Congratulations Henry!

Henry's been at Indiana State the past four years
He will go through commencment at the Hulman Center this afternoon

Here is the fountain at the center of campus


Shot of the moon taken at the Indiana State v Indiana game in Bloomington his Junior year



The Hoosiers scored over the Sycamores that night

Hank's freshman year they shocked the world beating IU as the students storm the floor

In four years State managed to win only one game but Henry attended every home game!

In Memoriam

Donna Hileman

February 16, 1935 - May 06, 2009

Baptized into Christ: March 1, 1935

Confirmed in the Faith: June 5, 1949

Committal: May 11, 2009

Ready to go...not yet

According to the local paper April 2009 was the wettest April in the past 45 years. No one from the neighborhood has been able to get out in the fields. May 10 seems to be the cutoff for corn. After that farmers can expect to loose a bushel per acre however with some hybrid seeds they can go into June.

Almighty God You blessed the earth to make it fruitful, bringing forth in abundance whatever is needed for the support of our lives. Prosper, we implore You, the work of farmers, grant to them seasonable weather that they may gather in the fruit of the earth and thus proclaim Your goodness with thanksgiving. May we see by this noble vocation that with Your help they feed the world. Cause all people who give thanks over their food to treat those who produce it with both honor and respect.

photo taken by J Swygart of the Decatur Daily Democrat

Prayer for Agricultgure from Lutheran Worship with one petition added

Wyneken

The church commemorates Pr. Wyneken today. He served our Synod as president from our parish during the Civil War. He is remembered as the Father of American Home Missions. Next year will be his 200th birthday.

Time in the Word - Easter 5

The theme for the Fifth Sunday of Easter is Life in Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus described Himself as the Vine and the believers as the branches which bring forth fruit. How one becomes a person in Christ is demonstrated by the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch in the first lesson. To be in Christ means to obey the commandments of God, to love not only in word but in deed.

Collect for the Fifth Sunday in Easter O God, You make the minds of Your faithful to be of one will. Grant that we may love what You have commanded and desire what You promise, that among the many changes of this world our hearts may be fixed what true joys are found through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Monday, 04 May 2009—Psalm 145:1-2, 8, 10, 21; antiphon, John 16:16— The antiphon is taken from the Lord’s promise to His followers, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Few doubt that the first phrase refers to the interval before the crucifixion. But interpretations differ as to whether the second refers to the interval preceding the resurrection or the coming of the Spirit, or the return of Christ on the Last Great Day. It seems that the language here best fits the resurrection.

Tuesday, 05 May 2009—Psalm 150 key verse v.6 —Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Who should praise the Lord? All who come to Him in faith. We celebrate the Savior’s great and mighty acts.

Wednesday, 06 May 2009—Acts 8:26-40— Philip is sent to bring an Ethiopian eunuch to faith in Christ. The treasures of an Ethiopian queen was on his way home after worshiping in Jerusalem. His chariot was on a main road from Jerusalem to Egypt. The Spirit directed Philip, one of the seven deacons (See Acts 6:1-5), to meet the chariot at Gaza. The eunuch was probably a proselyte or God-fearer of Judaism. Philip found him reading Isaiah 53 but not understanding it. After Philip’s explanation the Ethiopian asked to be baptized. He accepted Christ and according to tradition he introduced Christianity into Ethiopia. It should be noted that verse 37 (“If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”) is omitted in the older manuscripts and some modern versions will place the verse only in the margin.

Thursday, 07 May 2009—1 John 4:1-11— The word “Love” in its various forms is used 43 times in John’s letter. The word is used 32 times from 4:7-5:3 In His essential nature and in all His actions God is loving. John similarly affirms that God is spirit (John 4:24) and light (John 1:5), as well as holy, powerful, faithful, true and just. If we love in deed, we know we have the truth.

Friday, 08 May 2009—John 15:1-8— Jesus is the vine and we are the branches who are expected to bear fruit. Sunday’s Gospel lesson is a part of Jesus’ final discourse (chapters 13-17) with His disciples in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday. Jesus uses allegory: He is the vine, God is the vinedresser, the branches are the believers, and the fruit constitutes good works. The vine is the source of life. To be connected with the Source is to have life and produce fruit. To be separated from the Vine is to die and be destroyed. People in the Vine have their prayers answered. Bearing fruit glorifies God and proves discipleship.

John referred to adult Christians as “little children.” Is this talking down to adults? Is it an insult to even add “little” to children? Jesus referred to His disciples as “these little ones.” It is no insult because if God is our Father, we are His true children. Since when? We were adopted as His children at Baptism, and we live in Christ as branches in the vine. And we are “little” too. We are often little in faith, in love and in our words. How little we are when compared with the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ.

In these lessons we hear repeatedly the word “abide”. A fruitful Christian is one who produces good works because that person abides in Christ. How do we know we abide in Christ? One answer may be that our fruits prove it. This verse gives another answer. We are in Christ when we have the Spirit. It we have the Holy Spirit, it is the same as being in Christ. The Holy Spirit is at the same time the spirit of Christ.

