August 2020 Newsletter.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This too shall pass. That is what I say when talking about COVID-19. As all plagues and pandemics of the past have come and gone, so this too will eventually pass. One of the things that astounds and frustrates me the most with this pandemic is that amount of contradictory information and misinformation that is being broadcast to the general public. It is getting harder and harder to know who or what to believe in our world. This fact should not come as a surprise, however, as we know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that apart from Jesus is there is and can be no truth. So, as our world becomes less and less a Christian world, we find truth becomes less and less seen.

One politician suggested that he was more interested in truth than fact. What does that mean? When truth become relative, that is when what may be true for me may not be true for you and what is true for you may not be true for me, then facts do not matter. Rather one’s interpretation of the facts is what matters. And as one interprets the facts, that is what is true to them. As we do live in a world where truth has become relative for many, as Christians we still seek the truth and believe the truth which is found only in Jesus.

The same may be said about the cry for justice. Everyone wants justice, but is justice really what everyone wants? The answer is no. What everyone wants is what they believe to be their own justice. As Christians, we know that justice is that we are guilty and deserve eternal death. Thanks be to God that He does not give us the justice we deserve, rather He gives us the forgiveness that Jesus earned for us on the cross. This declaration is true, is a fact and is what we will continue to believe, teach and confess. This is where our focus is (should be).

In the mean time, we continue to sort through the information we are given. We continue to pray to God for healing, both from the pandemic as well as cultural struggles. We continue to be His Church in this place offering and delivering His gifts through Word and Sacrament. Pastor Mendez and I are ready, willing and able to work with you in just about any way you may desire in order to deliver God’s gifts to you as you feel comfortable and safe, but you need to let us know. And just as a note, at my last blood donation I tested negative for COVID-19.