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News and Events
Have you ever pulled up an elm or oak seedling about six inches high growing
wild in the garden? And were you surprised to find out...
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Check out our Pastor's Sermon Archive. You can read or listen the sermon
files on-line or download them to your home computer. Formats available:
mp3, pdf, doc, html...
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Check out our Christ Lutheran photo archive...
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Each week God
is doing some neat things with and through
Christ Lutheran ministries and people.
Here are some stories about recent and upcoming events.
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Pastor's Corner
Continuing Education
For two weeks this summer, beginning at the end of this month, I will be privileged to attend classes again — after 10 years — at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. This “Summer Quarter” opportunity is part of the synod’s determination to offer its pastors and other called workers the means to obtain “continuing education” to not only keep their skills and knowledge “sharp” but also to learn new things and develop new skills. I thank the congregation for giving me this chance.
But “continuing education” is something for all of us to be concerned about all the time. Many places in the Bible God tells us to grow in our faith and encourages us to aim and strive not toward mediocrity but maturity. And the only way to grow and mature as believers is through use of the Means of Grace, particularly study of the Word of God.
Our congregation offers numerous opportunities for this kind of continuing education — Bible Classes (not always on Sundays), Sunday School, Growth Groups, Catechism Instruction, Bible Information Class (open to members and non-members alike), and more. I applaud those who take advantage of these opportunities to continue and deepen their Christian educations — to go beyond the minimum of their confirmations — but I and our congregation’s leadership can’t help but wonder: where are the others?
Summer is a good time to try new things — how about getting up an hour or so earlier on Sunday mornings and feasting on the Word of God in Bible study so you can grow in all the ways God wants you to grow? And if there are things that are keeping you from the education hour on Sunday mornings or from attending a Growth Group during the ministry year, how about using the summer to clean up your schedule and make room for them? What do you have to lose? You have everything to gain from God’s Word — and your participation will be a blessing and encouragement to your fellow believers, too.
None of this is to suggest, of course, that we don’t grow from attending worship and that the Holy Spirit won’t teach us when we study the Bible on our own. But there’s so much more to be had — come and grow with your brothers and sisters in Christ! Add something new to your theological toolbox, put down deeper roots in the gospel, exercise your faith, and spread your spiritual wings — continue your education in the Word and ways of the Lord!
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