A Note from Pastor (November 2023)

The Gospel readings and the hymns during the month of November focus on the “Eschatological” or “End Time” reality of the church.  The hymn of the day for the last Sunday of the church year is Wachet Auf, Philipp Nicolai’s great choral; Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying.  Based upon the parable of the “wise and foolish” virgins (Matthew 25), this hymn beautifully describes the church as she waits for her Lord to return: “Zion hears the watchmen singing; and all her heart with joy is springing. She wakes, she rises from her gloom. For her Lord comes down all glorious; the strong in grace, in truth victorious; her star is risen, her light is come.” (LSB 516, v.2)
    It is the truth of the Gospel of Christ crucified that awakens us from the gloom of sin and death. The promise of eternal life in Christ and the resurrection of all flesh, gives us hope to look forward to that day when He returns. When we pray “Thy kingdom come,” we are asking Jesus, “The Light of the World,” to return.  At the same time, we also believe that we do not have to wait until that Day to experience a foretaste of what awaits us then.     
   Nicolai’s hymn ends with, “Now come, Thou Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God’s own Son. Hail Hosanna! We enter all, the wedding hall, to eat the supper at Thy call.”  This verse reminds us of the joyful “now and not yet,” reality of what happens in the Divine Service.  Jesus comes to us now, through His Word as He invites to eat the “supper” He provides of His own body and blood in Holy Communion, present with us until that Last Day when He returns in glory!