God’s Word is Our Great Heritage

October 29, 2012

I am not a life-long Lutheran.  My first 18 years of life were in another fine denomination.  Both my father and mother had a long family history within that denomination.  It was in that white clapboard church on Main Street that I was baptized and attended Sunday school (with three pins for perfect attendance).  I sang in children’s choir and my piano teacher took me to the organ loft to learn some fundamentals of the pipe organ.  However, I have concluded that my feet have dyslexia.  But the place was special and full of memories.

As a teenager I had a faith issue.  Who knows, that may have been the Holy Spirit’s nudging me towards ministry.  The minister assigned to the congregation was legalistic.  He was specific how a Christian was supposed to act according to his definition. That was not really the theology of the church but that’s how he interpreted it.  Meanwhile, worship was stuffy and unfocused. My parents were liturgical types and it made them uncomfortable.  Their unrest was projected.

During Lent, we decided to attend midweek services at Grace Lutheran because our church did not have a lenten service.  The following Sunday I came to breakfast and as a typical 16-year old asked, “Do I have to go to church?”  Surprised by the reply, “Well, you have to go somewhere.”  “Then I’ll go to Grace.”  "Just bring the car back in time for us."

I loved the Lutheran liturgy.  It was the story of salvation.  I appreciated following the regularity of a church year with special seasons and having a lectionary of biblical readings.  I had found a church home. Thus, my journey began.

Looking back, it's funny how teenagers can be more missional than adults.  I had a lot of friends at Grace and they were the ones who invited me to Sunday school.  My classmate, Paulette, was the one who asked me to come to choir.

At the end of my senior year Pastor Diemer asked if I’d be interested in the adult membership class. The day that I was received as a member my parents sat beside me in full support.  It was during those membership classes that Pastor Diemer said something that struck me and eventually affected my ministry.  “I don’t care what church you end up just that it be a place where the Word of God is central and grace is proclaimed.”

Here's the point:  Let me echo that message that I received a bunch of years ago from Hans Karl Diemer:  whatever worship assembly it is for you, whatever denomination,  for the sake of faith be sure the Word of God is centermost and that the grace of God is at the heart of the worship and preaching.

Thanks be to God