Posts by Pastor Mark Nelson (Page 9)

June 2, 2023 Dear Peace Members and Friends of Peace, It’s good to be back from vacation! My wife, Marcie, and I enjoyed some time away and now I’m looking forward to being with you on Sunday. This Sunday is the festival of the Holy Trinity, the only feast day devoted, not to an event in the life of Jesus, but to a teaching of the Christian church—that God comes to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why is this an important…

Dear Peace Members and Friends of Peace, This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, a festival day in the church that comes 50 days after Easter. Pastor Joe writes, “Pentecost is a day of promises fulfilled, and this Sunday serves as an opportunity to celebrate God’s promised presence within and among us—through the power of the Holy Spirit. I’ll say more in my message titled, ‘Where They Were.’ And because of the Holy Spirit within us, we are empowered and sent out to proclaim God’s unconditional…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, Good morning on this fresh, green spring day! This Sunday is the 7th, and final, Sunday of the Easter season. Pastor Joe writes, “In worship we will also commemorate the Ascension of Our Lord, focusing on Jesus’ ascension into heaven following his time with the disciples after the resurrection. Before Jesus goes, he reminds the disciples that they are called to be witnesses to Him. And afterward, they are encouraged to put their faith into action for…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, We have an exciting Sunday this weekend! Along with Mother’s Day, it is the 6th Sunday of Easter as well as the last day of Sunday School for this school year. There’s a lot happening in worship! Both the children’s musical groups—the Sunday School Singers and the Alleluia Singers—will take their part. We’ll share Holy Communion around the altar, sing Easter hymns, and thank our Sunday School Staff for ministry well done. I’ll have a message on one—if not the most important—ingredients for thriving and loving family relationships. There’s…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, The season of spring seems to be (finally!) here. I hope that all of you, in some way, are able to enjoy it. Open up a window, take a walk, ride a bike—all to relish in the greening up of God’s earth once again. The season of Easter continues this coming Sunday with some of the most memorable words of Jesus: “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me….I am the way,…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, I love not only the day of Easter but the season of Easter. Why? If the Christian faith was only made up of Good Friday, that would be a tragedy and a horror. If the Christian faith was only made up of Easter Sunday, it would be like those dried-up Easter lilies that are long gone. It is only after Easter that we come to know who the Risen Christ is; and in the New Testament we see that it is in…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, Gerhard Manley Hopkins has a poem in which he inserts the prayer, “Easter in us.” He uses the noun Easter as a verb. “Easter in us.” Let Easter get into us, come where we live. Which sounds strange. But that’s exactly what happens on Easter evening. Luke’s gospel tells us that two of Jesus’ followers are on the 7-mile walk to the village of Emmaus, talking about all the events that had happened in Jerusalem that morning, when suddenly the now Risen…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, Easter and Holy Week were terrific! If you attended any of the services or joined us online, thank you for celebrating the week with us. Your presence was an inspiration and encouragement in our walk together with the Risen Christ! Thank you! The Easter celebration continues this Sunday. Along with Easter hymns, the children’s Alleluia Choir, and Holy Communion, and the announcement of the results of our Lenten project with Lutheran World Relief, we’ll hear the traditional Gospel for the Sunday after Easter; the story of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, Holy Week is not a service. Rather, it is an experience. A collection of worship services to immerse yourself in the climax of the story of God redeeming God’s beloved people. It begins tomorrow, Maundy Thursday, continues on Good Friday, and will culminate on Easter Sunday. Throughout, we see Jesus live out his most famous proclamation, “For God so loved the world…..” Here is the worship schedule along with some details: Thursday, April 6th, Maundy Thursday: 7:00pm Friday, April 7th,…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, What a week ahead! Holy Week begins this Sunday with a festival that has two traditional titles: Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion. Not one or the other, but both. With palms in our hands; with our Sunday School children singing; with hymns and Scripture—we will remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last week of his life. We will also take part in the Matthew’s Passion of Jesus. Someone will take the role of Jesus; others…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, A reminder of tomorrow evening’s last midweek Lenten church night; worship with Holden Evening Prayer at 6:30pm preceded by dinner served in the Fellowship Hall, beginning at 5:30pm. In worship, we’ll conclude our Lenten sermon series, “Lessons in the Desert.” After 40 years in the desert, the Hebrew people are now finally at the Jordan River and ready to cross into the Promised Land. The people wonder: will there be a repeat of the crossing of the Red Sea when God parted the waters for them…

Dear Peace Members and Friends, It was good to see so many of you out on Wednesday for Holden Evening Prayer and Lenten supper. Our thanks, too, to past Director of Music, MaryLynn Mennicke, for her part in worship. As we turn to Sunday, I realize that the days of Lent are dwindling and Holy Week is not far away! This Sunday is the 5th Sunday in Lent and with it comes a famous Gospel story of Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, and the sisters, Mary and Martha. In this scene, Jesus reveals his power over death by raising…