May 7, 2024
Dear Friends,
A whole bunch of things:
1) Join the St. Cloud Circuit for worship at 7pm on Thursday at St. Paul’s – Eden Valley. It’s Ascension Day! 40 days after Easter we celebrate the enthronement of Jesus at the right hand of the Father where he intercedes for us as our savior and brother.
2) Since the Ascension service is on Thursday, Elders and Council will meet on Wednesday at 6pm and 7pm.
3) We have a couple Confirmations this Sunday! Come along this Sunday (May 12) as Ty Mielke and Donovan Figallo are confirmed in the Christian faith! Pray for these two young men, and welcome them as they join us at the altar!
4) The May issue of the Circuit Newsletter is out! You can read it here or below. Check out the Circuit Web-site if you haven’t yet! http://www.lcmscloud.org Thanks to Pr. Reber for orchestrating all of this!
5) Sunday, April 28, Concordia had a quarterly Voters’ Meeting. Two items of special note from the meeting:
a. Updates to the constitution were adopted pending approval by the Minnesota North District’s Constitution Committee. You can find a copy of those updates on the table outside the offices.
b. Concordia’s Budget for Missions was increased by $9,246.50, to bring the total to $15,596.50, a full 10% (a tithe) of the total budget. The Voters tasked the Council with deciding how to disburse those funds.
6) This past Sunday I announced that I received a call from a congregation in Northwest Wisconsin – St. Matthew’s in Almena. They have asked me to be their pastor.
Unlike in the rest of the world where employment decisions generally happen privately, the church’s business takes place in public. That’s because being a pastor is not a job in the ordinary sense. It’s a stewardship from God, and that’s why it gets announced to the congregation. It’s not a private matter.
God works through congregations to call pastors – he doesn’t whisper in the ear or send dreams or visions or feelings. Instead, a congregation sends a letter in the mail, and then it’s up to the pastor to decide where he can be of best use as a minister of the Gospel. In making that decision, a wise pastor seeks as much help as he can get from God’s people, which is why I will welcome any honest input.
Sometimes a pastor thinks that he may be of more use somewhere else, and so he’ll ask his District President to share his name with congregations looking to call a pastor. Again, unlike in the rest of the world where you can just apply for a new job anytime, the church works in a roundabout way to avoid worldliness. For what it’s worth, I have not asked President Finnern to share my name with other congregations.
I was given advice a long time ago to consider every call carefully unless there are circumstances that would make it impossible to go. It was good advice because I don’t know what I don’t know. And until I’ve considered it carefully, I can’t honestly say that I’ve taken up the question: where can I be of best use?
Another note that is worth your attention – there are many congregations without pastors right now. In the Minnesota North District alone, there were 9 congregations that asked for a pastor from the Seminary last month (Kimball included), and only 2 received one. This means, really practically, that calls are more common now than formerly. But it’s also a challenge that presents unique opportunities. For one thing, we ought to take up the task that Jesus gives us of praying that the Lord of the harvest would send workers into his field. And second, we should be encouraging young men to consider the ministry.
I sent a letter to St. Matthew’s in Almena saying that I would have an answer for them by June 2. Pray for them, for me and my family, and for Concordia! Pray especially for faithfulness, a love of God’s Word, and confidence in God’s provision!
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Wednesday, May 8
9:30 am – Chapel
10:00 am – Bible Study
6:00 pm – Elders’ Meeting
7:00 pm – Council Meeting
Thursday, May 8
7:00 pm – Ascension Service @ Eden Valley
Sunday, May 12
9:00 am – Divine Service
10:30 am – Bible Study
Monday, May 13-Wednesday, May 15
State Pastors’ Conference
Wednesday, May 15
NO MORNING CHAPEL/BIBLE STUDY
7:00 pm – Vespers