As probably all of you know, both pastors of Zion received calls to serve other churches last month. As I write this, neither of us has announced a decision. That will probably not be the case by the time you read this. I don’t know what will happen, but whether one or both of Zion’s pastors go to tend a different part of the Lord’s vineyard or not, I want to bring you comfort and hope from God’s Word for the present and future of Zion Lutheran Church.

Zion Lutheran Church 620 E 3rd Ave Mitchell, SD 57301 605.996.7530 Office@ZionMitchell.Org

ZionMitchell.Org Pastor Thomas Brown PastorBrown@ ZionMitchell.Org Pastor Daniel Grimmer PastorGrimmer@ ZionMitchell.Org

Last month, I started a short series on some of the thoughts and history of teaching the Christian Faith. I left off with this question: Which is more important: confirmation as a rite-of-passage or instruction in God's Word and Holy Living? Believe it or not, this has been a question that people have struggled with for a long time. In the Lutheran Reformation,

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Our President p 2 Confirm. Retreat p 2 Masks for LWR p 2 Building News p 3, 13 LWML p 3 Council p 7 Letter from Elders p 9 Service Survey p 11 Calendar Mission News

2020 Issue 7 July

significant changes were made in how catechesis was approached. When Martin Luther wrote the Small Catechism, the Golden Age of Catechesis was a forgotten memory. What Luther experienced in the 16th century was a desperate need for catechetical material to help teach the faith. When Luther conducted a visitation of parishes in Saxony in 1528, he found that, due to their incompetence, about 25% of all pastors needed to be simply

See TEACHING continued on page 4

Teaching the Way – Part 2

What if Our Pastor(s) Leave!? One of my favorite Scripture

passages that I return to again and again for encouragement in my vocation as a pastor is John 21. Some time after the resurrection, the disciples went from Jerusalem to Galilee, and were fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They caught nothing. Suddenly, Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to catch the net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they were unable to bring in the catch because there was so many fish! After they had breakfast

See PASTORS continued on page 5

2 Zion News

From Zion’s President

Dear Zion members, There are certain milestones in everyone’s life that are import-ant. Each year we celebrate family birthdays, family anniver-saries, career related length of service milestones, and even remember the big weather-related items and dates of historical events that change history. In a few days, July 12th, Pastor Grimmer and his family, will celebrate the 5th anniversary of his Ordination into the Ministry, and becoming one of our

pastors! What a blessing this has been for him, and especially for us, members of Zion Lutheran! Please take the time to recognize this milestone date for Pastor Grimmer and his family. We can do this in a variety of ways, including a prayer of thankfulness, a card sent in the mail, or even an ‘elbow bump!’ As a congregation, we are blessed to have had Pastor Grimmer serve us this past 5 years! To God Be the Glory!!!!! John Fink

Our 1st & 2nd year confirmation classes are invited to the Higher Things Confirmation Retreat, The Word is Worship – Worship is the Word, Aug 7 & 8 at Immanuel Lutheran, Dimock. Registration information will be mailed out to you soon!

Come hear Chaplain Sean Daenzer, Director of Worship for the LCMS open up Scriptures in the most likely places – your Sunday morning routine – and learn how everything in our hymnals and services is causing the Word of Christ to dwell richly in you for life.

Thank you to those who donated masks to send to Lutheran World Relief and thank you to Carol Brown for organizing this effort! Social distancing is not an option

for many in developing countries so these masks are a blessing to many. Lutheran World Relief allows us reach out to neighbors in need without leaving home. Thanks for helping with this effort!

Confirmation Retreat – August 7 & 8

Masks for Lutheran World Relief

3 Zion News

Building & Building Finance Committees

We may have been slowed down with COVID-19, but the building committee and building finance committee still found ways to work on the proposed addition to our wonderful church. You can find a copy of a proposed layout enclosed in this newsletter, but here are the major differences from the previous version. 1) We removed an extra conference room/office space on the main floor 2) We removed approximately 8 ft from the point that extends into the current parking lot on the west side of the building. 3) We decided to leave the basement of the building unfinished. This will give us space to grow in the future while also spreading out the costs of the building addition.

