A Note from Pastor (February 2025)

Last month, we began Epiphany singing of how our Lord’s miracles revealed Him to the world and identified Him as its savior.  
“Manifested by the star to the sages from afar; in Thy birth in Bethlehem; Manifest in Jordan’s stream, Prophet, Priest and King supreme; and at Cana wedding guest, God in man made manifest; manifest in power divine, changing water into wine, manifest in making whole, palsied limbs and fainting soul; manifest in valiant fight, quelling all the devils might.” (LSB 394)
This month begins by taking us back to Jerusalem as we remember the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.  However, the Epiphany focus on Jesus’ miracles quicky comes to an end with the Transfiguration.  On that Sunday, we will begin our journey towards Lent with Peter, James and John with Jesus up on the mountain. There, Jesus will reveal His divine glory and speak with Moses and Elijah of His own “Exodus.” Then He will descend to begin His last journey to Jerusalem to suffer and die and rise again.  On that Sunday, we too will leave the mount and “Exodus” Epiphany as the “Gesima” Sunday’s of Pre-Lent focus on the Three Solas of the Reformation prior to the beginning of the Lenten season itself with Ash Wednesday on March 5th.  
Pre-Lent extends our forty days of Lent to seventy, in preparation of Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter. During those seventy days we will have ample opportunity to remember how the Word reveals that God works through Grace alone, Scripture alone and faith in Christ alone.  We will also have ample opportunity to marvel at our Lord’s love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness which have been given to us.