Clarion, 1-2, Easter 2016 - Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church

theseasonalnewsletterof
MESSIAHEVANGELICALLUTHERANCHURCH
700GlenForrestBoulevard
519.884.3849
Waterloo,ONN2L4K6
www.messiahwaterloo.ca
PastorJimHeinbuch
519-498-1709
AcongregationoftheLutheranChurch-Canada
EASTER2016
VOLUME1,NUMBER2
DearSaintsofMessiah,
Lutheransalsorecognizethat
thiswonderfulfreegiftcomes
tothembecauseGodtheFather’sonlySontookonhuman
fleshandbloodtopaytheprice
ofeternalhellforoursalvation.Hechannelsthisgift
ofeternallifetous
throughtheWord
ofGod(theBible),
Baptism,andthe
Lord’sSupper.
InourconversationinthelastClarionwelookedat
theterm“evangelical”anditsvariousmeanings.
Thistimewewilltakealookatthenextwordinour
name:MessiahEvangelicalLutheranChurch.Just
whatdoes‘Lutheran’mean?
FirstwerecognizethatthewordmeansaChristian
whofollowstheScriptureastaughtbyMartin
Luther.Lutherwasconcernedwiththeteaching
thatapersongetstoheavenbytheloveofGodin
Christ.ALutheranbelievesthatonedoesnothingto
earnheaven:itisafreegift.
FoundationalforLutheranteachingarethe“three
solas”.‘Sola’istheLatinwordfor‘alone’.First,we
proclaimthatoursalvationisbygracealone.It
comesasafreegiftfromGod.Second,webelieve
thatwereceivethisfreegiftfromGodbyfaith
alone.Andthird,webelievewegettoknowabout
JesusandHisfreegiftofsalvationthroughHislife,
death,resurrectionandascensionthroughhearing
andreadingtheScriptures.
Thisiswhywesay
thattobea
LutheranistobeaChristian.Thetwodifferent
wordsmeanthesamething.Weproudlybearthe
name‘Lutheran’becausethewordgivesallgloryto
God.
YoursinChrist,
PastorJimHeinbuch
INTHISISSUE…
ASingleSplutteringCandle................................................2
EbytownBrassBandConcert.............................................2
VacationBibleSchool .........................................................3
FromtheChairman.............................................................3
MyOldTypewriter..............................................................4
BackgroundtotheHymn...................................................4
Tidbits..................................................................................5
ReformationCountdown...................................................5
MessiahYouthChoir...........................................................5
GodandHisCreationareGood!........................................6
LinesfromLuther...............................................................6
TheLastWord.....................................................................6
THECLARION
PAGE2
FROMTHEEDITOR…
ASingle
SplutteringCandle
“Thedeepestdarknessinthewholeworldcanbedrivenoutbyasinglesplutteringcandle.”
Idon’tknowwherethatquoteisfrom,butitlivesin
thedistantrecessesofmymemory.
It brings me to mind of the days of my childhood.
My parents had a cottage in the Muskokas, on a
small lake. The lots on our side of the lake were
joined together by a foot-path that we would take
aswevisitedbackandforthintheevenings.Sometimeswewouldstaylater,playingcardsandlaughing until darkness had fallen; on those evenings I
wouldcarryasmallredkerosenelantern.Itdidn’t
give much light, but it gave enough to illuminate the path, and keep us from stumbling;
anditgaveusasenseofsecurity.
“Asinglesplutteringcandle.”Notmuchofa
lightsource,really;yetitisenoughtobanish
thedarkness–andhowmuchmorecouldthe
light of thousands of brightly burning wicks
put darkness into its proper place? To say
nothing of the stars, the moon, or the blazing
brightnessofthesun?Thedarkness–sofeared
for so long by so many – is shown its rightful insignificance when confronted by even the weakest
oflights.
Think now of the darkness of sin, which seems to
blanketsomuchoflife.Itisadeep,deepdarkness,
enveloping us all, immersing us in its malignant
power;sin,thetoolsoftradeofthePrinceofDarkness,Satanhimself.
Easter2016
Thedarknessofsinwouldseektoconvinceusthat
resistance is useless; that evil has conquered; that
the few lingering remnants of good that can be
seen are in their final death throes; and that God’s
plan of redemption is at best a failure, at worst a
crueljokeoranon-event.
