There is indeed no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. So, I will step out in faith this year and in courage of who our Lord is. We will be having the Lord’s Supper as the climax of our celebration on Christmas Eve service (which will be at 10am, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm).
But that means I need your help and support as well, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of you who have noticed the increased weight of ministry added on me and some who have noticed that it is wearing on me and have so lovingly asked me what you can do.
Here is my task for you. This task is evangelism. Explain to your family, who do not belong to our confession of faith, what Communion is if they are coming to service. Tell them that it is the true body and blood of Christ. It is not a symbol. It does not represent his body and blood. We are not pretending. We believe that what gets placed on our hands and goes down our gullet is the true body and blood of Christ. In all his humanity and in his divinity. Why? Jesus said so and we beat down the serpent who says, “Did God really say?”
And His body and blood are for the forgiveness of your sins. This is how you proclaim the Gospel, that the risen Christ comes down to us here in time, in this moment. It is how Jesus delivers to you what he won on the cross. Tell them that Communion makes you a member of the kingdom of God. If you need help, go through our Small Catechism with them. It goes through all the questions they will have. If they are a bit sly in doing violence to God’s Word or using reason to explain away all that, come talk to me or tell them that we should go and talk to pastor.
As you talk to them and they tell you that they believe that. Praise God! Then say, let’s go introduce you to pastor so he knows who you are and can welcome you to our table since He is the steward of God’s gifts at our congregation. Someone two weeks ago did just that. And after service, our visitor thanked me for asking him questions and getting him to reflect on what he believed.
This might open up more conversations that you can have with family as well. Like: why do you go to a church then if you believe that and they don’t? Getting them to think about it will lead you and them into God’s Word even more. Perhaps they will consider looking into membership at a church, like the LCMS, that holds to that Word of God, because it is our lifeline. Partaking at our altar means something, and we should treat it as such.
But, if in your discussions, they do not believe that, then Lord have mercy! Tell them that you do not want them to be hurt because Christ comes in judgment on all who partake but do not believe. See 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 for more information. And that you do not want them to be hurt by Christ due to their unbelief but that you want them to be blessed by Christ. And then come and talk to me and lay out your pain. I have family I do not commune with either and we will mourn together and pray together for the ones we love to come to the truth.
I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with my flock again this year. Christ has given me you and you are a gift to my life. And I can’t wait to join with Christ in his Supper with you as he will nourish our faith there in Him. If you have any questions on that or with this topic, please come talk to me. I pray that I did my best here to lay out my reasoning as I am bound to the Scriptures as I vowed to you I would and to care for you as I see as a shepherd should. Forgive the length, pastors are sure long winded, but the topic is so important and needs to be said with as much care and attention that I can give it. It also helps that there isn’t that much news to state in my letter this month, so I splurged a bit in my opening. Ha!
God’s peace to you all from the Lord who came down for us and who shed his blood for you.
Annual Meeting
The end of the year is fast approaching, and that means that January will include our next voters meeting. Mark your Calendars down for January 23rd, 2022, at 11:30am. We will begin with a potluck. So bring a dish to pass!
Thanksgiving Services
Thanksgiving will be our Stewardship Service. It fits with our theme of creation as we discuss more thoroughly what it means to be a caretaker of what belongs to God. Thanksgiving Services will happen on Thanksgiving Eve. There will be two services. A 9:00am service and a 6:30pm service.
There will be NO Thanksgiving Day service. When we had two pastors, we would trade off on who was doing Thanksgiving Day, especially so the other could take the time with family or travel if need be for it. With only me, a Thanksgiving Eve and Day service cancels any plans that could possibly happen with family. But there are still two chances to come on Thanksgiving Eve.
Christmas Week Plans
Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, which means we will have some fun. Below is the Christmas week schedule:
Wednesday, December 22nd: 9:00am Advent Midweek Service
Thursday, December 23rd: 6:30pm same Advent Midweek Service
Friday, December 24th: Christmas Eve Service at 10am, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm
Saturday, December 25th: Christmas Day Service 9:00am
Sunday, December 26th: Hymn Sing Service/Communion at 9:00am
Thursday, December 30th: NO SERVICE
Friday, December 31st New Years Eve Service 6:30pm.
It is a lot. So in order to have time for rest and family, the office will be closed Monday December 27th through Thursday, December 30th. If you need me, I will be around, but our whole office staff will be taking some rest that week to recover as the end of the year approaches and we will have reports that will need to be written.
Financials
As has been the case this year, we are still doing well financially. Part of that is due to not having a second pastor, but our giving is also up over last year at this time. Praise be to God! The council is currently working on next year’s budget which will be available by the end of December and approved at the January Voter’s Meeting.
Our tithe is going really well this year. Between the tithe and the mission envelopes we have given $46,761 to missions. In November the money will go to Military Biblesticks. For every $25, a military member will receive an audio Bible. In December the money will be set aside to use as the need arises in the next year (ie. families in need, outreach opportunities, etc).
God’s peace to you all in Jesus Christ our Lord!
