Pastor Eric Schroeder - The First Sunday in Advent - Sunday, November 29, 2020

Text: Revelation 2:1-7

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Please permit some words of introduction before we begin our sermon series. The Revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John, or simply Revelation, can be an intimidating book. It is filled with symbolic language, some of which can seem awfully disturbing. But anytime we approach these words of God, we want to remember a couple of things:

Pastor Joel Leyrer - Thanksgiving 2020 - Thursday, November 26, 2020

Text: Genesis 32:10

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Dear Friends in Christ, A relationship which had begun badly ended even worse. Now, after a cross country move and years of trying not to think about it, the chickens were coming home to roost.

Pastor Kyle Bitter - Christ the King Sunday - Sunday, November 22, 2020

Text: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 23, 24

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Just over a week ago, I went in for my annual eye doctor appointment. As I look at those of you in person, I see a number of pairs of glasses, and I suspect there are some contacts I can’t see, so I’m sure many of you have had the same experience. If not, you can probably imagine it pretty well. First, the doctor checks the health of your eyes. He looks at them from different angles through different lenses and with different colors of light. Then the doctor checks your prescription by having you look through different lens combinations, one eye at a time. Which is clearer? One, or two? Three or four? And so on. Finally, the most interesting part: you look through your updated prescription with both eyes and see what 20/20 vision actually looks like. If you’ve had a big change to your prescription, or if it’s your first-time getting glasses, you can see what you were missing as you look around with 20/20 vision and See Life Clearly. It can be an amazing experience. I remember first getting glasses when I was in grade school and making the discovery that the candles in the front of the church weren’t actually candles at all…they were light bulbs that flickered! Apparently, I’d needed glasses for quite some time! Maybe some of you can remember a similar experience.

Pastor Eric Schroeder - Saints Triumphant - Sunday, November 15, 2020

Text: Ezekiel 37:15-28

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Have you ever tried to uncrack an egg and put it back in its shell? I doubt it. Have you ever unpopped a balloon, and gathered all the helium together again? I’m sure you haven’t. In fact, I’m sure no one has. We’ve cracked enough eggs and popped enough balloons to know it’s not even worth attempting to try and undo it, because it would be impossible.

Pastor Joel Leyrer - Last Judgment - Sunday, November 8, 2020

Text: Daniel 7:9,10

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Dear Friends in Christ, Did you know there is a branch of scientific study called “oneirology?” I did not until this week. Oneirology is the study of dreams. An oneirologist, then, is one who personally studies dreams.

Pastor Eric Schroeder - All Saints' Day - Sunday, November 1, 2020

Text: Isaiah 26 1-4, 8, 9, 12, 13, 19-21

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Before we get into our discussion today, I almost feel like I should apologize for the wording of the sermon title. I know that some of you are already tired of hearing the expression, “the new normal.” I get it; I think we all get it. Pandemic or no pandemic, none of us likes the idea that current mandates might have to be extended or even tightened further. We don’t like talking to people behind masks and plexiglass barriers and straining to understand their muffled responses. We don’t like the division surrounding an election that may or may not be over by this time next week. We don’t like having our worship services limited to the first 85 people who sign up, as if we need to compete with our brothers and sisters for a place in God’s house. We can find all kinds of experiences that we don’t like about our lives today, but what’s worse than any one of them is the idea that we might just have to get used to them, because 2020 might spill over into 2021…and beyond.