Even Scripture recounts for us the power of darknessinitstellingofJesus’crucifixion:
When it was noon, darkness came over the
whole land until three in the afternoon. At
threeo’clockJesuscriedoutwithaloudvoice,
‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means,
‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?’(Mark15:33-34)
Darkindeed,whentheSonofGodfeelsforsakenby
HisFather.
So,inthemidstofthatdarkness,whatisGod’s
response?Inaword,Easter.
Easterpresentsus–notwithasinglespluttering candle – but with the blazing brightness
of the rising Son! The glory of the resurrection is that the very worst that Satan could
do has been brought to nothing by our SaviourJesusandHisvictoryonEastermorning.
ThefurthergloryofEasteristhat,throughbaptism,wehavebeenjoinedtoJesus;thatbyfaith
weshareinJesus’victory–shareinitaswestruggle through this life now, and share in it as we are
immersedinitfullyinthelifetocome.
Finally,asdisciplesoftherisenLord,Eastercallsus
to live as children of light, shining in the darkness,
pointingotherstothetrueLightoftheWorld.
PaulHartig,Editor
Join Us for a Great Time!
Band Concert
Sunday, May 15 at 2:30 pm
Messiah Lutheran Church
Refreshments Served
Free-Will Offering
THECLARION
PAGE3
VACATION
BIBLE
SCHOOL
UPDATE
Preparationforthisyear’sVacationBibleSchool
continues.Theleadershavetheirguidebooks,
manyofthehelpersareinplace(althoughwecan
alwaysusemore!),andplansforthisyear’sgames,
crafts,storiesandmusicareunderway.
So,what’slefttodo?Well,westillneedthehelpof
everymemberofMessiah!
Spreadthewordaboutthisyear’sVBStoparentsandkidsyouknow!
WatchtheweeklyannouncementsandThe
Messengerandofferyourhelpasneedsarise!
From the
Chairman
AlthoughI’mstillreasonablynewtoMessiahandam
slowlygettingtoknowitsmembersanditshistory,I’m
notnewtothechairman’spositioninacongregation
ofLutheranChurch-Canadahavingheldtheposition
formanyyearsinRichmond,BC.
Thechallengesfacingcongregationsareprettymuch
thesame,beitinWaterlooorontheWestCoastof
Canada…gettingpeopletovolunteerforpositionson
boards,financialdifficultiesanddwindlingattendance
andmembership.
WeatMessiahcontinuetobefacedwiththesethree
majorchallenges,whichfeedoffeachotherandmake
thingsevenmoredifficult.
Nothavingenoughvolunteerstofillpositionsthus
makingitdifficultforthoseonboardstodothework
necessary,resultinginfewerprogramsbeingoffered.
Fewerprogramsbeingofferedleadstolessincentive
fornewpeopletojoinusforworshipandmoremembersfallingbythewaysidebecauseoflackofinterest.
Fewerpeopleworshippingwithusleadstofewervolunteersandfewerofferingstofundprograms…and
Easter2016
Prayerfullyaskyourselfhowyoucanuseyour
giftstosharetheGoodNewsofJesuswith
today’syouth!
WhyisVacationBibleSchoolsoimportant?Think
abouttheworldinwhichouryoungpeopleareliving.ReadthenewspapersandwatchtheTVnews.It
isatough,toughworld,andGodseemstohavean
ever-smallerplaceinit.Manyoftoday’skidsarenot
raisedinchurch-goingfamilies;thepublicschool
systemhasdoneitsbesttoeliminateGod;andsocialmediahasbecomeadominant—andall-toooftenunhealthy—influence.Today’syoungpeople
needsomebodytoshareJesuswiththem!
HOWARETHEYTOCALLONONEINWHOMTHEYHAVENOT
BELIEVED? AND HOW ARE THEY TO BELIEVE IN ONE OF
WHOM THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD?AND HOW ARE THEY TO
HEAR WITHOUT SOMEONE TO PROCLAIM HIM? AND HOW
ARETHEYTOPROCLAIMHIMUNLESSTHEYARESENT?ASIT
IS WRITTEN, ‘HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE
WHOBRINGGOODNEWS!’(Romans10:14-15)
Ifnotyou,thenwho?Canwecountonyoutodo
yourpart?
soon…..andsoon….andsoon.
Atthepresenttimeyourchurchcounciliscarrying
onwithoutaTreasurerandwithonlyoneTrustee.
Thevacantpositionsarebeingdonebyotherson
council,buthavingonlythreevotingmembersplus
thechairman,isnotinthebestinterestofthecongregationandcannotgoonindefinitely.