Pastor Andrew Belt
In this section of 1 Corinthians, St. Paul tells us what the Lord’s Supper is: our heritage from the Lord. It is the Promise of God that each generation of Christians passes onto the next. This Sacrament teaches us to treasure, safeguard, and deliver the Gospel to another generation. The Lord’s Supper is how Jesus sustains His Church until His coming again, and the Eucharist is how we can endure the Lord’s delay for however long Jesus tarries in returning.
Without the Lord’s Supper, the Church would simply fizzle out. That is just how serious its institution and practice are to the life of the church and why much of my thought and preaching centers on it and why the Office of the Ministry is dedicated to its administration.
As the years have gone on for me, and now as a Pastor, I have come to see how vital and precious Communion is to tether me to Christ and to tether you to Him as well. And as I watch and look at each of you as you approach the table, I become more aware of the fellowship Christ is making in His Church through this Sacrament. Christ is joining us together physically and spiritually as one.
And Communion also is how the Lord fulfills that great promise he said as he departed in the Ascension, “Lo, I am with you always, until the very end of the age.” God with us, or as we say, Immanuel. Communion is literally God with us, in us, and sustaining us.
You will then recognize that the Lord’s Supper fits perfect with Christmas. The Word become flesh. God’s Son comes and takes on the stuff of His Creation and becomes man. “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Communion is the perfect thing to do at Christmas.
Except we have made it a practice of not having Communion at Christmas Eve, the night when the angels tell us that “unto you is born a Savior!” This is not just here at our congregation, but the general practice of most churches I have been at. So, this leaves me to ask: what is the disconnect?
We could argue that time is the reason. There is just not enough time in the service. So, we cut out the most important and usually time-consuming thing. But the consequences of that, which we don’t realize we are doing but that we communicate with our actions and decisions in worship, is that we don’t have time for Jesus to do his thing. Or, man-made traditions get precedence over the Sacrament. Or—and perhaps the worst—we really don’t believe what the Lord’s Supper is and does. But I know and expect that we Lutherans are better than all those implications, so I won’t even get into it past that point.
The real reason as I see it is this: Christmas Eve is usually attended by many guests and visitors. Guests and visitors, including family, that do not share our faith and therefore are not able and fit to partake of the body and blood of Christ with us at the Lord’s table. The thought alone hurts and pains anyone who seriously understands what sin and the devil has done to cause some to hold to a different gospel of Christ, not that there is one, as Paul says in Galatians 1.
So to avoid the mess and the hurt and the uncomfortableness of it all, it is easier to just not have Communion.
That’s honestly the reason.
But every Christmas Eve the words of my Seminary Professor, Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, have rung out in my ears. He is my favorite Professor, and he is the one that gave me a conscience as a Pastor, so if you love or hate my style, you can thank him. I thank God for him regularly. He stirred me up to be a better pastor when I was in Seminary.
But here is what he said to our class about having Communion on services like Christmas Eve:
“Sure. It is easier to not have to deal with doing the job that Christ has sent you to do. It is easier to not have to deal with the hurt and the pain and the anger because someone might not be able to have Communion. So, we take Communion out. But make sure you are not cheating your people, God’s people, out of giving them what Jesus won for them and wants for them.”
“Don’t cheat your people.” I am going to be honest. Every Christmas Eve, part of me has walked away from service worried I have done just that. The night we celebrate the Word becoming flesh, we don’t do the one thing that celebrates and does that enfleshment in the present: The Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is the angels telling us in the present: “Unto you is born this day…A Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
I have cheated you on Christmas Eve, because up until now it has been easier to not deal with it. One less battle to fight, that has been my excuse. But then I hear Jesus, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, I will be ashamed of him before my Father in heaven.” Please forgive me. Keeping Jesus and our teachings out just because it is hard and because someone might not like it is not a good reason, especially on Christmas Eve, the night the Gospel rings out so clear: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”
Christ’s presence when he was born caused Herod to want him dead. Christ’s words as a grown man eventually caused the religious leaders to crucify him. His presence and words might want people to do the same today. We should expect that, especially the leaders of the Church. “If they call me the chief of demons, what will they call you?” Thankfully, we belong to Christ who is raised from the dead and reigns, despite the raving and anger. By the way, that is the point of Psalm 2, the Psalm appointed for Christmas Day.
There is indeed no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. So, I will step out in faith this year and in courage of who our Lord is. We will be having the Lord’s Supper as the climax of our celebration on Christmas Eve service (which will be at 10am, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm).
But that means I need your help and support as well, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of you who have noticed the increased weight of ministry added on me and some who have noticed that it is wearing on me and have so lovingly asked me what you can do.
Here is my task for you. This task is evangelism. Explain to your family, who do not belong to our confession of faith, what Communion is if they are coming to service. Tell them that it is the true body and blood of Christ. It is not a symbol. It does not represent his body and blood. We are not pretending. We believe that what gets placed on our hands and goes down our gullet is the true body and blood of Christ. In all his humanity and in his divinity. Why? Jesus said so and we beat down the serpent who says, “Did God really say?”
