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VOLUME1,NUMBER2 EASTER2016

INTHISISSUE…

ASingleSplutteringCandle 2................................................EbytownBrassBandConcert 2.............................................VacationBibleSchool 3.........................................................FromtheChairman 3.............................................................MyOldTypewriter 4..............................................................BackgroundtotheHymn 4...................................................

Tidbits 5..................................................................................ReformationCountdown 5...................................................MessiahYouthChoir 5...........................................................GodandHisCreationareGood! 6........................................LinesfromLuther 6...............................................................TheLastWord 6.....................................................................

theseasonalnewsletterof

MESSIAHEVANGELICALLUTHERANCHURCH700GlenForrestBoulevardWaterloo,ONN2L4K6PastorJimHeinbuch

519.884.3849www.messiahwaterloo.ca

519-498-1709

AcongregationoftheLutheranChurch-Canada

DearSaintsofMessiah,

InourconversationinthelastClarionwelookedattheterm“evangelical”anditsvariousmeanings.Thistimewewilltakealookatthenextwordinourname:MessiahEvangelicalLutheranChurch.Justwhatdoes‘Lutheran’mean?

FirstwerecognizethatthewordmeansaChristianwhofollowstheScriptureastaughtbyMartinLuther.LutherwasconcernedwiththeteachingthatapersongetstoheavenbytheloveofGodinChrist.ALutheranbelievesthatonedoesnothingtoearnheaven:itisafreegift.

FoundationalforLutheranteachingarethe“threesolas”.‘Sola’istheLatinwordfor‘alone’.First,weproclaimthatoursalvationisbygracealone.ItcomesasafreegiftfromGod.Second,webelievethatwereceivethisfreegiftfromGodbyfaithalone.Andthird,webelievewegettoknowaboutJesusandHisfreegiftofsalvationthroughHislife,death,resurrectionandascensionthroughhearingandreadingtheScriptures.

LutheransalsorecognizethatthiswonderfulfreegiftcomestothembecauseGodtheFa-ther’sonlySontookonhumanfleshandbloodtopaytheprice

ofeternalhellforoursalva-tion.Hechannelsthisgift

ofeternallifetousthroughtheWordofGod(theBible),Baptism,andtheLord’sSupper.

Thisiswhywesaythattobea

LutheranistobeaChristian.Thetwodifferentwordsmeanthesamething.Weproudlybearthename‘Lutheran’becausethewordgivesallglorytoGod.

YoursinChrist,

PastorJimHeinbuch

THECLARION Easter2016PAGE2

FROMTHEEDITOR…ASingleSplutteringCandle

“Thedeepestdarknessinthewholeworldcanbedri-venoutbyasinglesplutteringcandle.”

Idon’tknowwherethatquoteisfrom,butitlivesinthedistantrecessesofmymemory.

It bringsme tomindof thedaysofmy childhood.My parents had a cottage in the Muskokas, on asmall lake. The lots on our side of the lake werejoined togetherbya foot-path thatwewould takeaswevisitedbackandforthintheevenings.Some-timeswewouldstaylater,playingcardsandlaugh-ing until darkness had fallen; on those evenings Iwouldcarryasmallredkerosenelantern.Itdidn’tgive much light, but it gave enough to illumi-nate the path, and keep us from stumbling;anditgaveusasenseofsecurity.

“Asinglesplutteringcandle.”Notmuchofalightsource,really;yetitisenoughtobanishthedarkness–andhowmuchmorecouldthelight of thousands of brightly burningwicksput darkness into its proper place? To saynothingof thestars, themoon,or theblazingbrightnessofthesun?Thedarkness–sofearedfor so long by so many – is shown its rightful in-significancewhenconfrontedbyeventheweakestoflights.

Think now of the darkness of sin,which seems toblanketsomuchoflife.Itisadeep,deepdarkness,enveloping us all, immersing us in its malignantpower;sin,thetoolsoftradeofthePrinceofDark-ness,Satanhimself.

Thedarknessofsinwouldseektoconvinceusthatresistance is useless; that evil has conquered; thatthe few lingering remnants of good that can beseenare in theirfinaldeath throes;andthatGod’splan of redemption is at best a failure, atworst acrueljokeoranon-event.