The estimate from the new design is approximately $2.7 million. This is a significant decrease from the $3.5 million proposal brought to the voters last year. After some possible discounts through Laborers for Christ and the funds we have already raised, we feel that this addition is coming within reach! We plan to schedule some forums to discuss these plans in the near future, but in the meantime please look over this drawing and give your favorite committee member some feedback. Finally, we would like to say thank you for all the support and prayers during this process. The additional comments and support let us know that we are all in this together.

We will not be having the General Assembly Meeting that had been scheduled for July 16. Even though we will not be meeting together you are encouraged to continue to collect your “Mites” offerings for the mission grants. You can bring them to church any time and put them in the large mite box in the north narthex.

Since the SD LWML Convention was cancelled this year, the Board of Directors approved a virtual meeting to take care of the business that was needing to be conducted. You can view the election results including the new officers, budget, and district mission grants approved on the bulletin board in the north narthex or at www.sdlwml.org under 2020 LWML SD District Convention.

See a drawing of this proposal toward the end of the newsletter.

Lutheran Women’s Missionary League - LWML

4 Zion News

TEACHING continued from page 1

removed from office. In Luther's words, the situation was "deplorable." You should check out the preface to the Small Catechism to get a taste of Luther's colorful language about the situation. Luther (and many others in the Reformation) developed a number of materials, books and sermons to help catechists teach the faith. In Luther's model, individuals should be taught The Commandments, Creed, and Lord's Prayer at the very least. These are recited during daily prayers (morning, noon and night), mealtime prayers, and more. At the same time, Luther organized plans for formal instruction of children in the faith. To be clear, the responsibility of teaching the children falls on the parents. The job of the pastors was to make sure the parents are doing their job, and Luther was not shy to remind pastors when they failed. "O bishops! What answer will you ever give to Christ for having so shamefully neglected the people and never for a moment fulfilled your office." In short, Luther's method focused on continuous instruction, centered around worship, and frequent prayer. Just like in the early church, he was more concerned with Christian living than a ritual of confirmation. Unfortunately, when Luther died in 1546, a long series of wars began. When the Peace of Westphalia was signed in in 1648, a third of Germany had been killed. Any advances in Christian living earned by the Reformation were long lost memories. Out-of-marriage birth rates skyrocketed. People were concerned about their next meal, not about theology. What followed in the church was a dry period of rationalism. Rather than emphasizing living Christian lives, catechesis hammered home the finer points of dogmatic theology. Luther's lively practical instruction was forgotten. Such dry, boring churches were ripe for the movement of Pietism. The "Father of Pietism" was a man named Philip Jakob Spener (1635-1705). Spener tried to liven the church by personalizing and internalizing the faith. Rather than cold, objective facts, pietism wanted Christianity to be full of warm, emotional experiences. This turned attention away from the dusty words on a page to the seemingly rich grounds of one's own feelings and emotions. Rather than catechesis as a way of teaching "The way of life," Spener thought of catechesis as preparing catechumens to give witness to their own personal faith. This meant that catechumens must be confirmed at later ages - where it was common to be admitted to the sacrament at 12, now confirmation (which pietists insisted come before admission to the Sacrament of the Altar) came at 14 or even later.

See TEACHING continued on page 6

Luther's method focused on continuous instruction, centered around worship, and frequent prayer.

Luther's lively practical instruction was forgotten.

5 Zion News

PASTORS continued from page 1

with Jesus, he asked Simon Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each time Simon answered, “You know that I love you.” And Jesus responded, “Feed my sheep.”

Simon Peter, as one of the twelve apostles, is among the first ministers of the church. He was called by Jesus to preach and teach the Gospel. Jesus called him to show his love for Jesus by feeding Jesus’ sheep, that is, His holy and precious people that He has purchased by His blood, called to faith, and kept in the holy church for the day of salvation. Pastors today, as “successors” to the apostles, are also called by Jesus to fulfill this ministry. There are, of course, differences between the calling of the apostles and the calling of pastors, which really belongs to another newsletter article. But in terms of what Jesus says to Peter, this applies to every pastor today.

