April 2025 ~ Messenger

​

Isaiah 53:1-6

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we were healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

​

CWG/LWML

​

March 19, 2025

The March meeting was called to order by President Sharon Thiel.  

Pastor Suehring led us in a devotion about St. Joseph, Jesus' earthly father/ the Guardian of Jesus.  

Pastor Suehring prayed for our prayer concerns.

Secretary, Barb Huebner took the roll call which showed 9 members present and Pastor. Roll call was answered by first day of Spring thoughts.

Barb also read the minutes from the Feb. meeting, and they were accepted as read.

Treasurers report was given by Carol Lehman

Sunshine Report given by Carol Fuhrman in the absence of Leah Lehman. Get well and sympathy cards were sent to several church members.

Loah Horton gave the over 80 birthday card report. 6 birthday cards were sent for the month of March.

Funeral serving report given by Marilyn Koepke.  

LCFS thrift Store report was not given.

Bible a month for March is going to East Africa.

Correspondence: newsletters were passed and money requests considered.

Also received an invitation to the Spring Rally on April 26, 2025 at St. Paul, Wittenberg.

NEW BUSINESS:

A motion made, seconded, and carried to make a donation for Megan Suehring to attend the Pastor's Wives Retreat.

A motion made, seconded, and carried to give a donation to the Tigerton Food Pantry.

Member birthdays: Audrey Kessen, March 4, Megan Suehring, March 19th

Barb Huebner, March 22, Leah Lehman, March 23rd.

The birthday song was sung by all.

Next meeting will be April 16, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.

The meeting was closed with the LWML Pledge and the Lord's Prayer.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

It is not an overstatement to call Holy Week the holiest and most important week of the year.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which is April 13 this year. And while the hymns and mood of the day have a somewhat festive and celebratory feeling, we also remember that as the crowd and little children sing their “Hosannas,” the Scribes and Pharisees are plotting behind the scenes. 

 

We will start the 9:00 service at St. John–Tigerton and the 10:30 service at St. John–Caroline with the Palm Procession again this year. The Service will begin in the back of the church with the congregation facing the rear of the church to hear the Palm Sunday account from John 12. Then as the hymn “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” is sung, the Sunday school kids, along with any congregation members that also want to participate, will carry their palm branches forward during the hymn and place them at the foot of the cross. After placing the palms at the foot of the cross, everyone returns to their seats. The other reading for the day is part of the Passion from the Gospel of Matthew which helps to reinforce the two themes of the day. One of gladness and another of sadness. On the main street the crowd that goes before and follows Jesus sings their glad hymns of praise, but just off the road in the back alleys, lurking in the shadows, the opponents of Jesus wait to find a way to bring about his demise, which also brings about our salvation.

 

Being the holiest and most important week of the year, it should come as no surprise that there will be several church services throughout the week, and you should plan to attend them. The first services after Palm Sunday being the Holy (Maundy) Thursday services. Which is where we remember and celebrate not only the institution of the great gift of the Lord’s Supper but also receive the true body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and the feeding of our souls. And it is on this night that we also remember why it is we always say in the Words of Institution, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed…” 

 

Holy Thursday begins what is known as the Triduum or the “three days.” The Holy Thursday service ends with the stripping of the altar and then the congregation leaving in silence. This is meant to remind us that while we get to go home after the service what our Lord endured in the Garden of Gethsemane and at the High Priest’s Palace on the night when he was betrayed lasted through the whole night. 

 

The Good Friday services begin in silence, to remind us that what began on Thursday night is not yet over. Having moved from the High Priest’s Palace to Pilate’s headquarters early on Friday morning our Lord is condemned to die having done no wrong, and uncomplaining he goes to suffer hell and all that justice demands for our salvation on the cross. Again, we leave the church in silence, meditating on what our Lord has done and eagerly awaiting his resurrection. 

 

The third day of the Triduum is Holy Saturday, which ends with the Great Vigil of Easter. Last year, St. John–Tigerton hosted this service and we had a great turnout! This year on Saturday, April 19, Grace Lutheran in Bear Creek will be hosting the Great Vigil of Easter at 6:30 p.m. The Vigil rotates between our parish and the Missouri Synod parishes at Bear Creek, Embarrass, and St. Jakobi-Shawano. I hope you can make this service in Bear Creek this year. It is a one-of-a-kind service and has over the years become one of my favorites!

 

Which brings us at last to Easter Sunday! Or as it is more formally known “The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord.” Because that is what we are celebrating! Not bunnies or candy (as fun as those things are). No, we welcome the happiest morning of all singing boldly that our Lord is risen from the dead, never to die again. He has conquered sin, death, and hell in the fight. He rises on the third day, as the Victorious One, and we along with him, who by faith, by baptism, by his body and blood in the Holy Communion are united to him, to his death and resurrection. If there was ever something to celebrate, this is it!   -

 

 Pastor Suehring