Even if you’re not a history buff, you’re no doubt aware that this year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States declaring itself an independent nation. Similarly, you very well may not have the entire Declaration of Independence committed to memory, but you’re probably familiar with this portion of it:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Putting aside the debate about whether the Founding Fathers were trying to establish a definitively Christian government, I as a pastor and not a statesman want to highlight three points mentioned in the above phrase and evaluate them from a theological perspective.

In my Vicar’s Voice article for the November–December 2023 RepORter, I wrote about the concept of Christian community and encouraged our members to think about how they could try to help someone feel incorporated into that community. Among my suggestions at that time were initiating a conversation with someone new or visiting one of our homebound members. We might call that showing hospitality.

As we bask in the joyous glow of Easter Resurrection through the months of April and May, I look forward to the festival of Ascension on May 14th. It is so easy to look past this historic day since spring has so many activities to occupy our time. The Ascension of our Lord is the capstone of the 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection. On that day, Jesus left the Apostles with a promising word that He would be with them always, just in a different way than previously. He is with us in His Word, the same Word that is preached, taught, and administered today. God the Father received Jesus’ return to heaven where He sits at the Father’s right hand. That is the hand of authority and power. Jesus cannot be overcome; He cannot be subject to death or defeat. He is Christus Victus, the victorious Christ whom we worship and adore.

As we approach the end of spring and beginning of summer, so comes the season for VBS! This year's theme will be Office of the Keys. We will be having a 5-day program from June 22nd-June 26th from 9am-12pm. Each day will include an opening with a Matins service and a lesson. Then, we’ll get to break out into other activities like music, crafts, and games!

Image courtesy of: https://edriojasartist.com

Not long ago, I attended the funeral of Ernest Theodore Lams. While none of you to whom I’m writing knew Ernest, most people whoImage knew him simply called him Ted. To me, he is, and will for the rest of my life remain, Mr. Lams. He was my teacher and principal at St. Paul Lutheran Elementary School in Brookfield, Illinois. He was the organist for the St. Paul congregation. He was my coach in softball, basketball, and track. He gave me my first coaching job while I was a student at Concordia in River Forest. He encouraged me as I studied first to become a teacher, and then a pastor, and. he played the organ at my Ordination service.