The thing that always sticks out to me is that Jesus tells Peter, “Feed my sheep.” Pastors like to use this shepherd and sheep metaphor for describing their work in the church (in fact the word “pastor” means shepherd in Latin). And while it’s true that even the Bible describes the work of the pastor as “shepherding” (1 Pet. 5:2), it is clear that the flock and the sheep belong to Jesus, not any pastor. All of you people of Zion Lutheran Church of Mitchell, South Dakota are part of the flock of Jesus. He sends you pastors to care for you in His name and at His command, but He is truly the chief shepherd of your soul and of this congregation (1 Pet. 5:4). Pastors come and pastors go, but Jesus the Good Shepherd will never abandon or forsake you. He will feed and nourish you, even if for a time there is a vacancy in the pastoral office that God has established among you. If that should happen, He will bring other shepherds to bring you His gifts of Word and Sacrament, until the time that He knows best to bring another servant to you to feed His sheep.

Remember that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). Whether your pastors continue to stay and serve for many more years at Zion or not, God is at work to bless Zion Lutheran Church. I will not presume to know His plan for this congregation, but should it involve a pastoral vacancy or not, we know that He is at work to bless this congregation yesterday, today, and forever.

Walk by faith, trusting the Lord to provide for you. You are His sheep and He will feed you. The man whose hands and mouth He uses really is not that important in the end. And if nothing changes at the present time (as no doubt many of you have been praying!), know still that the gifts of Jesus belong to you, not because of who your pastors are, but because of who your savior is, who has called you by name, who forgives you, and who keeps you in the faith.

The Lord bless you with all of His riches in Christ Jesus,

Pastor Grimmer

…the flock and the sheep belong to Jesus, not any pastor.

6 Zion News

TEACHING continued from page 4

The Rationalists adapted to the pietistic methods. Rationalism reimagined catechesis as a way of filling the heads of the catechumens with facts, and then insisting on a binding vow. Together, Pietists and Rationalists cemented confirmation as a rite-of-passage and replaced catechesis' objective of instructing the young in God's Word and Godly living. And as a rite-of-passage, the whole affair was much more civic than religious, especially in the many state-run churches. As believing and living-out Christian doctrines became less important, it wasn't surprising that in 1817, Emperor Frederick Willhelm III attempted to bring the Lutheran and Reformed churches together into one Union Church. After all, if doctrine is less important, why can't we all just get along? This served to shake many Lutheran pastors out of their rationalistic and pietistic slumber. Many thousands of Lutherans realized that what was needed to preserve the faith was to leave Germany altogether. This is what brought our Confessional Lutheran forefathers to the New World of America, and also to many other parts of the world. What do you think? Has the Lutheran church continued on the way our Lutheran forefathers prepared for us? Or have we been thrown off-course by our own culture and time? In Part 3, we'll continue the story up to the present day.

Pastor Brown

Has the Lutheran church continued on the way our Lutheran forefathers prepared for us?

NOTE: If you would like to have a copy of the weekly service propers to use with at home with our livestream Sunday Divine Services, please contact the church office.

7 Zion News

Zion Church Council Meeting – June 17, 2020 The Council meeting was called to order by President John Fink. Members in Attendance—Pastor Brown, Pastor Grimmer, John Fink, Larry Weigandt, Jerry Shank, Nick Bartscher, Doug Nelson, Bryan Titze, Shirley Baumgartel. Elder Adam Schulz. Devotion—Pastor Brown gave the devotion from the book of Divine Meditation. This was in the form of a prayer about the calling of pastors to serve people and congregations. Adoption of Agenda—The agenda was accepted as presented. Secretary’s Report—Motion made and seconded to accept the report. Motion passed. Treasurer’s Report—Doug Nelson reported the income and expenses of May. The expenses are as budgeted and the income has increased for the year. Some of the income and expenses were explained and the investment incomes were also explained. The motion was made and seconded to approve this report. Motion passed. Income for May 2020 Expenses for May 2020 $40,354.22 $25,697.39 Pastor Brown’s Report—No Report Pastor Grimmer’s Report – No Report Youth & Parish Education – No Report Elder’s Report—Adam Schulz gave this report. Official Acts—May 2020

