Pastor's Pen - Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church & School - LCMS

The Reformation, 25 Years & Looking Forward

Posted on Nov 15, 2018 in Pastor's Pen | 398

It was a blessed Reformation Sunday at Advent! Two little ones were baptized into Christ and made heirs of His kingdom–a fitting example of the salvation by grace through faith we receive freely from our Lord. There was also the announcement of Pastor Marcus Mackay’s decision to accept the call to be our Senior Pastor. His letter to the congregation was read before each service by Monte Weimer and the news was met with cheerful gasps and applause before each service (in good Lutheran form).

The next two months will be quite pivotal in the history of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church. We will install a new pastor to be our shepherd and get to know and love his family as our own. It is fortunate that the season of Advent will offer many opportunities to get to know them through both worship and fellowship. December 16th is an important day as well. On this Sunday we will have our Sunday school Christmas program. It was also on that day in 1993 that the articles of incorporation were signed for Zionsville Lutheran Church… the name of which was changed to Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church in May of 1995. For 25 years, Advent has been faithfully proclaiming God’s Word of mercy and grace to the people of not only Zionsville, but quite literally to the world.

This would be good time to consider:
Updating our church photo directory, getting as great of participation as possible. Historically we average somewhere around 55% participation. Wouldn’t it be great to approach somewhere near 80% participation? A high level of participation would be a blessing to Pastor Mackay and his family. They will have much to do as they settle into a house, schools and become familiar with their surroundings. An up to date pictorial directory would be a great help to them as they begin to put faces and names together. As members, it will be good for us too. Chris Colson has, once again, agreed to take the photos. The photo sessions will take place on Sundays beginning Nov. 25 through Dec. 16th.

The story of Advent is the story of God entering the lives of His people through Word and Sacrament, teaching them to trust Him for their salvation, and nothing else. It is the story of God with us! What is your story as you have experienced God’s peace and been a part of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church over the past 25 years?

As we look forward to December 16th, it would be fun to hear some of your memories (be they a year or twenty-five years old) by gathering together some photos and stories about the many joyous events that have taken place.

Perhaps you were married here during that time or your children were baptized. Did you come before God to be baptized, confirmed and married here at Advent during the past 25 years? Do you have a memory from VBS, a Christmas program,
Heritage Tour, or other event to share?

Depending on the number of stories and photos submitted, it would be nice to bind some of them in booklet form, like our pictorial directory. All will be archived into a physical scrapbook as well as an electronic file.

Hand written or done electronically, it will be good to archive your memories of the “early years” of God’s work as seen through the eyes of you, the saints of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Pastor Grady

P.S. Watch Advent Announcements for more details about how to submit your photos and stories for Advent’s 25th anniversary year.

The Summer Rush

Posted on Aug 30, 2018 in HomePage, Pastor's Pen | 414

As we now enter the summer rush, that time when we try to get every little last thing done before school starts… oh… wait it already has. Ok, that time when we get our last few days of vacation time used while… oh… wait, that is gone too. No… wait… I’ve got it. It’s the time when the whole family still has one day off during the week on Sundays and it means we… ________. (You can fill in the blank).

I am truly thankful that Advent is blessed with many faithful members for whom Sundays mean… we gather together to hear God’s Word and receive forgiveness for our sins. It is a beautiful thing to partake of the eternal richness of God. I say eternal to point out the brevity of every single thing we seek pleasure and joy from as we go about our daily lives. We rightly understand that vacations and other leisure activity is a gift from God, and he wants us to enjoy our time with family and friends. But he also wants us to draw near to Him and call on Him, and not just in times of trouble or distress. God desires a pattern and rhythm of worship that brings us regularly to Him to receive what he has to offer.

I visit my Keurig machine every morning… possibly some of you visit Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts to receive what is offered there. I will say… it makes my day better (better for those around me too). However, that ritual or any other cannot give me what God gives through regular communion with Him. The gift he gives is faith in Christ, salvation from sins, and eternal life.

I have pointed out before that as Christians we are actually living that eternal life now… we are in a state of now and not quite yet. Having been brought from death to life through baptism, we are no longer dead in our sin and unbelief, but have been given faith in Christ, a faith that can fear, love, and trust God. As we gather in the Divine Service to confess our sins, receive forgiveness, and the very body and blood of the risen Christ, there is no closer place on earth to heaven and the joy that waits there.