Saturday, 09 Ma 2009— Psalm 98:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; Romans 3:28 - The hymn of the Day, Dear Christians One and All, Rejoice – {LSB 556} When Luther translated the phrase “by faith” in Romans 3:28 he added the word “alone” which though not in the Greek, accurately reflect the meaning of the passage. The Hymn is one of Luther’s classic hymns which explain to us the heart of the gospel found in Jesus Christ.

Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, © WELS

Confirmation

Introduction: The Christian life can be one of awe and wonder with great satisfaction or it can be a life filled with a lot of questions and periods of uneasiness and even insecurity. There are three most important factors in the Christian life and if lived in the wrong order, it won't be the wonderful life that it should be. Those three important factors are: Fact, Faith, and Feelings.

Some want to put "feelings" first in their Christian life, but feelings come and go, sometimes there is joy and other times the "feelings" are not there, thus questions come.

Some want to put "faith" first without even considering the "facts" upon which they rest their "faith."

"Facts" should come first as they are permanent. "Faith" accepts and rests on God's "Facts."

One's "Feelings" come and go, but "Feelings" don't change the "facts" one's "faith" rests upon.

FACTS ARE FIRST IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE
In crossing a little stream, one can see the tops of rocks here and there and with careful planning and stepping one can step on first one rock top and then another and another until across without getting wet. "Fact" sees the rocks, "Faith" takes the step to the first rock, then "Feelings" is satisfied that the other rocks will work and the stream is crossed.

1. It is a fact that God loves each person with a tender and particular love. One may or may not believe or feel it or even care about it, but that doesn't change it.

2. It is a fact that in Jesus every obstacle has been removed between a person and God and that forgiveness and acceptance is waiting. One may not believe it or feel the joy of it, but that does not change the "fact" that it is so. Not knowing or not caring does not change facts.

3. It is a fact that the moment a person believes in Jesus Christ, that person is born into God's family and becomes a child of God. One may remember his/her failures, feel unworthy, feel like God's worst child, but that doesn't change the "fact" that once a child of God, His hand will continue to shape and lead you.

4. It is a fact that in Jesus Christ one already has a seat in the heavenly places. One may not believe it or enjoy the blessings of being near Jesus, but that doesn't change the "fact" that the believer already has an assigned place in God's Kingdom.

5. It is a fact that each believer is an heir to all that God is and has. God's Holy Spirit indwells each believer but many believers haven't received very much else of what God wants to give because they simply haven't accepted the "fact" that they are already heirs and don't have to wait till they die to get anything else.

SECOND IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE IS FAITH
Strange that most people have little or no trouble in trusting other people and have complete "faith" in them and don't even give a thought as to whether there's a risk or not. Why do some have difficulty in having "faith" in Jesus? Is there more than one kind of "Faith?"

1. Christian Faith is not just a Creed or Statement that one "trusts."

2. Christian Faith is about a Person. One is saved and blessed by the "faith" that recognizes and accepts the "facts" about God and His Son, Jesus.

3. Faith that is turned toward Jesus is the only right "Christian" faith. Whether that "faith" is weak as a tiny touch or as small as a tiny seed, if it's focused on Jesus then it's the right kind of faith.

4. Christian Faith relies on God's Faith. Whatever one may feel or think or may be taught, God is faithful and He cannot change and will not remove anybody He has brought into His Family.

5. Christian Faith reaches out to others also. Sometimes one gives, sometimes one carries, sometimes one speaks, sometimes one is silent, but Christian Faith is active in helping others.

THIRD IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE IS FEELINGS

1. Feelings change for the slightest reasons. Health, weather, family, job, attitude can all cause feeling changes.

2. Feelings are temporary. One moment it can be joy or sadness or self pity or excitement or hunger or thirst, etc.

3. Feelings do not always indicate one's standing with God. God allows or with holds things sometimes to teach His children.

4. Feelings are not to be lived by. Christians are not to build or live their lives by their "feelings." Today one may "feel" saved but tomorrow not "feel" saved. However one defines "feeling saved."

CONCLUSION:
1. God never changes, neither does His Word –it’s a FACT

2. The believer places his/her FAITH into the FACT of God's FAITHFULNESS.

3. FEELINGS can lift or bring down, bring assurance or bring doubts.

4. FACT, FAITH, FEELINGS is the order for living the Christian life successfully

Bach Collegium to perform tomorrow!

The final concert of the season will be performed @ First Presbyterian Church 300 W Wayne St. in Ft. Wayne, IN

The Collegium will offer Bach's Easter Oratorio "Now Come Let us Hasten" the Ascension Oratorio "Praise Our God in Highest Heaven" and the Overture Suite #2 in B minor.

Lydia sang with the Collegium when she was a junior at Bellmont her voice teacher had sung with them earlier. The director is a retired professor at the Ft. Wayne seminary. The photo was taken when they sang at the Allen County Court House in 2005. These people are simply amazing - a group of geniuses.