Transferred Out—None Released from Membership—None Transferred In—None Received by Profession of Faith—None Received by Confirmation—None Marriages—None Baptisms-Keiper, Christopher Henry Cindy Keiper May 8, 2020 Keiper, Cadee Evelyn Cindy Keiper May 8, 2020 Keiper, Carla Marie Cindy Keiper May 8, 2020 Kriese, Ellie Lou Nathan & Natalie Kriese May 23, 2020 Funerals—Bult, Warren Died-May 4, 2020 Funeral-May 9, 2020

No issues to be brought to Council. Trustee’s Report—Bryan Titze reported that the trustees are looking into window well coverings and costs. Thank you to the volunteers who have been mowing the church lawns and a few more volunteers would be appreciated. Building/Building Finance Committee Report – Adam Schulz reported that an 8x11 size paper drawing will be sent with the newsletter for the members to view. The committee will be meeting to continue planning fund raisers also. Stewardship Committee—No report Old Business—None New Business— There is a need for a Brat Feed coordinator for the day of the event. The president asked if anyone would like to do this job. It was suggested that the donations from the Brat Feed be given to Our

8 Zion News

Zion Church Council Meeting – June 17, 2020 continued Home again this year. Motion made and seconded to donate this money from the Brat Feed to Our Home. Motion passed. Parade Float—The discussion of having a float for the Blue & White Day parade was presented. Also discussed was the possibility of having walkers also in the parade. The theme is still unknown as yet for this parade. This will be discussed further at the next Council meeting. Appointing Nominating Committee—Frank Luczak, Travis Schnabel, and Shirley Baumgartel have been asked to help with the nominating committee. The pastors and John Fink will also be on this committee and this meeting will be in August. The committee will be looking for trustees, elders, treasurer, financial secretary and secretary candidates. Next Council meeting—Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 7:30PM Motion to Adjourn—Motion made, seconded and passed. Closed with the Lord’s Prayer. Submitted by Council Secretary Shirley Baumgartel

9 Zion News

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Zion Lutheran Church is truly a blessed congregation in every way. We have a strong membership, many young

families and children, a dedicated church staff and leadership. Trustees that work diligently to ensure our facilities

reflect our congregation. Committees devoted to maintaining and improving our church in many areas. Sunday school

teachers focused on providing Christian education to our children and a group of elders committed to the spiritual

wellbeing of our congregants and called workers.

Perhaps the most important blessing we have are two wonderful Pastors that joyfully teach and preach the

unaltered Word of God in truth and purity. At Zion, we are blessed to hear the ageless message of God’s Law and Gospel

at a point in time when many churches are struggling to conform doctrine to social “norms” as well as the rise of non-

denominational services that offer only “feel good” messages devoid of God’s Truth. Our Pastors work tirelessly to fulfill

their primary mission every day of the week, providing Word and Sacrament Ministry to the members of Zion and

countless others who need to hear the message of God’s saving grace. This must always be their primary mission.

As is the case in most LCMS churches, our Pastors have been asked to perform additional duties as well, which they have

graciously agreed to. Over time, the number of these secondary duties have steadily increased, placing an unnecessary

strain on them and their families. The additional time commitments we have placed on our Pastors were recently

reviewed and after much prayerful consideration, the elders agree that the current situation is unsustainable. This

situation is certainly not unique to our congregation, nor is it overly difficult to correct. In January, District President

Scott Sailer was invited to speak to Zion’s church leaders to discuss the expectations placed on Pastors as well as the

steadily declining number of called workers in South Dakota. His presentation of facts was both alarming and

encouraging. It was alarming to hear the number of South Dakota LCMS churches that are currently without a full time

Pastor. Equally alarming was the number of South Dakota LCMS Pastors that have recently received call offers from

various churches throughout the country. It is common knowledge that in the past 6 months our own Pastor Grimmer

has received three calls and Pastor Brown has just accepted a call and will be leaving us in August. The issue of Pastor

burn-out is of such great concern that it was one of the major training topics for lay leaders at the Doxology Encore

seminar held in Donaldson, Indiana in early February. This Seminar was attended by a number of Zion’s church leaders

and the real-world examples of Pastoral burn-out that were presented further confirms our need to regularly assess and

when appropriate, implement changes which lessen the burden of our Pastors. To further gauge the workload we place

upon our Pastors, we conducted an informal survey with 6 other South Dakota congregations employing 2 Pastors. The

survey primarily focused on the number of evening commitments each Pastor has per month. Of the 6 congregations

surveyed, Zion finished in a tie with one other congregation for the greatest amount of evening commitments.

