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Dear Saints of our Beautiful Savior,Glory to Jesus Forever!I pray everyone is having a wonderful beginning to our blessed year of our Lord 2023.Back in the 19th century, a Lutheran pastor from Neuendettelsau, Germany by the name of J.K. Wilhelm Loehe, began training, equipping, and supporting men to be sent to North America, Brazil, and Australia, to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these new, developing lands. Pastor Loehe had a profound impact on the formation and early years of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, including the founding of our Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a teachers' institute in Saginaw, Michigan, deaconess training houses and homes for the aged across the USA. The following is an excerpt from one of his writings that was part of the devotion for yesterday, 2 January, from the Treasury of Daily Prayer.In worship the congregation experiences its Lord most intimately. Here it lives in nearest proximity to its Groom in a heavenly life on earth, an earthly life in heaven. Worship is the most beautiful flower of earthly life. Just like land in the middle of an ocean, the Word and Sacraments stand in the inner life and worship of the congregation. You have one week behind you, a new week lies in front of you. Between these two weeks is the day of Communion Sunday. You desire to draw near to God with the congregation. What do you, whether you are a shepherd or a sheep, have to do first? You do what all religions say is necessary for the soul: you cleanse it like feet that have become dirty from the activity of daily life. In other words, you prepare yourself for worship by confessing your sins and receiving absolution. Being cleansed from sin, you enter into the joys of the particular festival day or Sunday. But the worshiper finds that earth still has other burdens and sorrows, both present and future. Life, death, and eternity, with all of their bitter fruits and consequences, threaten you as you journey to the heavenly kingdom. Worries burden you and keep burdening you. But no longer does sin torture you, no longer do you fear evil, no longer do you sigh longingly, but joyful confidence fills your soul. You sit beneath the face of the Lord. In the sermon you begin to experience the blessed communion of the saints who rejoice in the Lord. The worshiping congregation experiences itself as the Bride of the Lord, rich not only in and through Him but also in and through one another. The congregation, in its fullness, thinks of the special needs and miseries upon the earth, delights in all good things, and goes before the altar of the Lord with intercessions, petitions, and prayers. All worshipers are blessed and approach the throne of blessing knowing they are worthy. The worshipers realize that the Church is one unit both here and everywhere. Pilgrims are one in their prayers and are cleansed with all of the blessed saints in heaven.--J.K. Wilhelm LoeheAs we now progress into the beginning of this new year, let us, by the grace of God the Father, for the sake of God the Son, and by the love and power of God the Holy Spirit, recommit ourselves and all our lives to Christ Jesus, making Sunday worship in the Lord's House and Sunday fellowship with all the saints of God, a weekly priority. God's richest blessings to you all.In the Messiah's Service,Pastor Scott Herbert And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers... And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42, 46-47) ... See MoreSee Less

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