AswelltheBoardofEldersisinneedofsomenew
andadditionalmembers,assomecurrentElders
haveservedinthatpositionforalengthyperiodof
time.
Istronglyurgeeachandeverymembertoconsider
givingofyourtimeandtalentstoserveourLord,
andtoserveMessiahinthistimeofneed.Weare
currentlyintheprocessofsettingaslateforthe
electionsof2016.Pleasemakeiteasierforyour
nominationscommitteetofilltheslatebysaying
“YES”whenaskedtoletyournamestand.
HavingoutlinedMessiah’sneedsindetailabove,I
musttakethisopportunitytothankallthosevolunteerswhodiligentlyserveonMessiah’svarious
boards,committeesandworkparties,givingfreely
oftheirtimetoourLord.Youknowwhoyouare,
andIthankyouforyourhardworkanddedication.
MikeEmrich,Chairman
THECLARION
PAGE4
MYOLDTYPEWRITER…
THEFOLLOWINGWASPRINTEDINACHURCH
MAGAZINEINYORKSHIRE,ENGLAND:
Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an
old modxl, it works wxll xnough
xxcxpt for onx of thx kxys. I
havx wishxd many timxs that it
workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux
thxrx arx forty-fivx kxys that
Easter2016
function wxll xnough, but just
onx kxy not working makxs all
thx diffxrxncx. So, thx nxxt
timx you think that you arx
only onx pxrson and that your
xffort is not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr
my typxwritxr, and say to
yoursxlf, “I am a kxy pxrson.
Thx Lord nxxds mx.” Indeed, we
do all count!
TWOQUESTIONS:WHATGIFTSHASGODGIVENYOU?HOWAREYOUUSINGTHEMTOSERVEHIM?
Background
to the Hymn
Crown Him
with Many Crowns
PleasereadRomans14:9,Hebrews2:7-10,andRevelation1:5-6,5:11-14&19:1.
stanzas,whichappearedinhiscollectionHymns
andSacredLyrics.Thehymn’spresentformincludesstanzaspennedbyeachman.Thetune,‘Diademata’(whichistheGreekwordfor‘crown’)was
composedespeciallyforthistextbyGeorgeElvey,a
notedorganistatSt.George’sChapelinWindsor,
England,whereBritishroyaltyoftenworship.
LetyoursoulrejoiceinthetruththatyouarerelatedtotheOne“whodiedeternallifetobring,and
livesthatdeathmaydie.”WorshipandpraiseJesus
withthesewonderfulwordsandthispowerful
tune!
“Hiseyesarelikeblazingfire,andonHisheadare
manycrowns...Heisdressedinarobedippedinblood,
andHisnameistheWordofGod.”(Revelation19:12-13)
CrownHimwithmanycrowns,theLambuponthethrone;
Hark,howtheheavenlyanthemdrownsallmusicbutitsown.
Awake,mysoul,andsingofHimwhodiedforthee,
AndhailHimasthymatchlesskingthroughalleternity.
“JesusChrist:thecondescensionofdivinityandthe
exaltationofhumanity.”(PhillipsBrooks)
CrownHimthevirgin’sSon,theGodincarnateborn,
WhosearmthosecrimsontrophieswonwhichnowHisbrowadorn;
Fruitofthemysticrose,yetofthatrosethestem,
TheRootwhencemercyeverflows,theBabeofBethlehem.
TheOnewhoborethecrownofthornswhileonthe
crossisnowcrownedwith“manycrowns”asthe
reigningmonarchofheaven.Eachcrowninthis
hymntextexaltsChristforsomespecificaspectof
Hispersonorministry:stanzaoneforHiseternal
kingship;stanzatwoforHislowlybirthinBethlehem;stanzathreeforHislovedemonstratedinredemptivesuffering;stanzafourforHisvictorious
resurrectionandascension;stanzafiveforHiscomingreignofpeaceinalltheworld;andstanzasixasa
memberoftheTriuneGodheadeverworthyofworshipandpraise.
Thisworshipfultextisthecombinedeffortoftwo
distinguishedAnglicanclergy,eachofwhomdesired
towriteahymnofexaltationtooursufferingbut
nowvictoriousLord.MatthewBridges’versionfirst
appearedin1851withsixstanzas.Twenty-three
yearslaterGodfreyThringwrotesixadditional
CrownHimtheLordoflove–beholdHishandsandside,
Richwounds,yetvisibleabove,inbeautyglorified.