Conversations with the other top ranked congregation revealed that changes are being considered to ease the time

commitments of their Pastors as well.

It is a common belief that Pastors and their wives are somewhat superhuman and therefore less affected by the

stresses and worries that we experience in this sinful world. This belief is a lie, perpetuated by Satan in an attempt to

10 Zion News

wear down and burn out our called workers, and in doing so, tear down the congregation under their spiritual guidance.

Currently, our Pastors are averaging 60-hour workweeks and only able to be home for supper with their families 2-3 days

per week, or less. They deserve better than that, as do their wives and children. Pastors need the gift of TIME and REST,

a gift that we as a congregation can provide. If one of our greatest blessings is our called workers, then we should be

concerned for their care and wellbeing, just as they are for us. When asked, our Pastors have stated that it isn’t

necessarily the number of hours they work, but WHEN they are working that creates hardship. We have an opportunity

to make changes that will greatly improve the quality of life for our Pastors. As your church elders we have taken a hard

look at the weekly schedule including bible studies, group events, worship services and meetings. There are a few simple

changes that have been made which provide some immediate relief. These included consolidating a number of meetings

to the same weekday, reducing the frequency of some meetings, and excusing the Pastors attendance at certain others.

These changes have been transparent to most members. There is an additional proposal which offers many benefits that

ought to be considered. This proposal would involve moving the Saturday evening worship service to Wednesday

evening. Moving the service to Wednesday evening would allow them to be with their wives and children on Saturday

evening, and also make Saturday more productive when not preparing for an evening service. Since Wednesday is a

normal workday, it also provides a more natural transition from their spiritual day work in the office to the pulpit in the

evening. This proposed change to Wednesday evening would also provide additional benefits to the congregation, such

as:

- Improved church service access for divorced families that share weekend custody of children

- A midweek church service option for families involved in weekend sporting events

- Members who are unable to attend Sat/Sun services due to weekend work rotations would now have a

midweek option

We realize the last proposal, if adopted, will impact a fair number of the congregants’ current worship

preference. This is not a proposal we have taken lightly. We also understand that this proposed change will require

some of you to sacrifice your preferred worship day in order to accomplish the goals stated above. Many hours have

been devoted to analyzing our current church practices in order to find solutions that will provide mutual benefit to our

Pastors and members. Accompanying this letter is a short survey regarding this proposed change. We ask each of you to

prayerfully consider the change listed on the survey and provide your input no later than Sunday, July 5th. Finally, as

your church elders we want to hear from you as well as share with you our observations regarding the proposed

changes. We ask that you please contact any elder of your choosing to share your unique perspective on these

proposals so that we might have all information possible with which to make a decision.

Your Board of Elders;

Chris Foster, Adam Schulz, Jeff Schuldt, Doug Schley, Marvin Strand, Josh Schultz, Seth Weeman, & Russ Whaley

11 Zion News

Zion Service Times Survey

Before COVID-19 what was your preferred service time? a) Saturday 6:30 PM b) Sunday 8:00 AM c) Sunday 10:30 AM

Since COVID-19, have you attended a church service?

a) Yes b) No

If not, was it because of COVID-19 or other reasons? If so, which service time did you choose (circle all that apply)?

a) Daily Prayer b) Wednesday 6:30 PM c) Sunday 9:00 AM d) Sunday 10:30 AM

Was there a reason you attended the service you chose? Regarding the Daily Prayer service, which most applies to you?

1) I/we have attended a Daily Prayer service and will definitely come again 2) I/we have attended a Daily Prayer service and would consider coming again 3) I/we have attended a Daily Prayer service and would not consider coming again 4) I/we would be interested in attending a Daily Prayer service in the future 5) I/we have no interest in a Daily Prayer service

Regarding a Wednesday evening service, which most applies to you?

