Church Meetings and the Word of God  The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.  Acts 15:6 St. Luke’s record “The Acts of the Apostles” is not intended to be a prescription for the Church of every age, but does describe how God was at work...

Reverend Robert L. Kriete 9/17/1948 – 6/8/2022 Reverend Robert L. Kriete (73) of Columbia, Missouri was called Home to be with the Lord on June 8, 2022. Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 2:00 at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia, Missouri, and a Celebration of Life will be at...

Pentecost Preaching This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Acts 2:23-24 Even as the...

Lessons from a Liturgical Conundrum My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.    John 17:15-16 The Seventh Sunday or Week of Easter is...

The Passion of the Christ Sequel He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:46-47 A sequel...

Now, But Not Yet Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22 As young college student at Concordia in Seward, I remember the Biblical studies courses helping me to explore God’s Word with much...

Rev. Dr. John Schmidtke September 23rd, 1962–May 12, 2022 __________________________________   John Schmidtke was a creative leader in urban ministry, but more than that, he was a pastor who served a congregation and the community for more than 30 years.  His legacy in the Hyde Park Community will be more...

Why Jesus? I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10b Years ago I encountered a young boy who asked me why our group had come to their country in Central America.  Working through a translator, I began to explain that we were there to serve...

Ventures Bold and New After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way… He said to him, “Follow me.”  John 21:1, 19b In the resurrection accounts of Matthew and Mark, the angel tells the women that Jesus would be going ahead of...

Sent to SHINE!  “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.”  John 1:6-8 Young men and women will once again be sent out...