“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20, ESV). How many commandments can you break at one time with one sin? We might remember King David’s unholy incident with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11–12). In...

“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10b, ESV). Jesus calls all His people, His whole church, to “catch people alive” using the net of the Gospel. He does not rely on so-called experts or “successful” preachers. He actually utilizes sinners—all of us—to bring...

  Ronald L. Kasten Dec. 30, 1935 – March 13, 2026 Ronald Lee Kasten died March 13, 2026. He was born Dec. 30, 1935 in Centralia, Ill., and baptized Jan. 2, 1936. He confessed his baptismal faith in the rite of Confirmation April 10, 1949 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church...

Jesus said: “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful … Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:36–37, ESV). The term “butterfly effect” is associated with mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz. He had studied tornadoes—when they form, what paths they take, and so on … and entered the data...

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from...

Dear friends in Christ, It seems like most of us have experienced someone asking us about being tired and then we’re left trying to recall the last time that we weren’t tired. Weariness seems to be a way of life, and it’s caused by life in this fallen world. It...

Dear friends in Christ, It’s June? The pascal candle has been put back in its place by the font. The paraments have changed. Why are we talking about Easter? The Easter proclamation of “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” echoes far beyond the fifty days of the Easter...

  Christine A. Bargen July 15, 1954 – March 25, 2026 Christine “Chris” Ann Bargen (née Kiehl) of Saint Charles, Mo., passed away Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the age of 71. Chris was the beloved wife of Alvin Otto Bargen; cherished daughter of the late Paul George and Clara...

Dear friends in Christ, We all know that we live in a world that is increasingly unstable with culture shifts, economic pressures, family struggles, and unrest in our nation and world. We see and feel these struggles in our congregations too with aging memberships, financial struggles, and cultural pressures. In...

  Rev. Walter P. Snyder Jan. 16, 1957 – June 1, 2026 Rev. Walter Phillip Snyder, 69, of Concordia, Mo., asleep in Jesus, June 1, 2026. Snyder was born Jan. 16, 1957, in Springfield, Ill., to the late Rev. Dr. Walter W. Snyder and Melba (Grossmann) Snyder. He spent his...