The Lutheran Review

Remembering All Hallo’s Eve and the Reformation

When my brothers and I were growing up on the farm I don’t recall we did anything for Halloween. The “town kids” may have gone trick or treating, but we didn’t. We did make the usual decorations at our Happy Corners School. Not infrequently, the decorations were attached to the windows as the first snowflakes fluttered to the ground.

Teenagers with driver’s licenses often did some mischief, like tipping over outhouses and corn shocks. Some mail boxes were damaged. There seems to be a story from even further back about a model T ending up on a barn roof. We knew nothing of the Reformation.

At Concordia College the dean roused us out early on October 31 for a Reformation service at Luther’s statue. Include the chill in the Minnesota air, Luther’s shoes painted white, according to the style of the late 50’s era and the pumpkin nestled in his folded arms it didn’t have quite the effect the dean intended. Don’t ask me what Reformation service was about. One time those going for breakfast were confronted by the VW Beetle of a female faculty member sitting at the stop of the stairs in front of the cafeteria.

The fondest memories of Halloween were from Marshfield, Wisconsin when we took our children trick or treating. My wife claims she always took them. But I remember rainy/near snowy evenings with their paper sacks when we had to hold onto the bottoms of their papers sacks lest they drag on the wet ground and we lose all our loot. We parents stood back in the shadows and watched as our kids approach the houses.

Those days are past. A concern for the safety of our children and our worry about the effects of too much Halloween candy has changed things. Halloween has been taken over by adults, which is rarely a good thing. But I suppose those who tipped over outhouses regretted the advent of indoor plumbing. All there seems to be on TV this week are horror movies and political ads, not much difference between the two. Maybe I’ll reading a Martin Luther Reformation Day sermon, if I could only find one.

Standing

Taken this morning with fresh bedhead.  But, oh so cute and happy with his great feat. 

Celebrating Reformation Day

Last week an acquaintance said to me, “I wasn’t able to find any of Luther’s Reformation Day sermons.” After a too long silence, I responded, “Ohhh, yeah.” “Took awhile to catch on,” he said. My slowness to catch on did raise a question in my mind, “When did Lutherans begin celebrating Reformation Day? The internet had numerous sites about Reformation Day, but nothing specifically addressing my question.

However, Luther Reed’s The Lutheran Liturgy did provide an answer. The Festival of the Reformation dates back to the late 1520’s in various districts in Germany. Similar services of thanksgiving were instituted in 1563 and 1568. Some places the service was held on the eve of Luther’s birthday, on Nov. 10. Other areas held it on the Sunday following June 25, the date of the Augsburg Confession.

The celebrations were dropped during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). In 1667 Elector John of Saxony reestablished the festival on October 31.

There was a time in the not-too-distant-past when congregations would band together for a joint rally-celebration. Now, each congregation has their own celebration during the services on the Sunday before October 31.

However we celebrate it the prayer of the Day for faithfulness and steadfastness is still the center of our celebration.

Almighty and gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and deliver us in times of temptation, defend us against all enemies, and grant to Your Church Your saving peace; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Fall and Quilts

A chilly morning calls for a warm cup of tea (organic, of course), a good book and a warm quilt.

From the Citizen Times, a nice article about Lutheran quilters for Lutheran World Relief, reports that 450,000 quilts have been distributed since last year. That is a lot of quilts.

View: Quilting for a cause

Community Service in My Future?

I am seriously considering running for a local park board position.  The election will be held in April of 2009.  Today was the first day I could start asking for petition signatures.  I need 80.  This afternoon, I briefly talked to the park district's executive director regarding some petition details and the district map.  Tonight, I filled out the top of the petitions to make sure they were all the same (a very important rule).  Tomorrow, I am going to ask my husband to be my first signature. 

St. Simon and Jude

We know little about Simon and Jude. Simon the “zealot” or Cananean is mentioned, but he is never mentioned apart from the list of apostles. Jude, sometimes called Thaddeaus, is also mentioned in lists of the twelve. At the last supper Jude asked Jesus why he had chosen to reveal himself to the disciples but not to the world. Jesus had just told the disciples that in a little while the world won’t see him anymore, “but you will see me. “ Jesus says that whoever loves him (believes in him) will be loved in turn by the Father and himself. They will come and make their home with that person. Jesus then promises that the Holy Spirit will come and teach them and bring to remembrance what he has said.

A traditional story about Simon and Jude says that they traveled together on a missionary journey to Persia and were both martyred there.

The prayer for the Day numbers Simon and Jude among the apostles noting that they were faithful and zealous in their mission. There is a comfort to us who will be little known a generation beyond our life. Like Simon and Jude we have a mission to make known the love and mercy of Christ, though we will never have the lasting notoriety of Paul, or Peter or Martin Luther.