Even Scripture recounts for us the power of dark-nessinitstellingofJesus’crucifixion:

When it was noon, darkness came over thewhole land until three in the afternoon. Atthreeo’clockJesuscriedoutwithaloudvoice,‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means,‘My God, my God, why have you forsakenme?’(Mark15:33-34)

Darkindeed,whentheSonofGodfeelsforsakenbyHisFather.

So, inthemidstofthatdarkness,whatisGod’sresponse?Inaword,Easter.

Easterpresentsus–notwithasinglesplutter-ing candle – butwith theblazingbrightnessof the rising Son! The glory of the resurrec-tion is that the veryworst that Satan coulddohasbeenbrought tonothingbyour Sav-iourJesusandHisvictoryonEastermorning.

ThefurthergloryofEasteristhat,throughbap-tism,wehavebeenjoinedtoJesus;thatbyfaith

weshare inJesus’victory–share in itaswestrug-gle throughthis lifenow,andshare in itasweareimmersedinitfullyinthelifetocome.

Finally,asdisciplesoftherisenLord,Eastercallsusto live as childrenof light, shining in thedarkness,pointingotherstothetrueLightoftheWorld.

PaulHartig,Editor

Band ConcertJoin Us for a Great Time!

Sunday, May 15 at 2:30 pm

Messiah Lutheran ChurchRefreshments Served Free-Will Offering


Preparationforthisyear’sVacationBibleSchoolcontinues.Theleadershavetheirguidebooks,manyofthehelpersareinplace(althoughwecanalwaysusemore!),andplansforthisyear’sgames,crafts,storiesandmusicareunderway.

So,what’slefttodo?Well,westillneedthehelpofeverymemberofMessiah!

Spreadthewordaboutthisyear’sVBStopar-entsandkidsyouknow!

WatchtheweeklyannouncementsandTheMessengerandofferyourhelpasneedsarise!

PrayerfullyaskyourselfhowyoucanuseyourgiftstosharetheGoodNewsofJesuswithtoday’syouth!

WhyisVacationBibleSchoolsoimportant?Thinkabouttheworldinwhichouryoungpeopleareliv-ing.ReadthenewspapersandwatchtheTVnews.Itisatough,toughworld,andGodseemstohaveanever-smallerplaceinit.Manyoftoday’skidsarenotraisedinchurch-goingfamilies;thepublicschoolsystemhasdoneitsbesttoeliminateGod;andso-cialmediahasbecomeadominant—andall-too-oftenunhealthy—influence.Today’syoungpeopleneedsomebodytoshareJesuswiththem!

HOWARETHEYTOCALLONONEINWHOMTHEYHAVENOTBELIEVED? AND HOW ARE THEY TO BELIEVE IN ONE OFWHOMTHEYHAVENEVERHEARD?ANDHOWARETHEYTOHEARWITHOUT SOMEONE TO PROCLAIMHIM?AND HOWARETHEYTOPROCLAIMHIMUNLESSTHEYARESENT?ASITIS WRITTEN, ‘HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSEWHOBRINGGOODNEWS!’(Romans10:14-15)

Ifnotyou,thenwho?Canwecountonyoutodoyourpart?

VACATIONBIBLESCHOOLUPDATE

soon…..andsoon….andsoon.

AtthepresenttimeyourchurchcounciliscarryingonwithoutaTreasurerandwithonlyoneTrustee.Thevacantpositionsarebeingdonebyothersoncouncil,buthavingonlythreevotingmembersplusthechairman,isnotinthebestinterestofthecon-gregationandcannotgoonindefinitely.

AswelltheBoardofEldersisinneedofsomenewandadditionalmembers,assomecurrentEldershaveservedinthatpositionforalengthyperiodoftime.

IstronglyurgeeachandeverymembertoconsidergivingofyourtimeandtalentstoserveourLord,andtoserveMessiahinthistimeofneed.Wearecurrentlyintheprocessofsettingaslatefortheelectionsof2016.Pleasemakeiteasierforyournominationscommitteetofilltheslatebysaying“YES”whenaskedtoletyournamestand.

HavingoutlinedMessiah’sneedsindetailabove,Imusttakethisopportunitytothankallthosevolun-teerswhodiligentlyserveonMessiah’svariousboards,committeesandworkparties,givingfreelyoftheirtimetoourLord.Youknowwhoyouare,andIthankyouforyourhardworkanddedication.

