Newsletter

<p>May 24, 2022 Friends, Just a reminder that this Thursday is Ascension Day! 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead, he ascended to the right hand of the Father (Acts 1:1-11). The church has historically celebrated this as a festival, which means a Thursday worship service. Our circuit is<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/05/24/prayer-for-ascension/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Prayer for Ascension</sp

<p>May 3, 2022 Friends, There are a few unique opportunities coming up that I hope you’ll consider! First, this Sunday, May 8, during the Bible Study hour (10:30-11:30 am), we’ll welcome Samuel Preus from Luther Classical College to share information about the college. Located in Casper, WY, this college aims<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/05/03/coming-up/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Coming up!</spa

<p>April 26, 2022 Dear friends, If the 12 days of Christmas give us some extra time to celebrate after the world has taken down its lights and decorations, the season of Easter is practically unending. 50 days we keep the white paraments in the chancel and the Paschal candle lit.<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/04/26/the-season-of-easter/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">The Season of Easter</span></a></s

<p>April 19, 2022 Dear friends, Just a quick reminder that tomorrow, Wednesday, April 20, there is no Bible Study in the morning, but there will be a Wednesday evening Church service at 7pm just like normal. God bless and keep you, Pr. Buchs COMING EVENTS: Confirmation – Sunday, April 24Elders/Council<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/04/19/a-couple-reminders/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">A couple remin

<p>April 12, 2022 Dear friends, First, just a heads-up that there’s Bible Study tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, but no Wednesday evening service this week! It is Tuesday of Holy Week, and by now the Hosannas and festivity of Palm Sunday may already be forgotten. The demands and pace of life sweep<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/04/12/jesus-thy-boundless-love-to-me/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Jesus, Th

<p>April 10, 2022 Dear friends, Holy Week is a gift to us as the days leading up to Easter are set apart for giving special attention to the Passion of Jesus. It is called his Passion because the root of that word means suffering. While Lent and Holy Week are<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/04/09/scripture-for-holy-week-2/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Scripture for Holy Week</span></a></span></p>

<p>April 5, 2022 Dear friends, O sacred head, sore wounded,Defiled and put to scorn;O kingly head, surroundedWith mocking crown of thorn:What sorrow mars thy grandeur?Can death thy bloom deflower?O countenance whose splendourThe hosts of heaven adore. In thy most bitter passionMy heart to share doth cry,With thee for my salvationUpon<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/04/05/o-sacred-head-sore-wounded/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span

<p>March 29, 2022 Dear friends, Jesus, refuge of the weary,Blest Redeemer, whom we love,Fountain in life’s desert dreary,Savior from the world above:Often have Your eyes, offended,Gazed upon the sinner’s fall;Yet upon the cross extended,You have borne the pain of all. Do we pass that cross unheeding,Breathing no repentant vow,Though we<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/03/29/jesus-refuge-of-the-weary/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span

<p>March 25, 2022 Dear friends, The church traditionally celebrates the Annunciation on March 25. It makes sense, considering that we celebrate Christmas nine months later on December 25. The Annunciation marks the day that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced: “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/03/25/blessed-are-you-among-women/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-

<p>March 15, 2022 Dear friends, The Sundays in Lent get Latin names like the Sundays in Advent: ____ Lent 1 – Invocabit – “When he calls to me, I will answer him” (Psalm 91:15a).____ Lent 2 – Reminscere – “Remember your mercy, O LORD” (Psalm 25:6)____ Lent 3 – Oculi<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/03/15/remember/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Remember</span></a></span></p>

<p>March 8, 2022 Dear friends, Here’s a beautiful description of the season of Lent and a prayer to go with it: Lent Christ has humbled Himself and become obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. The earliest Christians set aside days during which they prepared themselves to celebrate<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/03/08/what-is-lent/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">What is Lent?</span></a></sp

<p>March 1, 2022 Dear friends, Why is it Ash Wednesday? Ashes were a sign of mourning among the people of Israel. They went along with torn clothes and sackcloth – rough garments that were to reflect the humility of the heart. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/03/01/remember-you-are-dust/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Remember you are dust</span></a></span></

<p>February 21, 2022 Dear friends, Psalm 1Blessed is the manwho walks not in the counsel of the wicked,nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law of the LORD,and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/02/21/he-is-like-a-tree/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">He is like a tree</span></a></span></p>

<p>February 7, 2022 Dear friends, As we get ready for the season of Lent, we enter a part of the church year called Pre-Lent. Here’s a paragraph and a prayer concerning Pre-Lent from a wonderful devotional book (see more info below): Today, if you will hear His voice, do not<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/02/07/more-about-telling-time/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">More about telling time</span></a></

<p>February 2, 2022 Dear friends, With all our conversation lately about Catechism and first Communion and Confirmation, I’ve been thinking about the differences between kids and grown-ups. Here’s one of them: kids tend to be more painfully honest than grown-ups. You know the old show, “Kids Say the Darndest Things.”<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/02/02/out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-rea

<p>January 24, 2022 Dear friends, Today the church remembers St. Timothy, the young disciple that Paul met on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3). Paul brought Timothy with him on his way and trained him up in the faith to be an evangelist. He sent Timothy to minister where he<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/01/24/fight-the-good-fight/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Fight the good fight</span></

<p>January 18, 2022 Dear friends, On January 18 the church commemorates a festival called the Confession of St. Peter. It recalls a striking episode in the ministry of Jesus to his disciples. Here’s the account: Matthew 16:13-19 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/01/18/you-are-the-christ/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">You are the Chr

<p>January 10, 2022 Dear friends, Our next Family Night is this Wednesday! We spent the first few Family Nights talking about Baptism, and now we’re making our way on to the Lord’s Supper. It’s encouraging to hear the kids of all ages thinking about what it means that God feeds<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/01/10/catechism-update/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Catechism update</span></a></span></p>

<p>January 3, 2022 Dear friends, Epiphany is the name for a festival and a season in the church. Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, just following the 12th day of Christmas, and it is the name of the season that runs up to Ash Wednesday (March 2nd this year). Epiphany<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2022/01/03/epiphany-2/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Epiphany</span></a></span></p>

<p>December 20, 2021 Dear friends, I’ve written before about how the church marks time with color. Another way that the church marks time is with texts of Scripture and prayers. Each Sunday of the Church Year has its own propers — readings and prayers for the day. The days leading<span class="more-button"><a href="https://www.concordialcms.com/2021/12/20/hear-again-the-message-of-the-angels/" class="more-link">Continue reading<span class="screen-reader-text">Hear again the me