1) I/we have attended a Wednesday evening service and will definitely come again 2) I/we have attended a Wednesday evening service and would consider coming again 3) I/we have attended a Wednesday evening service and would not consider coming again 4) I/we would be interested in attending a Wednesday evening service in the future 5) I/we have no interest in a Wednesday evening service

What are your thoughts on the Wednesday service? If you attended Wednesday evening service, would you be willing to share the reason?

12 Zion News

Zion Service Times Survey - continued If we were to move the Saturday service to Wednesday, what service would you be most likely to attend?

a) Daily Prayer b) Wednesday 6:30 PM c) Sunday 9:00 AM d) Sunday 10:30 AM

With the recent announcement of a vacancy at our church we may have to temporarily adjust service times. During this time, what would be your preferred service schedule?

a) Wednesday service and one Sunday service b) Saturday service and one Sunday service c) Two Sunday services d) Other (please specify)

Any other comments?

Please return this survey to the offering plate at any church service

or to the church office

no later than Sunday, July 5. Thank you!

UP

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Existing Church

Conference Room

Pastor Office Pastor OfficePastor Office

Kitchen

Mens Women

SecretaryStorage

Sacristy

CustodialCloset

Ramp

Storage/Officeremovable wall ?

Zion Lutheran Church July 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 9:00 am Matins 6:30 pm Midweek Divine

Service-Limited 7:30 pm Board of Education

2 7:00 am Men's Bible Study 9:00 am Daily Prayer 10:00 am Staff Meeting

3 Office Closed

9:00 am Daily Prayer-Recorded

4 Independence Day

5 9:00 am Divine

Service-Livestream- Limited 10:30 am Divine Service- Limited

6 9:00 am Daily Prayer

7 9:00 am Daily Prayer

8 9:00 am Matins 6:30 pm Midweek Divine

Service-Limited 7:30 pm Elders Mtg

9 7:00 am Men's Bible Study 9:00 am Daily Prayer 10:00 am Staff Meeting

10 9:00 am Daily Prayer-Recorded

11

12 5th Anniversary of

Pastor Grimmer’s Ordination 9:00 am Divine

Service-Livestream- Limited 10:30 am Divine Service- Limited

13 9:00 am Daily Prayer

14 9:00 am Daily Prayer 11:00 am Winkel-Mitchell

15 9:00 am Matins 6:30 pm Midweek Divine

Service-Limited 7:30 pm Council Mtg

16 7:00 am Men's Bible Study 9:00 am Daily Prayer 10:00 am Staff Meeting

17 9:00 am Daily Prayer-Recorded

18 10:00 am Outreach

19 9:00 am Divine

Service-Livestream- Limited 10:30 am Divine Service- Limited

20 9:00 am Daily Prayer

21 9:00 am Daily Prayer

22 9:00 am Matins 4:00 pm Newsletter Deadline 6:30 pm Midweek Divine

Service-Limited

23 9:00 am Daily Prayer 10:00 am Staff Meeting

24 9:00 am Daily Prayer-Recorded

25

26 9:00 am Divine

Service-Livestream- Limited 10:30 am Divine Service- Limited 2:00 pm Confirmation Service

27 9:00 am Daily Prayer

28 9:00 am Daily Prayer 9:30 am Newsletter Assembly 2-6 pm Blood Drive

29 9:00 am Matins 6:30 pm Midweek Divine

Service-Limited

30 9:00 am Daily Prayer 10:00 am Staff Meeting

31 9:00 am Daily Prayer-Recorded

The Rev. Dr. Jastram serves as a manager for theological education in Asia for the LCMS based in Tokyo, Japan.

888-THE LCMS • lcms.org • infocenter@lcms.org |

JUNE 2020 IRIS GARDEN (TOKYO, JAPAN)

Serving the Lord in

ASIA News from the Jastrams

“I am not living in America right now, but not a day has gone by these past 3 months that I haven't felt a strong physical and emotional toll about what is happening and I continue to pray so much for our country and for the world…”

I read these words from one of our LCMS missionaries on social media the other week, which has reflected the reality for many of us missionaries far from home. In fact, until recently, I myself have found it difficult to write to you because of the distress of it all.