MikeEmrich,Chairman

AlthoughI’mstillreasonablynewtoMessiahandamslowlygettingtoknowitsmembersanditshistory,I’mnotnewtothechairman’spositioninacongregationofLutheranChurch-CanadahavingheldthepositionformanyyearsinRichmond,BC.

Thechallengesfacingcongregationsareprettymuchthesame,beitinWaterlooorontheWestCoastofCanada…gettingpeopletovolunteerforpositionsonboards,financialdifficultiesanddwindlingattendanceandmembership.

WeatMessiahcontinuetobefacedwiththesethreemajorchallenges,whichfeedoffeachotherandmakethingsevenmoredifficult.

Nothavingenoughvolunteerstofillpositionsthusmakingitdifficultforthoseonboardstodotheworknecessary,resultinginfewerprogramsbeingoffered.Fewerprogramsbeingofferedleadstolessincentivefornewpeopletojoinusforworshipandmoremem-bersfallingbythewaysidebecauseoflackofinterest.Fewerpeopleworshippingwithusleadstofewervol-unteersandfewerofferingstofundprograms…and

From theChairman


MYOLDTYPEWRITER…THEFOLLOWINGWASPRINTEDINACHURCH

MAGAZINEINYORKSHIRE,ENGLAND:

Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works wxll xnough xxcxpt for onx of thx kxys. I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux thxrx arx forty-fivx kxys that

function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs all thx diffxrxncx. So, thx nxxt timx you think that you arx

only onx pxrson and that your xffort is not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr, and say to yoursxlf, “I am a kxy pxrson. Thx Lord nxxds mx.” Indeed, we

do all count!

TWOQUESTIONS:WHATGIFTSHASGODGIVENYOU?HOWAREYOUUSINGTHEMTOSERVEHIM?

stanzas,whichappearedinhiscollectionHymnsandSacredLyrics.Thehymn’spresentformin-cludesstanzaspennedbyeachman.Thetune,‘Di-ademata’(whichistheGreekwordfor‘crown’)wascomposedespeciallyforthistextbyGeorgeElvey,anotedorganistatSt.George’sChapelinWindsor,England,whereBritishroyaltyoftenworship.

Letyoursoulrejoiceinthetruththatyouarerelat-edtotheOne“whodiedeternallifetobring,andlivesthatdeathmaydie.”WorshipandpraiseJesuswiththesewonderfulwordsandthispowerfultune!

PleasereadRomans14:9,Hebrews2:7-10,andReve-lation1:5-6,5:11-14&19:1.

“Hiseyesarelikeblazingfire,andonHisheadaremanycrowns...Heisdressedinarobedippedinblood,andHisnameistheWordofGod.”(Revelation19:12-13)

“JesusChrist:thecondescensionofdivinityandtheexaltationofhumanity.”(PhillipsBrooks)

TheOnewhoborethecrownofthornswhileonthecrossisnowcrownedwith“manycrowns”asthereigningmonarchofheaven.EachcrowninthishymntextexaltsChristforsomespecificaspectofHispersonorministry:stanzaoneforHiseternalkingship;stanzatwoforHislowlybirthinBethle-hem;stanzathreeforHislovedemonstratedinre-demptivesuffering;stanzafourforHisvictoriousresurrectionandascension;stanzafiveforHiscom-ingreignofpeaceinalltheworld;andstanzasixasamemberoftheTriuneGodheadeverworthyofwor-shipandpraise.

ThisworshipfultextisthecombinedeffortoftwodistinguishedAnglicanclergy,eachofwhomdesiredtowriteahymnofexaltationtooursufferingbutnowvictoriousLord.MatthewBridges’versionfirstappearedin1851withsixstanzas.Twenty-threeyearslaterGodfreyThringwrotesixadditional

Backgroundto the Hymn

Crown Himwith Many Crowns

CrownHimwithmanycrowns,theLambuponthethrone;Hark,howtheheavenlyanthemdrownsallmusicbutitsown.Awake,mysoul,andsingofHimwhodiedforthee,AndhailHimasthymatchlesskingthroughalleternity.

CrownHimthevirgin’sSon,theGodincarnateborn,WhosearmthosecrimsontrophieswonwhichnowHisbrowadorn;Fruitofthemysticrose,yetofthatrosethestem,TheRootwhencemercyeverflows,theBabeofBethlehem.