Noangelsintheskycanfullybearthatsight,
Butdownwardbendtheirburningeyesatmysteriessobright.
CrownHimtheLordoflife,whotriumphedo’erthegrave
AndrosevictoriousinthestrifeforthoseHecametosave.
Hisgloriesnowwesing,whodiedandriseonhigh,
Whodied,eternallifetobring,andlivesthatdeathmaydie.
CrownhimtheLordofpeace,whosepow’rasceptresways
Frompoletopole,thatwarsmaycease,absorbedinprayerandpraise.
Hisreignshallknownoend,androundHispiercèdfeet
Fairflowersofparadiseextendtheirfragranceeversweet.
CrownHimtheLordofyears,thepotentateoftime,
Creatoroftherollingspheres,ineffablysublime.
Allhail,Redeemer,hail!Forthouhastdiedforme;
Thypraiseandgloryshallnotfailthroughouteternity.
DearestLordJesus,Youaloneareworthytowearthe
manycrownsofwhichthishymnspeaks.Maywe,
Yourfollowers,everhailYouasourLordandKing,
andliveourlivesbearingwitnesstoYou,theAuthor
oflife.WeprayinYourname.Amen✜
THECLARION
PAGE5
Tidbits
(creditAnnLanders)
Actualanswersgivenbychildrenon
atestofbiblicalknowledge:
• Noah’swifewasJoanof
Ark
• Lot’swifewasapillarofsaltbydayandaballof
firebynight
• MosesclimbedtothetopofMountCyanide
• Thesixthcommandmentis“Thoushaltnot
admitadultery”
• JoshualedtheBattleofGeritol
• JesuswasbornbecauseMaryhadanimmaculatecontraption
• ThepeoplewhofollowedJesuswerecalledthe
12Decibels
• Theepistleswerethewivesoftheapostles
• OneoftheopossumswasSt.Matthew
• Paulpreachedacrimony,whichisanothername
formarriage
• DavidfoughtagainsttheFinkelsteins
• TheJewishpeoplewerealwaysstruggling
againsttheGenitals
• AChristianshouldonlyhaveonewife(thisis
called‘monotony’)
MESSIAHYOUTHCHOIR
Heythere,youthofMessiah!Sofarwe’vehadthree
ofyouexpressaninterestinjoiningourYouthChoir,
andoneotherwhomight!That’sastart!
Sohowaboutyou?Wouldyoubeinterestedinjoiningtoo?Ifyou’reoldenoughtoread,you’reold
enoughtojoin!BasedontheawesomesingingIhear
everyyearatVacationBibleSchool,Iknowthat
there’salotoftalentoutthere;andgettingtogether
withotherswhoenjoysingingisalwaysfun.Wewill
haveafirstpracticeafterEasteronaSundaymorning
at9:30(watchtheannouncementsfortheexact
date).
Whataboutit?Canwecountyouintoo?Singingis
alwaysfun,andthemore
singersthemorefun.
Jointhefun!
JointheYouthChoir!
Easter2016
Weareinthemiddleofthe
countdowntocelebrate
the500thAnniversaryof
thebirthoftheReformation.OnOctober31,1517
MartinLutherissupposed
tohavenailedthe95ThesestotheChurchDoorin
Wittenberg.Thisdoorwas
thelocalbulletinboardandLuther’sstatements
weremeantfordiscussionforthelocaltheologians,
andnotthefirebranditwasdestinedtobecome.
AshortTimeLine:
• 1483—MartinLutherwasborn
• 1505—TroubledMartinLutherentersthe
monastery
• 1512—MartinLutherbecomesaDoctorof
TheologypromisingtoteachtheScriptures
• 1517—Thenailingofthe95Theses
• 1520—MartinLutherdeclaredahereticand
excommunicated
• 1521—MartinLutherdeclaredanoutlaw
• 1522—LuthertranslatestheNewTestament
(1536,theOldTestament)
• 1525—Luthermarriesaformernun,Katharine
vonBora
• 1529—AMightyFortressisourGodiswritten
• 1529—ThepublishingoftheSmallandLarge
Catechisms
• 1537—Wrotethelastwillandtestamentof
hisfaith—theSmalcaldArticles
• 1546—Lutherdiedinthetowninwhichhe
wasborn.
