Pastor David Nehrenz
tlcnormanpastor@gmail.com
Dear Saints in Christ,
This month we celebrate two of the very important festivals in the Christian Church – the day of Pentecost and the revelation of the Holy Trinity.
The day of Pentecost is recorded in (Acts 2:1-4) “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The revelation of the Holy Trinity is found throughout the Bible and very clearly in (Matthew 28:18-20) “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are Christians today because of what happened on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on all the nations. The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of Holy Scriptures so that we can read it and hear it preached. The same Spirit has created faith in our hearts through the proclamation of the Gospel.
Our faith is centered on and grounded in the Holy Trinity – The Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us and the Spirit who sanctifies us. We were created in the image of God. We had lost that true image through the fall of man into sin. We are recreated in Holy Baptism to be restored to that image again. In heaven we will see God in all his splendor, beauty and holiness. What a day that will be!
See you at church in the divine services this month as we rejoice, praise and exult our glorious Lord!
In Jesus,
Pastor David Nehrenz
Vicar David Keating
tlcnormanvicar@gmail.com
Summer is a time that most of us look forward to. It means that the kids are home from school, the outdoors are once again welcoming, and that vacation time is on the way. We can think of summer as that time when the outdoors are renewed, the flowers are in full bloom, and our yards are buzzing with the activity of wildlife.
The Church banners and altar paraments are now similarly draped in green. The season after Pentecost, which we are about to enter into, is that part of the liturgical year in which we focus on spiritual growth. We focus on the ways in which we are sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit and bound together in one, holy Christian and apostolic Church.
Just as we “dig deep” in our gardens during the beautiful summer months in order to encourage our garden’s good growth, I would also encourage you to “dig deep” into prayer life and into the life of the Church. Take the time to rest in the work of our savior during these summer months, but also look for the many ways His life-giving passion renews and strengthens our spiritual growth during this time too!
In Christ,
Vicar David Keating
