Here We Stand: The Catechetical Life

Here We Stand:
          The Catechetical Life
              by Rev. Lance Armstrong O’Donnell, Senior Pastor
                         St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
                          Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

                         The 3rd Sunday of Easter
                            18 April, A.D. 2021
                       Ps 4, 1 Jn 3.1-7; Lk 24.36-49

Introduction

Luke 24:46–48 (ESV)
     46
       [Jesus] said to them, “Thus it is written, that the
     Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the
     dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins
     should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. . .

What is the mission of the Church?

What does “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins
in Jesus name” means?

  Speaking God’s _____

  Speaking the _________

CCT: Jesus’ ministry of Law and Gospel gives true
____________ for the soul. (Psalm 4:8)

I. The Courage of a Soul at Rest

A. Luther at Worms (18 April, A.D. 1521)

What “birthed” the “Reformation”?

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Romans 1:16–17 (ESV)
      16
         For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the
      power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to
      the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the
      righteousne ss of God is revealed from faith for faith, as
      it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Thesis 1: the whole life of the Christian is one of
__________________

1517-1521: the lines are drawn:

   What is the central _____________ of the
     Christian faith? (salvation: gift or reward)
   What is the chief __________________ of the
     Christian faith? (Scriptures? or Tradition and
     Scripture?)

Luther at Worms (See bulletin insert)

B. You in Oconomowoc (18 April, A.D. 2021)

      Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without
      requiring repentance, baptism without church
      discipline, Communion without confession, absolution
      without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace
      without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace
      without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate...

      Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought, again
      and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door
      at which a man must knock.

      Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it
      is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is
      costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace
      because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly
      because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies

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the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God
      the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and
      what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above
      all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too
      dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for
      us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

      Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be pro-
      tected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs.
                      —Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship (1937)

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
19
  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the
age.”

Luke 24:46–48

Conclusion

What does it mean to be “baptized in the Name of
the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit”?

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Special Voters’ Meeting
                   April 18, 2021
               11:45am in the Church

                        AGENDA

     Mission: Reaching, Serving & Growing Disciples

A. Call to Order

B. Opening Devotion

C. Approval of Agenda

D. Pastoral Call Committee: Motion to Call an Associate
   Pastor
       a. Discussion
       b. Vote

E. Adjournment

F. Closing Prayer

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ASSOCIATE PASTORAL CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHY

Rev. Jason Schockman
 YOB - 1977
 Place of Birth - Lima, OH
 Marital Status
        Married with 3 minor children
 ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ
        Concordia River Forest, IL (Chicago) - BA 2001
        Concordia Seminary St. Louis, MO - M.Div 2007
 Parishes Served
        Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, West Salem, WI -
         2010 to present
                   ŚƩ Ɖ͗ ͬ ͬ ǁ ǁ ǁ ͘ ǁ ƐƉŽƉ͘ ŽƌŐͬ
        St. Paul Lutheran Church, Janesville, WI (Assoc.), -
         2007-2010
        Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wayzata, MN (DCE) -
         2000-2003
  BIO
        Sole Pastor at Prince of Peace, West Salem, WI
        WƌĞĨĞƌƌĞĚt ŽƌƐŚŝƉ^ƚLJůĞŝƐƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶĂůͬ ŇĞdžŝďůĞ
        Was a DCE Prior to becoming a Pastor
        D ĞŵďĞƌŽĨƚŚĞt ĞƐƚ^ĂůĞŵƵƐŝŶĞƐƐƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ
        Past Board Member and Board Chair for Pregnancy
         Helpline in Janesville, WI

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Re-Engage Update:
                     14 April, A.D. 2021
C hrist is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

In congregational life, God’s call is to “with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in love,
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace.” (Ephesians 4:2–3, ESV) Throughout the
pandemic, we have a taken a middle-path, “focused
protection” approach, with the goal of doing whatever we
reasonably can to draw as many people as possible back
to public worship.

Both the circuit pastors and St. Paul’s pastor and elders
met on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. We are all very much on
the same page, with the goal to lift pandemic restrictions
on Pentecost on May 23, 2021.

To that end, we have the following updates for St. Paul’s:

   1. The choir becomes “mask-optional” beginning with
      their practice on May 5, 2021. For the time being,
      when the choir sings the balcony will be closed so
      that the choir members may socially distance.
   2. We will maintain the mask requirement and social
      distancing at the Saturday 5pm service through May
      16, 2021.
   3. We plan to begin using the communion rail at all
      three services beginning on Pentecost.
   4. Summer lakeside services will begin Wednesday,
      June 2nd, at 6:30pm.

Thank you for “bearing with one another in love.” May
“the peace of Christ rule in [our] hearts, to which indeed
[we] were called in one body. And be thank-
ful.” (C olossians 3:15)

                      –Pastor O’Donnell and St. Paul’s Elders

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St. Paul’s Middle School Youth Group
Spring 2021 Middle School schedule
The middle school students will meet from 11:45-1:15pm in the fellowship
hall on the following Sundays. Anyone who is 5th-8th grade is welcome to
ĂƩ ĞŶĚ͘ ƌŝŶŐLJŽƵƌĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ͊ :ŽŝŶƵƐĨŽƌĐŽŶƚĞŵƉŽƌĂƌLJǁ ŽƌƐŚŝƉĂƚϭϬ͗ ϯ ϬĂŵ ƉƌŝŽƌ
to youth group.

            April 25 th
            May—TBD
Contact Adrianna Lubner with any questions at adrianna.lubner@splco.org.

St. Paul’s High School Youth Group
Spring 2021 High School schedule
On the following Sunday nights, the high school students will meet at 5:45 pm
for fellowship and at 6:00 the programming will start. Each Sunday night
ƚŚĞƌĞǁ ŝůůďĞĂŐƌŽƵƉĂĐƟǀ ŝƚLJĂŶĚĚĞǀ ŽƟŽŶ͘ ůůhigh school youth are welcome
and encouraged to come, including non-members.

            April 25 th
            May 2 nd and 16 th
Information about the high school youth group is available through:
Email: splyouth.group@splco.org
Instagram: splyouthocon
Remind: remind.com/join/garyjohnso (this is the room for parents)

Piggly Wiggly receipt fundraiser
If you shop at Piggly Wiggly, please deposit your receipts in the designated
box in the fellowship hall. The money raised from your receipts helps to
ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƚŚĞƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŵŝŶŐĨŽƌŽƵƌyouth. Thank you to all of you who already
contribute to this fundraiser.

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