Almighty God, You chose Your servants Simon and Jude to be numbered among the glorious company of the apostles. As they were faithful and zealous in their mission so may we with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

NEW FEATURE: Bev's Recipes

My Aunt Bev is the best.  Growing up in Wisconsin, my brothers and I loved to visit "The Farm" where my grandparents and extended family lived.  It was a dairy farm back then, but most recently they have transitioned to beef cattle.  Aunt Bev knows how to cook and I am happy to share some of her tried and true recipes she has passed along.  This is the first time I am seeing many of these recipes written out for use and can't wait to start cooking myself.  Enjoy!

  Pumpkin Bars
            Sift dry ingredients together:
                2 c. flour
                2 tsp. baking powder
                1 tsp. soda
                1/2 tsp. salt
                2 tsp. cinnamon
            Combine:
                1 c. oil
                4 eggs
                2 c. pumpkin
                2 c. sugar
            Add to dry ingredients.  Beat until blended.
            Bake in a greased & floured large cookie sheet
            pan for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
            When cool frost with  cream cheese frosting.

            *Grandchildren love to put sprinkles on top.

Three Hymn Writers

As we near the end of the church year we likely will sing,

“Wake, awake for night is flying.”

The watchmen on the heights are crying:

“Awake Jerusalem, arise!”

Midnight hears the welcome voices

And the thrilling cry rejoices:

“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?

The Bridegroom comes, awake!

Your lamps with gladness take!

Alleluia! With bridal care yourselves prepare

To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.” (LSB, 516, st. 1)

“Wake, awake,” known as the King of Chorales, was written by Philipp Nicolai while pastor in Westphalia, Germany. He served the congregation in Unna in the 1590’s during the time of a plague that killed 1,300 members of his congregation. He died on October 26, 1608.

Johann Heerman, a poet and pastor, is also remembered this day. He died in 1647. His town was plundered four times during the Thirty Years War. Despite all these perils he wrote 400 hymns. During Lent we sing one of his best known hymns.

O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken

that such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?

Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession,

what dark transgression? (LSB 439, st. 1)

Finally, we remember Johann Gerhardt one of the greatest hymn writers of the Lutheran tradition. He became a pastor in Berlin in 1656. Though an excellent preacher, he lost his position when he refused to sign a doctrinally compromising document issued by elector Friedrich Wilhelm. Gerhardt wrote 133 hymns. He died on June 7, 1676.

We sing one of his best known hymns on Good Friday.

O sacred Head, now wounded,

with grief and shame weighed down.

Now scornfully surrounded

with thorns, Thine only crown.

O sacred Head, what glory,

what bliss, till now was Thine!

Yet, though despised the gory,

I joy to call Thee mine. (LSB 450, st. 1)

Three Women

October 25 is a day to remember three women, Gazelle, a woman named after a city, and Radiant. We know them as Dorcas or Tabitha, Lydia, and Phoebe.

Gazelle was a believer “full of good works and charity” (Acts 9:36-43). She was a business woman making clothing. However, she fell ill and died. The disciples in her town sent for Peter who came, like Jesus cleared the room where her body lay, knelt, prayed and said, “Gazelle, arise.” Her life with Christ in eternity was interrupted that she might continue her life in Christ on earth.

We know Lydia as a successful seller of purple goods. When she heard Paul preaching by the river outside Philippi, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. “ After she and her household were baptized, Lydia opened her house to Paul, Silas and Timothy providing them a place to stay while in Philippi. (Acts 16:11-15)

Radiant was a deaconess in an Aegean port city of Corinth, assisting Christians like Paul who were traveling through the area. Paul designated her to carry his monumental letter to the Christians in Rome. (Romans 16:1) Paul commended her to the Christians in Rome, asking them to give her all the assistance she might need.

Three women, Gazelle, Lydia and Radiant examples of serving the needs of others, showing hospitality and demonstrating trustworthiness.

Lord, use us to serve You, your church, and those in need of care and hospitality according to the .pattern established by Gazelle, Lydia and Radiant. Amen.

St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr

At His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his brother James, (I Cor. 15:7). Some believe that is when he first came to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

He played a vital part in the first conference at Jerusalem. Some Jewish believers had come to Antioch in Syria where Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel. These visitors insisted that the Gentile believers must not only believe in Jesus, but also be circumcised. Acts 15:2 records, “Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them.” Talk about an understatement.

The matter of Gentiles conforming to Jewish Law was taken up at a council in Jerusalem.

The apostles and elders gathered to consider the matter. Again in an understatement we read, “After there had been much debate…” Peter stood up and declared that the Holy Spirit had also come to the Gentiles. So why was anyone putting a yoke on these Gentiles that even we Jews could not bear?

Peter concluded, “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Finally, Barnabas and Paul shared what God had done among the Gentiles. The whole assembly fell silent and listened

Then in a display of churchmanship, Jesus' brother James shared his judgment that they ought not judge the Gentile Christians with the burden of Judaism. However, to ease the consciences of Jewish believers the Gentiles should avoid things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, and not eat what has been strangled or still containing blood.

James demonstrated churchmanship, a virtue vital in every age of the church.

Heavenly Father, shepherd of Your people, You raised up James the Just, brother of our Lord, to lead and guide Your Church. Grant that we may follow his example of prayer and reconciliation and be strengthened by the witness of his death; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.