TheCountdown:Therewillbespecialarticlesinthe
CanadianLutheran.Wehopetobeginplanninga
specialrallyhereintheTri-Cities.Therewillbe
monthlyspecialsaswegetclosertothe500thnext
year.AtimelineoftheReformationwillbeposted
sooninthenarthex.Readinglistswillbeavailable
forthosewhowishtolearnmoreabouttheReformation.TherewillbeaReformationCornerinthe
narthexwithvariousReformationpamphlets,
videosandbooksforyoungandoldalike.Therewill
bespecialservicesinthenext18months.TheReformationisspecialinmanydifferentways.It
changedthewaypeoplethinkandlivebothinthe
Churchandtheworldatlarge.Forusthemain
eventistheemphasisontheGospeloffreegracein
JesusChristourLord.
MayGodblessourcelebrationwithHisWordand
grace.PastorJimHeinbuch
THECLARION
PAGE6
Easter2016
10BIBLEPASSAGESTO
REMINDYOUTHAT GODANDHISCREATIONAREGOOD!
1John4:4:"You,dearchildren,are
fromGodandhaveovercomethem
[thefalseprophetsandspiritsof
thisworld],becausetheOnewho
isinyouisgreaterthantheone
whoisintheworld."
Hebrews13.6:"Sowecanconfidentlysay,'TheLordismyhelper;
Iwillnotfear;whatcanmandoto
me?'"
Ephesians4.31-32:"Letallbitternessand
wrathandangerandclamourand
slanderbeputawayfromyou,along
withallmalice.Bekindtooneanother,tenderhearted,forgivingoneanother,asGodinChristforgaveyou."
1Peter3.9:"Donotrepayevilwithevilorinsultwith
insult.Onthecontrary,repayevilwithblessing,becausetothisyouwerecalledsothatyoumayinheritablessing."
Proverbs17.22:"Ajoyfulheartisgoodmedicine,but
acrushedspiritdriesupthebones."
LINESFROMLUTHER
Psalm139.14:"IpraiseYoubecauseIamfearfully
andwonderfullymade;Yourworksarewonderful,I
knowthatfullwell."
Philippians4.8:"Finally,brothers,whateveris
true,whateverishonourable,whateverisjust,
whateverispure,whateverislovely,whatever
iscommendable,ifthereisanyexcellence,if
thereisanythingworthyofpraise,thinkabout
thesethings."
2Peter3.9:"TheLordisnotslowinkeepingHis
promise,assomeunderstandslowness.Instead
Heispatientwithyou,notwantinganyoneto
perish,buteveryonetocometorepentance."
Romans8.28:"AndweknowthatinallthingsGod
worksforthegoodofthosewholoveHim,who
havebeencalledaccordingtohispurpose."
Ephesians3.20-21:"NowtoHimwhoisabletodo
immeasurablymorethanallweaskorimagine,accordingtoHispowerthatisatworkwithinus,to
HimbegloryinthechurchandinChristJesus
throughoutallgenerations,foreverandever!
Amen."
A few words to ponder
from Martin Luther
✤ “OurLordhaswrittenthepromiseofresurrection,notinbooksalone,butineveryleafin
springtime.”
✤“Knowyethen—sin,death,devil,andeverythingthatassailsme—thatyouaremissing
themark.Iamnotoneofthosewhoareafraidofyou.ForChrist,mydearLord,haspresentedtomethattriumphandvictoryofhisbywhichyouwerelaidlow.Andfromthisverygiftof
HisIderivemynameandamcalledaChristian.Thereisnootherreason.MysinanddeathhungaboutHis
neckonGoodFriday,butonthedayofEasterthey
hadcompletelydisappeared.ThisvictoryHehas
Thisbringsustothe
bestowedonme.ThisiswhyIdonotworryabout
endofthesecond
you.”
issueofTheClarion.WiththecelebrationofEaster,
anditspromiseofnewlife,coupledwiththereturnof
✤ “Whenthedevilthrowsyoursinsinyourfaceand
thebudsandwarmthofSpring,thereissomuchfor
declaresthatyoudeservedeathandhell,tellhim
whichtogivethanks,andsomuchreason
this:‘IadmitthatIdeservedeathandhell,whatof
it?ForIknowOnewhosufferedandmadesatisfac- tobehopeful!Openyourhearttothe
glorywhichGodhasshowereduponyou,
tiononmybehalf.HisnameisJesusChrist,Sonof
andrejoiceintheRisenLord!Seeyouin
God,andwhereHeisthereIshallbealso!’”
church!
THELASTWORD