April 2009 Newsletter

Pioneer Lutheran Church Publisher: Julie Petersen [email protected] Volume Number 11 Issue Number 28 APRIL 2009 Pioneer Lutheran MinutesPASTOR TYLERChurch HEPNERCouncil 601 4TH St. APT 12 BROOKINGS, SD 57006

Date:

March 2009

President Dana Crooks called the Pioneer Lutheran Church Council meeting to order on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 8:00 pm following Lenten services. Present were Larry Holler, Tiffany Petersen, Aimee Lutz, Kevin Quail, Arlene Madsen, and Pastor Tyler Hepner. Glen Thompson was absent, and intern Peter Kauffman was present as a guest. Pastor Hepner led devotions on the Paul’s letter to the Romans and discuss that the righteous live by faith and need not be ashamed of the scripture. He closed in prayer, and the meeting proceeded.

bill was considerably higher this month and asked that members be sure to shut-off lights, kitchen heaters, and close doors etc. Larry Holler moved to accept the Treasurer’s report and pay bills. Tiffany Petersen seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

Secretary’s Report: Minutes from the February 2009 meeting was presented to the council. Kevin Quail moved to accept the minutes as presented. Larry Holler seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

NEW BUSINESS: Pastor’s Report: Pastor Hepner reported he conducted 3 visitations, prepared 4 Sunday services and Ash Wednesday service and prepared bulletins for each. Pastor Hepner led 3 book discussions on the book the Hammer of God. Pastor Hepner

Treasurer’s Report: Arlene Madsen presented the monthly treasurer’s report. The general fund was negative $714.22 at the end of February. Arlene Madsen indicated that the power

OLD BUSINESS: No old business was brought before the board and President Dana Crooks proceeded to new business.

worked on the new church website and created a Pastor’s blog. It was indicated that April 26, 2009 would be Synod Stewardship day. Pastor Hepner discussed the Church Affiliation and our alignment with either LCMC or ELCA and the difficulty with being aligned with both synods. Easter Services: Good Friday service will be held at 7:00 pm on Friday April 11, 2009. Easter Sunrise service will be on Sunday April 12, 2009 at 7:00am and a potluck breakfast will follow the service. Senior Service: Arlene Madsen discussed having a Sunday Service in honor of the students graduating from high school this year. A date of 5/10 was suggested for the service. 125th Anniversary Celebration: Arlene Madsen discussed plans for the 125th celebration. A 10:00 am service is planned for that day followed by a complimentary meal, program and cake. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned and the Lord’s Prayer was said in closing. The April meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. following Lenten services. Respectfully submitted, Aimee Lutz

Freedom from Babylon In our time we find it quite routine to associate the term "church" with denominational bodies. We know people who prefer to be Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics, non-denominational, etc. who we say belong to different "churches." And these "churches" have different sets of beliefs and practices that make them distinct from one another, even while they worship the same Lord. Which one is the truest or best "church" then? Answer: none of them. Not one of them can properly be called the "church" at all. For the true church is the body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not any institution, structure, or organization of this world (I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 5:29-30; Colossians 1:24). The body of Christ and his kingdom are simply not reducible to, or understandable in terms of, any thing within the kingdom of this world. It is a spiritual house, as Peter declares, "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood" (I Peter 2:5). Luther states it most beautifully in his Schmalkald Articles when he gives the church an image from Christ: "God be praised, a child seven years old knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd. For the children pray thus: I believe in one holy [catholic or] Christian Church. This holiness does not consist in albs, tonsures, long gowns, and other of their ceremonies devised by them beyond Holy Scripture, but in

the Word of God and true faith." This is the image of the true church Christ Jesus gave us, that we are like sheep hearing the voice of our Shepherd. In hearing his voice we become one with him, a part of his body, a living stone in the temple of God. Another thing Luther knew about all this is what it meant to be freed from an institution of the world calling itself the church. For him it meant being kicked out, or excommunicated. In response, he used an image that put things in their proper biblical perspective. He called it the Babylonian captivity of the church. A foreign power has taken the people who should be of God away from the place of their God, and put them under another lordship. This describes the way in which any person or group or institution that tries to teach "the church" is something other than the body of Christ, that tries to command something Christ Jesus has not commanded, or contradicts the teachings of Christ, has left or been cut off from the body of Christ that is the true Christian church. Just so, any "church" as an institution of the world may be carried off. And given the naturally corrupting tendencies of the world, it may be that every "church" of this world is bound to travel this same road in one way or another, at least to the extent it becomes focused on human things rather than divine things (Mark 8:33). Another thing this means, is that those who leave or are kicked out of corrupt institutions are not really leaving anything, nor are they going anywhere. The body of Christ

does not come and go; it is the Word of God which remains forever (Isaiah 40:8; I Peter 1:25). And if you are in Christ you are in the true Christian church, no matter where you are. It is indeed a tragedy when anyone is carried off to Babylon, whether it be an individual, a group of people, or an institution. But it is only by the power of God one may return. To him we make our appeal through prayer on behalf of those who have been taken captive, that he would lead them once again to the Truth, and protect us from the powers of the world, the devil, and the sinful self, which threaten to lead us away as well. To whatever extent the things of this world function to communicate the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ they help to build up his body. But they are never to be confused with the real presence of the body of Jesus Christ in which we live by faith, and in the newness of life. God keep you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in him. In Christ, Pastor Tyler