CrownHimtheLordoflove–beholdHishandsandside,Richwounds,yetvisibleabove,inbeautyglorified.Noangelsintheskycanfullybearthatsight,Butdownwardbendtheirburningeyesatmysteriessobright.

CrownHimtheLordoflife,whotriumphedo’erthegraveAndrosevictoriousinthestrifeforthoseHecametosave.Hisgloriesnowwesing,whodiedandriseonhigh,Whodied,eternallifetobring,andlivesthatdeathmaydie.

CrownhimtheLordofpeace,whosepow’rasceptreswaysFrompoletopole,thatwarsmaycease,absorbedinprayerandpraise.Hisreignshallknownoend,androundHispiercèdfeetFairflowersofparadiseextendtheirfragranceeversweet.

CrownHimtheLordofyears,thepotentateoftime,Creatoroftherollingspheres,ineffablysublime.Allhail,Redeemer,hail!Forthouhastdiedforme;Thypraiseandgloryshallnotfailthroughouteternity.

DearestLordJesus,Youaloneareworthytowearthemanycrownsofwhichthishymnspeaks.Maywe,Yourfollowers,everhailYouasourLordandKing,andliveourlivesbearingwitnesstoYou,theAuthoroflife.WeprayinYourname.Amen✜


Tidbits(creditAnnLanders) Actualanswersgivenbychildrenonatestofbiblicalknowledge:

• Noah’swifewasJoanofArk

• Lot’swifewasapillarofsaltbydayandaballoffirebynight

• MosesclimbedtothetopofMountCyanide

• Thesixthcommandmentis“Thoushaltnotadmitadultery”

• JoshualedtheBattleofGeritol

• JesuswasbornbecauseMaryhadanimmacu-latecontraption

• ThepeoplewhofollowedJesuswerecalledthe12Decibels

• Theepistleswerethewivesoftheapostles

• OneoftheopossumswasSt.Matthew

• Paulpreachedacrimony,whichisanothernameformarriage

• DavidfoughtagainsttheFinkelsteins

• TheJewishpeoplewerealwaysstrugglingagainsttheGenitals

• AChristianshouldonlyhaveonewife(thisiscalled‘monotony’)

Heythere,youthofMessiah!Sofarwe’vehadthreeofyouexpressaninterestinjoiningourYouthChoir,andoneotherwhomight!That’sastart!

Sohowaboutyou?Wouldyoubeinterestedinjoin-ingtoo?Ifyou’reoldenoughtoread,you’reoldenoughtojoin!BasedontheawesomesingingIheareveryyearatVacationBibleSchool,Iknowthatthere’salotoftalentoutthere;andgettingtogetherwithotherswhoenjoysingingisalwaysfun.WewillhaveafirstpracticeafterEasteronaSundaymorningat9:30(watchtheannouncementsfortheexactdate).

Whataboutit?Canwecountyouintoo?Singingisalwaysfun,andthemoresingersthemorefun.

Jointhefun!JointheYouthChoir!

MESSIAHYOUTHCHOIR

Weareinthemiddleofthecountdowntocelebratethe500thAnniversaryofthebirthoftheReforma-tion.OnOctober31,1517MartinLutherissupposedtohavenailedthe95The-sestotheChurchDoorinWittenberg.Thisdoorwas

thelocalbulletinboardandLuther’sstatementsweremeantfordiscussionforthelocaltheologians,andnotthefirebranditwasdestinedtobecome.

AshortTimeLine:• 1483—MartinLutherwasborn• 1505—TroubledMartinLutherentersthe

monastery• 1512—MartinLutherbecomesaDoctorof

TheologypromisingtoteachtheScriptures• 1517—Thenailingofthe95Theses• 1520—MartinLutherdeclaredahereticand

excommunicated• 1521—MartinLutherdeclaredanoutlaw• 1522—LuthertranslatestheNewTestament

(1536,theOldTestament)• 1525—Luthermarriesaformernun,Katharine

vonBora• 1529—AMightyFortressisourGodiswritten• 1529—ThepublishingoftheSmallandLarge

Catechisms• 1537—Wrotethelastwillandtestamentof

hisfaith—theSmalcaldArticles• 1546—Lutherdiedinthetowninwhichhe

wasborn.