So, what has it been like? Dan and I watched throughout the days (your late afternoon and night) as events unfolded in the States, from the gut-wrenching video of George Floyd’s death to streets convulsed with protests followed by riots. Watching the live newscasts those early days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area was especially frightening because our three children and their families call it home (also our home of twenty-six years before

moving to Japan); it touched all of them in different ways, but has been particularly hard for our son-in-law, a police officer, and his family. We pray for wisdom in the days ahead as our country addresses the many factors fueling protests and unrest. (Peaceful protests have also taken place here in Tokyo, but have been quite small.)

How do we understand and move forward ourselves as Christians? We have appreciated words from our LCMS president that point us to God’s Word and our Lutheran Confessions about sin, justice and action. You can read President Harrison’s June 2nd statement in its entirety, but I will share two verses from the passage he quotes in his conclusion (and which will be our guide):

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony… And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:14,17 ESV).

From Afar, But Close to the Heart

888-THE LCMS • lcms.org • infocenter@lcms.org |

GOOD NEWS//BAD NEWS

The good news in our life: just last week, Tokyo lifted the last of its restrictions with nearly all businesses able to reopen––including those popular karaoke parlors, which definitely need special coronavirus protection measures in place. They set very stringent criteria to meet before restrictions were lifted. Daily infections in all of Japan are now typically under 100 these days; in Tokyo, in the 20’s when restrictions were lifted. (For comparison’s sake, the US reports daily cases in the tens of thousands, with a population roughly two and a half times as large as Japan.)

The bad news: a re-entry ban for non-Japanese residents is in place, except for humanitarian reasons. This means that while Dan and I are free to leave Japan, we currently would not be free to return to our Tokyo home. My once or twice annual trips to the States as well as Dan’s work travel are not yet possible for the time being. Nearly all other nations currently allow long-term residents to travel abroad and return to their current residence. Pray that the government lifts this ban soon!

THE WORK

Theological educators in Asia (which you support!) continue to find avenues for sharing our legacy of solid Lutheran resource materials where they currently work and live, despite a current project budget freeze. In reports Dan has received from these men, we can be encouraged to hear that in Cambodia, grants not only provided urgent mercy work (food for those hard-hit by the pandemic), but also Lutheran literature resources and encouragement for Cambodian Lutheran pastors.

Other examples include Taiwan, where work is being finalized for an official Chinese partner–church synodical version of Luther’s Catechism. And, of course, Dan continues with his Japanese contacts, which include options for a Large Catechism version as well as Walther’s Law and Gospel.

Thank you for walking aside us throughout all the many shared challenges we face! And now may God grant you strength, patience and steadfastness as you cling to His word and promises!

~Dan and Joan Jastram daniel.jastram@lcms.org

SPECIAL THANKS TO:• South Dakota District

congregations and pastors for their sacrificial giving!

WE PRAISE GOD FOR:• God’s blessings of His clear

teaching as witnessed in our Catechism.

• Concord in doctrine and practice as we work with various partner church bodies.

PLEASE PRAY FOR: • Continued good health and

protection as we live and work in Japan.

• the emotional and physical wellbeing of our LCMS missionaries, especially those living in challenging environments because of the pandemic._________________________

NEWSLETTERS INFOWant to catch up? Here’s our archive link: tiny.cc/dvv9izWant to self subscribe? Go here: http://eepurl.com/ddOobf

To be ADDED or REMOVED from our mailing list, you can also send an email message to daniel.jastram@lcms.org with the word ADD or REMOVE in the subject line.

Asia Life and Work During the Pandemic

To support the LCMS through the work of Daniel Jastram, you may send a tax-deductible gift to:

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod P.O. Box 66861 St. Louis, MO 63166-6861

Make checks payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Mark checks “Support of Asia-Jastram.”

Gifts can also be given securely online through the LCMS website, on my online giving page at lcms.org/givenow/jastram.