Reformation Devotion

Imagine the Fear…Experience the Joy!

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”

Romans 1:17

Imagine growing up believing Jesus to be an angry Judge demanding absolute perfection and threatening eternal punishment for anything less. Imagine growing up praying to other human beings long since dead, rather than to Jesus. Imagine growing up thinking that the only way to get to heaven was by being good enough to appease God’s wrath. Imagine growing up and being taught that to be good enough you needed a power called “infused grace” from God, but in order to obtain that power you had to love that angry, threatening Judge with a pure and holy love. Imagine being led to believe that the best way to please God was never to marry or have children, but rather to join a religious organization after giving up all your worldly possessions. Imagine being encouraged to beat yourself and to abuse yourself all in the name of trying to make yourself pleasing to God. Imagine trying to spend your entire life trying to be good enough to stand before a holy God and always realizing deep down that you would never be good enough. Imagine the fear of such a life!

Does that sound like the type of life you would like to live? That was the life Martin Luther lived as he grew up. Luther grew up believing Jesus to be an angry Judge and praying to the saints instead of Jesus. Luther entered a monastery hoping thereby to purify his soul and beating himself trying to be good enough to merit God’s infused grace. His problem, however, was that he could not bring himself to love such an angry God. How could he love such a God?

Put yourself in Luther’s place as we look at our text. The idea of the “righteousness of God” had always frightened Luther, because in his mind that righteousness was a hopeless demand upon his soul—be perfect or else! Imagine the sense of joy that Luther experienced when during his study of this verse of Scripture, the Holy Spirit led him to understand that the righteousness of which Paul is speaking is not a demand by God upon man, but rather a gift from God to man. Imagine the change this wrought in Luther. Instead of an angry God only too anxious to condemn, Luther now saw a loving God, who through the life and death of His own dear Son had justified mankind and declared him righteous through faith. As Luther later testified, when the Holy Spirit led him to this understanding of the gospel message it was like the doors of heaven were opened. He no longer had to fear; he no longer had to be uncertain; he could now look to God for comfort, for security, for hope and certainty regarding the future. What joy Luther experienced!

It is difficult for any of us here to imagine how Luther must have felt as he grew up and as he was led to understand the gospel message. But I would hope that we would be led by that same Spirit to recognize the blessed nature of the gospel. I would hope that we would be led to treasure God’s Word and cherish the thought that we can as Luther later wrote, “call upon our dear Father, even as dear children call upon their fathers.” My dear friends—experience the joy!

— Pastor Paul D. Nolting

Foreign Missions

Severe Flooding in India Decimates Our Brethren in the CLCI

Recent severe flooding in India has caused untold hardship for millions of people. It has happened in Andhra Pradesh State, where our fellow believers of the CLCI live. As Pastor Jyothi Benjamin reports below, there are 3 known deaths among CLCI members due to the flooding. 12 congregations and 36 preaching stations have been severely damaged. Many families have been left homeless and without basic necessities such as food, clothing, and clean drinking water.

We are, therefore, making an appeal to our CLC people for immediate help to be sent to the CLCI. Please make your check out to “CLC MDF” and include it with your regular church offering. Or, you may send it directly to: CLCI Flood Relief, 501 Grover Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701.

—In Christ, the CLC Board of Missions

In Christ, dear brothers,

We regret to write you about recent floods, which occurred in the month of September, 2009. The four days of torrential rains and flash floods have killed nearly 200 people, and left tens of thousands homeless. We regret to inform you that Rev. G.Anandarao, our CLCI Pastor from Seethanagaram congregation, has died accidentally due to the flood effect.  Also it is with deep sadness that we report that two of our members from Repalle area CLCI congregations have died due to these heavy floods. 12 of our congregations and 36 stations were severely affected by the flood devastation. Heavy floods swamped their houses and paddy fields, damaging the crop, besides washing away road links to the village. Our members of the above congregations have given everything into our Lord’s hands.

We have been visiting the affected CLCI congregations and preaching stations to review the situation. The scenario is grim and heart rending. Hundreds of canals and drains have been overflowing, causing severe damage to the houses. Even drinking water has become a serious problem. We have made some immediate efforts to set up relief measures. Over 30 bags of rice (220 lbs. each) have been dispatched to the flooded CLCI congregations. Also we are trying to provide plates, tumblers and sleeping mats, towels, blankets, medicines and emergency used clothing. There are nearly 500 CLCI members who are victims of this devastation. We are humbly requesting all the respected CLC members to extend liberal assistance to relieve the hardships being faced by our members of the CLCI, who are battered by the flash floods. Please help us.   Thank you very much.

I remain yours in His grace,
Pastor Jyothi Benjamin

Photos from Jyothi Benjamin can be seen by going to the Missions link at the CLC website: www.clclutheran.org

Thanksgiving Worship Services

Thanksgiving Eve
Wednesday, November 25, 7:00 p.m.

Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 26, 9:30 a.m.

The voters of Immanuel have designated the Thanksgiving offering to be divided equally between Immanuel’s General Fund and Missions, with a $10,000 cap to the Missions offering.

Book Fair

Around the Corner!

The ILS Scholastic Book Fair is just around corner.

Please join us!