TheCountdown:TherewillbespecialarticlesintheCanadianLutheran.WehopetobeginplanningaspecialrallyhereintheTri-Cities.Therewillbemonthlyspecialsaswegetclosertothe500thnextyear.AtimelineoftheReformationwillbepostedsooninthenarthex.ReadinglistswillbeavailableforthosewhowishtolearnmoreabouttheRef-ormation.TherewillbeaReformationCornerinthenarthexwithvariousReformationpamphlets,videosandbooksforyoungandoldalike.Therewillbespecialservicesinthenext18months.TheRef-ormationisspecialinmanydifferentways.ItchangedthewaypeoplethinkandlivebothintheChurchandtheworldatlarge.ForusthemaineventistheemphasisontheGospeloffreegraceinJesusChristourLord.

MayGodblessourcelebrationwithHisWordandgrace.PastorJimHeinbuch


1John4:4:"You,dearchildren,arefromGodandhaveovercomethem[thefalseprophetsandspiritsofthisworld],becausetheOnewhoisinyouisgreaterthantheonewhoisintheworld."

Hebrews13.6:"Sowecanconfi-dentlysay,'TheLordismyhelper;Iwillnotfear;whatcanmandotome?'"

Ephesians4.31-32:"Letallbitternessandwrathandangerandclamourandslanderbeputawayfromyou,alongwithallmalice.Bekindtooneanother,tender-hearted,forgivingoneanother,asGodinChristfor-gaveyou."

1Peter3.9:"Donotrepayevilwithevilorinsultwithinsult.Onthecontrary,repayevilwithblessing,be-causetothisyouwerecalledsothatyoumayinher-itablessing."

Proverbs17.22:"Ajoyfulheartisgoodmedicine,butacrushedspiritdriesupthebones."

10BIBLEPASSAGESTOREMINDYOUTHAT GODANDHISCREATIONAREGOOD!

Psalm139.14:"IpraiseYoubecauseIamfearfullyandwonderfullymade;Yourworksarewonderful,I

knowthatfullwell."

Philippians4.8:"Finally,brothers,whateveristrue,whateverishonourable,whateverisjust,whateverispure,whateverislovely,whateveriscommendable,ifthereisanyexcellence,ifthereisanythingworthyofpraise,thinkaboutthesethings."

2Peter3.9:"TheLordisnotslowinkeepingHispromise,assomeunderstandslowness.InsteadHeispatientwithyou,notwantinganyonetoperish,buteveryonetocometorepentance."

Romans8.28:"AndweknowthatinallthingsGodworksforthegoodofthosewholoveHim,whohavebeencalledaccordingtohispurpose."

Ephesians3.20-21:"NowtoHimwhoisabletodoimmeasurablymorethanallweaskorimagine,ac-cordingtoHispowerthatisatworkwithinus,toHimbegloryinthechurchandinChristJesusthroughoutallgenerations,foreverandever!Amen."

✤ “OurLordhaswrittenthepromiseofresurrection,notinbooksalone,butineveryleafinspringtime.”

✤“Knowyethen—sin,death,devil,andeverythingthatassailsme—thatyouaremissingthemark.Iamnotoneofthosewhoareafraidofyou.ForChrist,mydearLord,haspresent-edtomethattriumphandvictoryofhisbywhichyouwerelaidlow.Andfromthisverygiftof

HisIderivemynameandamcalledaChristian.Thereisnootherreason.MysinanddeathhungaboutHisneckonGoodFriday,butonthedayofEastertheyhadcompletelydisappeared.ThisvictoryHehasbestowedonme.ThisiswhyIdonotworryaboutyou.”

✤ “Whenthedevilthrowsyoursinsinyourfaceanddeclaresthatyoudeservedeathandhell,tellhimthis:‘IadmitthatIdeservedeathandhell,whatofit?ForIknowOnewhosufferedandmadesatisfac-tiononmybehalf.HisnameisJesusChrist,SonofGod,andwhereHeisthereIshallbealso!’”

LINESFROMLUTHER A few words to ponder from Martin Luther

Thisbringsustotheendofthesecond

issueofTheClarion.WiththecelebrationofEaster,anditspromiseofnewlife,coupledwiththereturnofthebudsandwarmthofSpring,thereissomuchforwhichtogivethanks,andsomuchreasontobehopeful!OpenyourhearttotheglorywhichGodhasshowereduponyou,andrejoiceintheRisenLord!Seeyouinchurch!

THELASTWORD