• Church Cleaning on April 25

Congratulations to the Haines A baby girl was born to Chris and Cammy Haines, Saturday evening March 14, 2009 at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. She weighted 8 lbs. 10 oz and was named Cloe Christine. She joins older sister Hailey at home

REMINDERS: • Don’t forget to donate to the food pantry • Pray for Pastor Tyler and Tricia as they are engaged to be married May 30th • Remember to pray for our Compassion children and all others around the world • Have a meaningful and blessed Holy week & Easter • Easter Sunrise service 7:00 followed by potluck brunch

125th Pioneer Lutheran News There's an old abandoned house out north of here. No one seems to remember who owned it last. Spring thaw putting life into these old legs of mine, I lit out across the thawing prairie to investigate, my dog and I. Finding the house still respectable, I ventured in, still dry despite the wear. Much was there, too long to tell, I spied these papers there. Here's what they had to tell. All of Brookings County back in 1870 had 15-18 "white people." I guess they couldn't count so good back then. Either that or they just wouldn't stand still long enough to count them. It seems that White, newly founded, had a population of 137 souls in 1890, but in ten short years had more than tripled. The whole place was like that. Brookings went from just over 1500 to 2400 in those years. About the turn of the century, White was quite a booming place. Had two weekly newspapers going at the same time. Brookings had the same, it seems. Lot of reading going on back then, mostly on the weekend, I suppose. Not all of it in English though. There were two German churches in White, and who knows what they were doing out at Pioneer. High School tells us that there were 20 students studying German, with only 5 in the graduating class. One might start to wonder why the class was so small, until one reads a little further down that they were advertising for students saying, "We have room for a few more students in high school, but those who want it must make application early, as the vacant seats are very few." You sort of get the idea that they weren't banging on the door to get in. Kind of like today, don't you think? In the 1909 White Business Directory published out of Denver, it says here that they had 75 listings. No telephone numbers though, even if they did have a White Telephone Company. I guess it was something

like you'd pick up the phone, give a couple of healthy cranks and yell into the phone, "Hey, Molly, get me Doc Harriman. My cows gone down and won't get up." Had an Opera House too. I wonder what that was like on a Saturday night. I'm betting they didn't have no dancing girls with garter straps. That'd be down at the Ney's Billiard Hall. Must have had a lot of horses too. There were two blacksmiths and one harness shop. Says here that Albert Berndt, farming 2 miles north of White, was auctioning off his farm, including 4 good work horses, 3 "milk" cows (that's them Germans again), 6 steers, 50 chickens, some geese, a McCormick binder, 1 disc, a walking plow, a sulky plow, 3 wagons, 2 hay rakes, a fanning (winnowing) mill, corn cultivator, and 3 sets of harnesses. I guess it wouldn't look like that today. Well, I guess I better be getting home. Been sitting too long. Got to keep the old joints lubricated, you know. Come on Emma. I'll just leave these papers here. Just in case you want to come and take a look yourself.

MAY FELLOWSHIP AT PIONEER LUTHERAN Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 6:30 pm for May Fellowship at Pioneer. All area women are invited for a time of gathering together for a program, songs and salad meal. Monica Petersen will be our guest speaker. She will be talking about her trip to Argentina last summer. She will share the American and Spanish culture of living together. Plan to attend and invite a friend

HYVEE RECEIPTS QUOTA MET!!!!!

SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2009 SENIOR DAY Pioneer Lutheran would to recognize our 2009 Graduates during the service. Please join us in congratulating them. Kristina Montis, Chelsey Petersen, Jessie Pike, Lucas Quail, Bayli Skroch, Brittany Tolrud

Thanks to members and friends of Pioneer who have turned in HyVee Receipts. The grand total of $150,000.00 has been turned in and counted. As has happened twice before our little church then receives $1000! We also thank HyVee for this benefit. Several cash register receipts were turned in this past week and we are on our way for the next quota if this service is on going. Thanks Everyone!!!!

CHURCH CLEANING

DEATH~ WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT.. A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to

Plan to spend a fun day at the church on Saturday, April 25. This will be a workday. We will clean the church and the cemetery. We have two special events coming up and we want to have all work completed in time for these events. Pioneer is hosting a Salad Luncheon in early May and then, of course, we have our 125th celebration on June 14. If the weather is wet and uncooperative on April 25 we will work on May 2nd. Please come and help, if we have a large group the work will not take long at all. Plan to begin at 9:00 a.m.

Leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.' Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 'You don't know? Your, a Christian man, and don't know what's on the other side?' The doctor was holding the handle of the door; On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness Turning to the patient, the doctor said,

'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, But I do know one thing...

I know my Master is there and that is enough.' A Sunday school teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old family Bible to her brother in another part of the country. "Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk. "Only the Ten Commandments." answered the

lady.