Baptism and Daily Living

This is now week 3 of our journey through core Lutheran teachings on baptism, using Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms.  So far, we have seen that baptism is God’s good and gracious act, which comes together with ordinary water to promise and accomplish extraordinary things.

Today, we shift our focus to the question of, “so what?”  The Small Catechism puts the question this way: “What does Baptism mean for daily living?”  Luther answers, “It means that the sinful self, with all its evil deeds and desires, should be drowned through daily repentance; and that day after day a new self should arise to live with God in righteousness and purity forever.”

Daily dying and rising.  That’s powerful stuff.  But exactly the way we must understand our lives.  Indeed, Baptism is a life-changing moment which sets our lives on a new course of eternal life with Christ.  And at the same time, the old sinner within us persists.  That sin manifests itself in doubt, fear, greed, hate, envy, and more.  And so every day, we must revisit our baptisms.  And not just as an intellectual exercise.  But to be spiritually put to death and to spiritually rise again to new life.  Day by day until our earthly death puts an end to that old sinner and one last rising – both spiritual and physical – unites us fully with God … forever.

Or as Luther says in the Large Catechism: “As we have once obtained forgiveness of sins in baptism, so forgiveness remains day by day as long as we live, that is, as long as we carry the old creature around our necks.”

May you be blessed in your daily dying to sin and rising to new life … today and always!

*************** 

Podcast Episode 2 is Live!
If you haven’t seen it or heard it yet, Episode 2 of our podcast is live! Pastor Nate and Pastor Megan discuss various feeding ministries:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1E_SpHzG-4
https://www.wadenaimmanuel.org/podcast

Confirmation is October 31 at 10am
Please keep these students in your prayers who are affirming their faith this fall: Jaxson Brown; Payton Church; Hannah Dosdall; Nolan Elbert; KatieRae Fiemeyer; Samuel Hegarty; Isabelle Johnson; Kayla Kircher; Simon Kreklau; Teshome Loer; Preston Miller; Kelanie Oldakowski; Gunnar Olson; Ryann Schmidt; Bailey Sundby; Allison Westrum; Brianna Yglesias

Trunk or Treat October 31
The Congregational Life Committee is hosting a Trunk or Treat event in Immanuel’s parking lot on October 31 from 4-6pm.  Everyone is welcome to come and get some candy, sloppy joes, and enjoy s’mores by the fire.  If you would like to help or have your trunk be part of the fun, talk to Steph Drange.

All Saints Sunday is November 7

Please join us for worship on Sunday November 7 as we celebrate the saints who have gone before us and the newest saints among us.  We will light candles in memory of those who have died in the last year and in honor of those baptized in the last year.  And you will be invited to light a candle in memory of a loved one, too. 

 

Our Worship Schedule Each Week:
Sunday:
**8:30am – worship in person, or online
**9:30am – worship on KWAD (920AM or 101.7FM)
**10am – worship in person
Wednesday (Fellowship Hall)
**5:30pm – Light meal
**6:00pm – Praise Worship
**6:30pm – Education & Service Projects

**7:00pm – Choir

In our Prayers This Week
Matthew, Kylie, James, Isla, and Lily Quincer
Craig Reece
Justin Carlstrom
John & Tamara Bratton Family
Will & Christina Bratton Family

Military Prayers
Members of Immanuel:
Max Labarre
James Kloss

Friends of Immanuel:
Victor Barbado (Darlene Hennagir’s son-in-law)
Sean Evans (Greg & Alicia Johnson’s nephew)
Joe Holweger (Charles & Gladys Chase’s grandson)
John Kloss (David Kloss’ son)
Erik Naley (Wayne & Carol Aspengren’s nephew)

If you or someone you know would like to be included in our weekly prayers, please email (church@wadenaimmanuel.org) or call (631-2738) the church office.  Or fill out this form: https://www.wadenaimmanuel.org/prayerrequest Names will stay on our prayer list for 4 weeks.  Military prayers will remain on the list for six months, unless a request to remove comes sooner.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Confirmation News - April 11, 2022

Confirmation families, A blessed Holy Week to you all.  Just a couple of notes. 1) I am looking for some volunteer acolytes on Maundy Thursday at 6:30p and Easter morning at 8:30 & 10.  You will earn a service note. 2) Our class time resumes April 20 and 27, 6:30-7:30pm.  There will be no Wednesday meal or worship those evenings (or classes for other age groups).  After these two sessions, we will be done for the year. 3) With the services switching to one 9:30 service on April 24, I modified the acolyte schedule.  If you haven't seen that, it's here:  https://www.wadenaimmanuel.org/_files/ugd/4769c4_24c0b9f658ed4263b0b4703afb72001c.pdf Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Pastor Nate
Read more

How Can Bread and Wine Do THAT?!!

We started our catechetical journey through Holy Communion last week.   As a reminder, last week’s except from the Large Catechism focused on the importance of confessing that the effectiveness of Holy Communion depends on God’s faithfulness.   Humans preside and participate in the meal.   But finally, it is God’s meal. Today’s excerpt from the Large Catechism discusses our doubt that bread and wine could possibly become Christ’s body and blood and provide forgiveness and eternal life: “(We) rant and rave, ‘How can bread wine forgive sins or strengthen faith?’ … (but) we do not claim this of bread and wine – for in itself bread is bread – but of that bread and wine that are Christ’s body and blood and that are accompanied by the Word.   These and no other, we say, are the treasure through which such forgiveness is obtained.   This treasure is conveyed and communicated to us in no other way than through the words “given and shed for you.”   …   Chri...
Read more

Youth News 3/9/22

A couple of items for Immanuel Youth and families 1. The season of Lent is upon us.  We strongly encourage families to fully engage.  We've got great, family-friendly meals planned (Sloppy Joes tonight; tacos next week!) at 5:30 and Holden Evening Prayer at 6:30, full of music, drama, and other stuff engaging for people of all ages.  Grow in faith together as a family!  If your family is willing to usher, talk to Pastor Nate 2. Youth Choir for any elementary aged kids is at 5:15 every Wednesday (kids involved in the communion milestone class can pop in after class!) 3. If you haven't already, we encourage you to get signed up for Bible Camp this summer! Immanuel will provide $100 of support to elementary kids that attend Luther Crest and FULL SCHOLARSHIPS to 7-9th graders who attend.Visit https://www.luthercrest.org/ to learn more.  Or talk to Pastor Nate! 4. The Youth are hosting the Palm Sunday Breakfast on April 10 -- and we need help from kids and famil...
Read more