And His body and blood are for the forgiveness of your sins. This is how you proclaim the Gospel, that the risen Christ comes down to us here in time, in this moment. It is how Jesus delivers to you what he won on the cross. Tell them that Communion makes you a member of the kingdom of God. If you need help, go through our Small Catechism with them. It goes through all the questions they will have. If they are a bit sly in doing violence to God’s Word or using reason to explain away all that, come talk to me or tell them that we should go and talk to pastor.
As you talk to them and they tell you that they believe that. Praise God! Then say, let’s go introduce you to pastor so he knows who you are and can welcome you to our table since He is the steward of God’s gifts at our congregation. Someone two weeks ago did just that. And after service, our visitor thanked me for asking him questions and getting him to reflect on what he believed.
This might open up more conversations that you can have with family as well. Like: why do you go to a church then if you believe that and they don’t? Getting them to think about it will lead you and them into God’s Word even more. Perhaps they will consider looking into membership at a church, like the LCMS, that holds to that Word of God, because it is our lifeline. Partaking at our altar means something, and we should treat it as such.
But, if in your discussions, they do not believe that, then Lord have mercy! Tell them that you do not want them to be hurt because Christ comes in judgment on all who partake but do not believe. See 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 for more information. And that you do not want them to be hurt by Christ due to their unbelief but that you want them to be blessed by Christ. And then come and talk to me and lay out your pain. I have family I do not commune with either and we will mourn together and pray together for the ones we love to come to the truth.
I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with my flock again this year. Christ has given me you and you are a gift to my life. And I can’t wait to join with Christ in his Supper with you as he will nourish our faith there in Him. If you have any questions on that or with this topic, please come talk to me. I pray that I did my best here to lay out my reasoning as I am bound to the Scriptures as I vowed to you I would and to care for you as I see as a shepherd should. Forgive the length, pastors are sure long winded, but the topic is so important and needs to be said with as much care and attention that I can give it. It also helps that there isn’t that much news to state in my letter this month, so I splurged a bit in my opening. Ha!
God’s peace to you all from the Lord who came down for us and who shed his blood for you.
Annual Meeting
The end of the year is fast approaching, and that means that January will include our next voters meeting. Mark your Calendars down for January 23rd, 2022, at 11:30am. We will begin with a potluck. So bring a dish to pass!
Thanksgiving Services
Thanksgiving will be our Stewardship Service. It fits with our theme of creation as we discuss more thoroughly what it means to be a caretaker of what belongs to God. Thanksgiving Services will happen on Thanksgiving Eve. There will be two services. A 9:00am service and a 6:30pm service.
There will be NO Thanksgiving Day service. When we had two pastors, we would trade off on who was doing Thanksgiving Day, especially so the other could take the time with family or travel if need be for it. With only me, a Thanksgiving Eve and Day service cancels any plans that could possibly happen with family. But there are still two chances to come on Thanksgiving Eve.
Christmas Week Plans
Christmas falls on a Saturday this year, which means we will have some fun. Below is the Christmas week schedule:
Wednesday, December 22nd: 9:00am Advent Midweek Service
Thursday, December 23rd: 6:30pm same Advent Midweek Service
Friday, December 24th: Christmas Eve Service at 10am, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm
Saturday, December 25th: Christmas Day Service 9:00am
Sunday, December 26th: Hymn Sing Service/Communion at 9:00am
Thursday, December 30th: NO SERVICE
Friday, December 31st New Years Eve Service 6:30pm.
It is a lot. So in order to have time for rest and family, the office will be closed Monday December 27th through Thursday, December 30th. If you need me, I will be around, but our whole office staff will be taking some rest that week to recover as the end of the year approaches and we will have reports that will need to be written.
Financials
As has been the case this year, we are still doing well financially. Part of that is due to not having a second pastor, but our giving is also up over last year at this time. Praise be to God! The council is currently working on next year’s budget which will be available by the end of December and approved at the January Voter’s Meeting.
Our tithe is going really well this year. Between the tithe and the mission envelopes we have given $46,761 to missions. In November the money will go to Military Biblesticks. For every $25, a military member will receive an audio Bible. In December the money will be set aside to use as the need arises in the next year (ie. families in need, outreach opportunities, etc).
God’s peace to you all in Jesus Christ our Lord!
Pastor Andrew Belt
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Advent 2023 Devotional: “Immanuel, Jesus with us.” Advent 2023: November 6Advent 2023: November 7 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 8 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 9 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 10 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 13 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 14 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 15 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 16 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 17 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 20 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 21 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 23 - PsalmAdvent 2023: November 24 - HymnAdvent 2023: November 27 - PresenceAdvent 2023: November 28 - PromiseAdvent 2023: November 29 - PeopleAdvent 2023: November 30 - Psalm
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Advent 2023: December 1 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 4 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 5 - PromiseAdvent 2023: December 6 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 7 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 8 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 11 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 12 - PromiseAdvent 2023: December 13 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 14 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 15 - HymnAdvent 2023: December 18 - PresenceAdvent 2023: December 19 - PromiseDecember 2023 NewsletterAdvent 2023: December 20 - PeopleAdvent 2023: December 21 - PsalmAdvent 2023: December 22 - HymnAdvent 2023 Devotional: Conclusion