Let that soak in for a moment. We can seek happiness and contentment in any and all matter of locations and activities, but God chooses to come close and touch us through the means he has given. It is Word, water, bread, and wine all in the place he has set apart for that to happen – the body of His Church. Perhaps it is too simple… too available, and we can easily come to the point that we take it for granted. It will always be there next week, next month, or at Christmas and Easter. God so richly gives to us and we can barely see and comprehend what takes place. If we could visually see it, we would never leave or long for anything else! Or, perhaps, like many who saw Jesus face to face, we would desire it for all the wrong reasons. They simply wanted the earthly kingdom of glory to come with richness, power, and physical fulfillment of their fleshly desires; not seeing the eternal life given through faith in Jesus and the receiving of His body and blood. Many turned away at this difficult teaching and they still do today. But Peter rightly and succinctly answered the question Jesus posed to the twelve in John 6:67 “Do you want to go away as well?” Peter answers… “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

In John’s Gospel all of the people referenced stood before the incarnate, living, and breathing Christ and many did not believe. Near the end of John’s Gospel he tells of Thomas and his need to see the risen Christ in order to believe. When Jesus appears before his eyes he speaks to Thomas. “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

I give thanks to God that you come… you hear the Words of Christ, receive forgiveness, and receive His Sacrament, in faith seeing what is unseen and its eternal glory… that you see Christ. I give thanks to God that he has blessed you with that gift of faith.

Amen.
Pastor Grady

Fare thee well!

Posted on Jun 12, 2018 in Pastor's Pen | Tags: Pastor Fiene546

Dear Saints of Advent:

How can I ever thank you for the most wonderful way a pastor could retire? To worship with you and proclaim God’s Word to you and bring to you the body and blood of Christ – this was my joy as it was John the Baptist’s joy. (I think we should call him “John the Lutheran.”) It was a day to remember for the rest of my life. Your affectionate words and embraces were too much for my fragile emotions to handle. But they were medicine for my soul.

Your gifts of cards and letters and financial contributions will also be cherished. I look so forward to seeing you all again upon Solveig’s and my return at the end of June. Please keep our Heritage Tour in your prayers. I am sure that they will all be excited to share with you their great adventure.

I would also like to give thanks to our congregational leadership, our president and elders, for their great kindness and thoughtful planning. I must also give specific thanks to Pastor Grady, Monte Weimer and Juanita Duncan, along with our whole music staff, Phil Spray and Phil Lehman and Deb Trewartha, for their hard work in bringing glory to God as we said our farewells. The brunch was wonderful, although I never got to eat any of it. I was being well fed with your words and kind comments.

May our Lord be with you in the coming days and months as you go about the process of calling a new Senior Pastor. May the Holy Spirit keep you safe in the arms of our Heavenly Father, and may He continue to send His Son in Word and Sacrament to care for your bodies and souls until we all reach our heavenly goal. There we will feast together into eternity. How wonderful to have that hope and to long for that day to come!

Your “retired” Pastor Fiene

P. S. See you in church!

A Parable

Posted on Apr 27, 2018 in Pastor's Pen | 396

Dear Advent:

A parable. A man owned a restaurant. He served only the healthiest and tastiest of foods. It was acknowledged by all of his customers that the restaurant was unique, precious to them, a place where, if they were ever to eat out, that restaurant would be the place.

Soon, however, other things began to distract the customers. Life’s pressing demands came to be so great that they only had time to eat meals at home. On the road so much and with so little time, they began to eat fast food. Some found that they didn’t even have the time to eat at all.

Since every restaurant relies upon new customers and walk-ins, the absence of those faithful customers began to create a new set of problems for the restaurant owner. When people walked by and they only saw a few people at the tables, they assumed that this was an indication of the quality of food, so they passed on by. In addition, the hard work that the owner put into his food preparation and the care with which he made his creative presentations seemed to be waste of his time, at least, that is how he felt. Perhaps his hurt feelings made him doubt whether the extra effort was worth it.

It did not take long before the restaurant owner felt that creating wonderful food for his customers was no longer needed, so he closed his shop. Soon thereafter the customers stood in disbelief at the door of the closed restaurant. Admittedly, they had not been there very often lately, but where did the owner go? They most certainly loved his food, when they had time to eat it. Now the food was no longer available. All that was available was the fast food down the street, on the way to the next best thing.

Does this parable need to be explained? During my absence from January to mid-March, the attendance at Advent dropped more than 500 people from the year before. It must have been the weather! I am nothing, Christ is everything. I will be gone, but Christ will always be here. Advent is a congregation with liturgical tables of linen and fine china. The wine of the Word is exquisite. The entree of divine forgiveness is sumptuous. The dessert of joyful music and song tantalizes the palate of the soul.

