Passing the Promise October 7, 2023  from  8:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. Hanover Lutheran Church 2949 Perryville Rd. Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 hanoverlutheran.com/passingthepromise   Did you know, right now in America, by age 30, only 20% of children raised “in the church” remain active “in the church” (Barna). Fortunately, we can...

The Beautiful Bride Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any...

Safe and Secure Sheep My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no...

The Unity of the Body of Christ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.   Ephesians...

Diversity According to God’s Design For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let...

Passing on the Mantle So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.   1 Kings 19:19 “God of the...

A Different Path, But Still Useful Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.  2 Timothy 4:11 There are a variety of paths to service in the Church.  Some are led by the Spirit from an early age toward such service.  For...

From Generation to Generation I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.  2 Timothy 1:5 Church workers come from all walks of life and with all kinds of...

Hannah and Samuel And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life...” 1 Samuel...

Wilbert H. Rusch, Jr. February 19, 1940 – July 29, 2023 Wilbert H. Rusch Jr., peacefully passed away on July 29, 2023, leaving behind a legacy of faith and compassion.    Wilbert was born on February 19, 1940, into a family deeply rooted in their Christian beliefs. His parents, Professor...

Moses and Joshua And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.  Deuteronomy 34:9 The devotions for August will be focused on examples of raising up future servants...

Early on Sunday morning, July 30, there was a fire at Mount Olive Lutheran Church off of Shaw Boulevard in St. Louis. Fire crews were called to the scene in the 4 a.m. hour.  Significant damage was done in the education building.  While the main sanctuary doesn’t appear to have...

The Blessing of Work The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.   Genesis 2:15 Work may be a four-letter word, but that does not mean that it is bad.  In Genesis chapter 2, God’s creation of man and...

Resting in God’s Gifts Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  Matthew 11:29 The summer months find pastors, teachers and other church workers scattering to the four winds as they escape the demands of their...

The Burden of Being Unneeded I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak,...

The Burden of Being Needed Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?  Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you...

God’s Gift of Parents Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), "that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land."   Ephesians 6:1-3 Parents are gifts and blessings...

May You See Your Children’s Children Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!  You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.  Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your...

The Two Become One Flesh: God’s Gift of Marriage So God created man in his own image,     in the image of God he created him;     male and female he created them.  Genesis 1:27 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and...

Jim Ebers August 14, 1953 – March 30, 2023 Jimmy Lee “Jim” Ebers, 69, of Concordia, Missouri, passed away on Thursday, March 30, 2023, at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri. Born August 14, 1953, in Chester, Illinois, he was the son of Harold Ebers and Virginia Mayer Ebers. He...

Donald T. Petering March 21, 1938 – April 11, 2023 Donald T. Petering of Kirkwood, Missouri, past away on April 11, 2023. Don was born March 21, 1938, to Donald Carl Petering and Erna (Traugott) Petering in Muskogee Oklahoma. Early in life, Don demonstrated a gift for music. During his...

The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.  Jude 3 One of the many...

Who does the adding? So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.   Acts 2:41, 47 Pastors are burdened with guilt for a variety of reasons, but...

In the World, But Not of the World I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not...

Opening the Scriptures Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.   Luke 24:45 As Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the evangelist Luke notes that beginning with Moses and the Prophets, Jesus “interpreted” the Scriptures to them as they testified about Himself.  One of the...