“When the Strife is Fierce, the Warfare Long…” Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 It used to be that Christian students might have...

Craig Busseau July 26, 1957–June 14, 2022 “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” Psalm 102:18 Craig Robert Busseau, age 64, of Columbia MO, left us suddenly to meet his Savior. Busseau was born on July...

Dale Fisk April 26, 1940 – June 3, 2022   Dale Fisk, age 82, died peacefully in his sleep at Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Alvina Fisk and his younger sister, Darlene Fisk. Fisk was born in Williston, North Dakota...

Encouraged and Strengthened So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.  And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.  And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with...

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...

31,500 Steps That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem…So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening...

God’s Definite Plan When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”  Matthew 26:1-2 The events of Holy Week should not have come as a surprise to those closest...

May His Blood Be on Us! So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.”  And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our...

Rev. Dennis Schwab August 27, 1948 – March 30, 2022 Rev. Dennis Schwab was born August 27, 1948 to Henry Louis Schwab and Hazel Henroid Schwab in St. Louis, Missouri.  He was baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church where he later attended grade school.  He attended Lutheran South High School...

The One Who is Mocked as King is Truly the King! And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of...

The One in Despair Still Trusts God “He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness...

Larry Allen Andersen June 6, 1957–March 10, 2022 Larry Allen Andersen, age 64, of Brookline, MO, was called to his eternal rest on March 10, 2022, in Springfield, MO, after a 15-month battle with prostate cancer. Larry was born in Fort Dodge, IA, to Harvey and Dorothy (Petersen) Andersen on...

He Saved Others, But Not Himself So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.” Matthew 27:41-42 The angel appears to Joseph in...

Welcome Joshua Swartz! The Missouri District is pleased to announce that Joshua Swartz has accepted the call to serve as Assistant to the President for Lutheran Schools.  Joshua currently serves as Principal of St. Lorenz Lutheran School in Frankenmuth, Michigan.  Previously, he has served schools in Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama. ...

Powerfully Powerless And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”  Matthew 27:39-40 It was King David’s son, Solomon, who built a temple for the Lord.  It was...

God’s Love Meant Christ Became Hated for Us For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:21 God hates sin.  There is no sweeping it under the rug.  There is no making...