What we don’t realize, I think, is that each of us has a confession to make, for the sake of our Lord who owns the restaurant and offers us such wonderful food. What do people think when they come to a house of worship and half the congregation is eating elsewhere that day? It is good that we would all choose this place to eat above all others. It is also good that we so greatly appreciate the fine food and drink. But eating at home? Eating fast food while we are on the run to those “other commitments?” Would we be disappointed if the restaurant were closed?

Please make your retiring waiter a happy waiter. Don’t let this restaurant be half full. Your presence is vital in making others understand the greatness of the meals that are being served here. Don’t let your attendance become an act of obligation, but an act of appreciation. Focus upon the sumptuous food and drink offered here so that you cannot wait to return. And please, don’t starve yourself. Fill the restaurant every single Sunday with tables of saints, eating and drinking with the mirth and laughter and joy of the Holy Spirit, consuming in heart and mind and soul the wonderful meal that the Lord has prepared for you.

Pastor Fiene

Luke 14:15-23

A Shining Jewel

Posted on Mar 14, 2018 in Pastor's Pen | Tags: departure, Pastor Fiene475

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.”
Philippians 1:21-25

Beloved Saints of Advent:

I write this to you as I begin my journey homeward from the West Coast. I do so with a heavy heart—and yet—a joyful spirit. Although the significance of my coming departure as your spiritual shepherd is insignificant by comparison to departure of our Lord from His earthly ministry, the fact is, all Christian life is patterned after His life. As the Apostle Paul said, “I am torn.” The pathway to heaven always leaves us with heavy hearts because we must leave behind our loved ones, but our joy comes from knowing that the end of the pathway is heaven. We will be with each other and with our Lord forever. So my heart is both sad and joyful. But there is more on my heart. I must confess that I worry about what the future holds for you as a congregation, but that worry is also mixed with joy because I know that God has prepared you well for some very great things.

Why am I so confident? Permit me to share a little bit about how my thoughts have been shaped through this traveling sabbatical that Solveig and I are experiencing. Wherever we have traveled these past months we have been very deliberate about attending worship services. Perhaps our Indiana Lutheran future seems safe and secure to you, but I assure you, prospering Lutheranism is not common to many places of our country. In the East, in the South, in the West where we have traveled, churches are shrinking, few are growing (at least as “Lutheran” congregations), very few new congregations are being started.

Where is our Lutheran Church holding its own in this rapidly changing American culture? There are some, and for that we should give thanks to God. Among them, the building blocks are still the building blocks: Preaching, teaching, reverential worship. But there is one very crucial factor that must be added: LUTHERAN GRIT. That is Lutheran Christians—members of these congregations—committed, caring, fighting, resolved to stand for the Faith. Christians who are passionately loving God’s Word, God’s Wisdom, God’s mercy for broken and sinful people, people sacrificing everything for that firm and freely-given-gift of pardon and peace held out by our Lord and leading to the promise of eternal life.

Yes, it depends upon YOUR blood, sweat and tears, consecrated to preserving what has been handed down to us with blood, sweat and tears by our beloved forefathers and mothers. Therefore my confidence in your great future comes from believing that you ARE that congregation. You are a shining jewel.

I am asking the “jewel” for a couple of things. The first is that you fully and completely participate in the process of electing and calling a new pastor. The date for the call meeting has been scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 30th. I am hoping and expecting that at least 300 of our voting members will be there. This new pastor—whomever God chooses for you and through you—will be, with Pastor Grady, a weapon in the world for the Truth of God’s Word. They need ALL of you.

My second request is that you would give to your pastors and to your congregational brothers and sisters in Christ all the God-given GRIT that God will bestow upon your mortal bodies. You, dear Advent, have to advance the Christian faith into the world. The job is getting tougher. Don’t go soft. Don’t lose your courage. Don’t let adversity or negativism or fear stop you. Use the abundant gifts that God has given you and share your resources. And worship God diligently. Yes, break free from that apathetic gravity of our recreational

/self-obsessed culture with its “once-in-a-while” “if-we-think-about-it” worship pattern. As you breathe, pray. As you eat, give thanks. As you lay down at night to sleep, recount the blessings that God richly and daily bestows upon you in body and in soul.

Now let us prepare for the greatest and highest worship of the whole year: The appearance of our Lord in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his Holy Supper instituted on Maundy Thursday, His painful suffering and death on Good Friday, and His wondrous and glorious day of resurrection from the dark grave of death. I will be with you up until the day of my departure: June the Third.

Your shepherd for almost 25 years,

Rev. Dr. John W. Fiene