May 2022 St. Matthew Newsletter

May 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I ask for your indulgence as I write this newsletter article for May of 2022 because this month and the next four hold numerous milestones for myself and my family.

May 27 marks one of the greatest milestones and events of my life, the 33rd anniversary of the marriage of Gayle and me. The second greatest event and milestone is the 27th birthday of our oldest son Caleb on May 9 (and subsequently my three other children, Joshua, Hannah and Aaron). And the next great milestone and event, not in any particular order, is the 20th anniversary of my installation here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield, May 19, 2002, which we celebrated on the third Sunday in May, Picnic Sunday. This 20th anniversary brings my tenure at St. Matthew tied for the longest tenured pastor, Rev. Sander from 1938-58.

On July 26 I will be celebrating the milestone of the 30th anniversary of my ordination, and in August (and I am not sure of the exact date) I will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of my installation into church work, then as a teacher in one of our Lutheran Schools. With these anniversaries I give thanks and glory to God for all the earthly accomplishments He has seen gracious enough to bestow on me.

Over the last forty years the Lord has also blessed me with five children already in heaven. He has seen fit to give me the opportunities to serve as a school teacher and coach, as a youth worker, and as a Director of Christian Education. He has given me the opportunity to earn my Master of Divinity Degree, as well as, my Doctor of Ministry Degree. He has given me the privilege of serving as the Theological Advisor for Cross Ties Ministries, the Program Chair and Chairman of the Texas Confessional Lutherans meeting in Brenham, the chaplain for my sons’ Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop and Trail Life USA troop, as well as my daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop, opportunities which afforded me the opportunity to share the good news of the Gospel with many people who may have never heard the good news. He has seen fit to allow my nomination as the President of our National Church Body (the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), as well as, our District Church Body (the Texas District of the LCMS) and allowed me to serve as Circuit Visitor of our own circuit. He has allowed for me to serve as a delegate to our district conventions and our synod conventions. He has allowed for me to write several books, as well as, important articles, which I hope to have published in the near future, although many are on my blog for anyone to read.

Over the years the Lord has graciously given me the opportunity and allowed for me to meet and touch the lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, to share the joy of Jesus’ forgiveness. I have been amazed at how the Lord has touched the lives of others through me especially considering the fact that I would never know of such circumstances except for those who have shared them with me.

As I always encourage you, we know we get it right when we point to Jesus. Over the past forty years of church work and over the years of my life I rejoice in the great gifts and blessings with which our Lord has graciously bestowed on me, times of struggle, as well as, times of blessings. As I celebrate these many milestones and great events this year, I pray that you will celebrate with me by giving praise and glory to God alone. What is the greatest gift you can give to your pastor? Being in Divine Service and Bible Class where you are given the gifts of God which He gives him to give to you.

I thank God for the privileges He has given me over these past forty, thirty and twenty years. And I thank you for indulging me this month to reminisce.

God’s richest blessings.
In His Service,

Pastor Bogs
1 Cor. 15:3-5

Don’t forget, if you miss a Sunday, you can read the sermon on my blog: http://rabswritings.blogspot.com.

Holy Days and Holidays in May: Mother’s Day (May 8); The Ascension of the Lord (May 26); Memorial Day (May 30); The Visitation (May 31).