Thursday, November 5 from 6-8 p.m.
We will have root beer floats, face painting, coloring, a Scavenger Hunt, and other activities.

Sunday, November 8 after church until 1 p.m.
Browse the Book Fair and enjoy sloppy joes and other refreshments.

A book fair is an event that enables students and their families to purchase quality books at reasonable prices. These purchases help our school accumulate funds to purchase classroom books and educational materials. Last year we were able to purchase over $900 of materials for our school.

Please Note: While the Book Fair Committee reviews the books and removes those with objectionable and questionable content, the committee cannot know the content of every book. Therefore, we ask families to use their own discretion in choosing books at the Fair.

Immanuel Ambassadors’
Schedule of Events

The Immanuel Ambassadors is Immanuel’s youth group of high school age youth and older. The following events are currently scheduled. Details for each will appear in the bulletin.

Mark your calendars and join us!

Date: November 1
Event: Trip to Eden Prairie Church, Science Museum, and Titanic exhibit (see details below).

Date: November 13
Event: Game Night

Date: December 18 (pending arena availability)
Event: Christmas Party & Ice Skating

Date: December 20
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Event: Sunday Night Football on the big screen: MN vs. Carolina. Shown by permission of the NFL.

Date: December 28
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Event: Monday Night Football on the big screen: MN vs. Chicago. Shown by permission of the NFL.

Date: January 22-24
Event: Whitewater Winter Camp

Immanuel Ambassadors

12-hour Titanic Voyage

Date: November 1

Cost: $30 adult, $26 (children 4-12) – includes museum admission, omnitheater, and transportation

Itinerary:

Sign-up and Payment Deadline: Wednesday, October 28th

Please call Pastor Eichstadt or church office for questions / more details

Update on Local Kingdom Work

Elected to the Church Council for service in 2010

Board of Property
Ron Anderson
John Heinze

Board of Deacons
Gary Hanel
Steve Wolle

Board of Education
Paul Salmon
Ted Schreyer

Board of Finance
Mark Redlin

Immanuel Lutheran School's Drama Club presents...

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

Drama
by Celeste Respanti

Friday, November 20
Dinner Theater: 6:00 p.m.
Ticket information will be published in the bulletin

Saturday, November 21
7:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 22
2:00 p.m.

ILS Drama — Behind the Scenes

The production of the ILS Fall drama play involves student actors, set-workers, lighting and sound, etc. However, we are also in need of adult leaders who can provide some of the necessary support which students cannot do and also to assist them in other areas. The following is a partial list of areas and ways that you could become involved with this Fall’s production. If you can volunteer in one or more of these areas, or in other ways not listed, please contact Pastor Eichstadt or the school office.

• Directing opportunities
• Sound system — to ensure the audience can hear well
• Set design
• Set construction
• Costumes
• Makeup
• Publicity - help get the word out via news release, posters, etc.
• Cast dinner on Dress Rehearsal night
• Dinner Theater
  • Producer (oversees and coordinates Dinner Theater)
  • Dining Room preparation
  • Cook
  • Supervision of wait-staff
• … and more!

2010 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Fifty years ago Immanuel congregation was very instrumental in the formation of our church body, and today we remain a key component of our CLC. Fifty years ago Immanuel congregation established Immanuel Lutheran College, which after the formation of the CLC was entrusted to the control of our newly established synod.

Today your two pastors serve as Moderator and Secretary of the CLC, and members of our congregation have served and continue to serve on key synodical boards and committees.

Our God has graciously blessed both the CLC and Immanuel congregation during the last fifty years. The ministries entrusted to us have flourished as dedicated individuals have undertaken the opportunities God has presented us. Fifty years ago Immanuel Lutheran College began in a renovated country school house and in makeshift classrooms in the basement of our church with just a handful of students. Today it is located on a 75 acre campus in Eau Claire, with an enrollment of approximately 150, and where recently a new classroom/administration/library building was dedicated. For that we praise God! Fifty years ago the CLC worked in one foreign mission field. Today we are blessed to work in twelve! Again, for that we praise God!

Throughout the next twelve months special observances will be held marking this jubilee year in our synodical and congregational history, culminating in a special 50th Anniversary Area CLC Reformation Service to be held here next October 31, 2010. A special anniversary fund has been established to which we are all free to contribute throughout the next year. The fund will help increase the size of our Immanuel Lutheran College Student Aid Endowment Fund enabling, we pray, more students to take advantage of the education offered at our Immanuel Lutheran College. More information on that anniversary fund together with contribution envelopes will be available at the beginning of the new year.

May God bless our anniversary by sending His Spirit to lead us to rededicate ourselves to the work of His kingdom!

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting

Families in Need

During the last several months we have been able to help several individuals and families of our congregation (as well as a few outside the congregation) with financial assistance either in gifts or in loans from our Benevolent Fund. Being able to help others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ, is indeed a great blessing. The following are the current needs:

1. Benevolent Fund donations.
2. Someone with the necessary knowledge and skill to lead a re-roofing crew on a garage/shed for a financially-strained member. Materials supplied.
3. A used dryer to replace a failed dryer in the home of a financially strained family.

Please phone the church office for more information or to offer your assistance.

Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:9-10