True North VBS

Friends of Immanuel,

It’s hard to believe, but in just over two weeks we’ll be kicking off Holy Week with our celebration of Palm Sunday on April 13^th! Along with planning your Easter menu, I urge you to start planning and praying about people in your life you can invite to join you for our Holy Week observances and, of course, our grand Easter Sunday celebration.

This Sunday we will have available postcard-sized Easter invitations listing all the happenings on Easter Sunday at Immanuel, including times for worship, the Easter breakfast, and the Easter Egg Hunt for the children. I encourage you to share these postcards with friends, neighbors, and co-workers. The QR code on the card will take you to our website where there’s information on Holy Week worship services and lots more.

Easter, like Christmas, is a time of year when people are open to considering more spiritual-related matters, with many having at least a vague understanding that Easter is connected to the church and religious sorts of things. As we live in a culture that has been becoming increasingly more and more antagonistic or apathetic toward Jesus, Christianity, faith, and the Church, there are also, at the same time, a growing number of people who are becoming weary of the hopeless alternatives our culture offers and are open to hearing a message of real hope, real love, and real life.

And that’s exactly what we have to offer! So let’s not be shy or hesitant to speak about our faith and about Jesus with others. You don’t have to “preach” to people or quote Bible passages at them – just share the difference Jesus makes in your life. Share stories about how your faith in Him has helped you.

And when you extend an invitation, offer to pick them up or meet them in the parking lot – it can be a bit scary or anxiety-producing to step into a building that you’re unfamiliar with. Many people may not know what to expect when they come to a church or a worship service, so having a friend walk with them can help alleviate a lot of fears around the unknown. In short, practice the Radical Hospitality that we have experienced from our Lord and that we, in turn, share so readily with others here at Immanuel

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

On behalf of the Executive Council and the Finance Team, I want to share this important and challenging update on our financial situation here at Immanuel. As your senior pastor, I’m trying to walk the fine-line of faith and trust in the provision of our amazing and abundant God and, at the same time, sharing with you some of the current realities of where we stand.

At the March Executive Council and Finance Team meetings, it was shared that if all our current giving, tuition, and expenses continue as they are, the projection is that we will have to draw approximately $80,000 from our Line of Credit from mid-May to the end of June. June is traditionally our most challenging month because we do not receive school tuition and our summer childcare is just getting started, but we still have all our staff and benefits to pay.

As a staff, throughout this fiscal year we have been extremely frugal and we will continue to do so, knowing that we have all been called to be good stewards of all the resources our Lord entrusts to us. Our greatest expenses come in our fixed costs of mortgage, payroll and benefits for our staff, basic supplies (paper, copiers, and restroom supplies), and our utilities. At the bottom of this email, I included the latest financial information that was also included in last Thursday’s email update so you can look more closely at both income and expenses for February and year-to-date.

As your pastor, I want to express that what we are facing is significant but not insurmountable. This is not a “pastor spin” on this situation or a “cry wolf” moment, but a statement of faith. We serve a God of abundance and not of scarcity. We serve a God who, as St. Paul expresses in Ephesians 3:20, “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Again and again, we read in God’s Word that He has promised to provide for us His people. Based on those promises, we are called and invited to trust Him, to follow Him, and to respond not in fear but in faith. As the song, “All the Power Your Need,” (which we often sing at Easter) states, “He’s never early, never late; It takes courage and it takes faith; Trust Him and see He’s got all the power you need.”

With that trust and faith we’re called to have, comes action and opportunities to express and live out that faith! Many of you have responded in amazing ways throughout this year with the challenge to raise your level of giving. Church offerings are up almost 12% from last year and our overall giving is up over 17% – thank you and praise God! The difficulty is that we’re in a situation where that’s still not quite covering our needs due in part to inflation and the considerable increase in costs that we’re all experiencing.

An immediate step we have taken is that we are working with the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF), the financial arm of our entire church body, and the ones who hold our mortgage. They are working with us on two studies they recommended, a study on our school and a land-use study, both helping us to take a critical look at ourselves, to do some analysis and evaluation of our ministry as a whole and propose some recommendations for us to consider. I mention this specifically as the LCEF team will be here on-site at Immanuel on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 1^st and 2^nd to begin their work with us. One part of that visit, that I hope many of you can attend, is a Listening Session on Tuesday, April 1^st at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. The LCEF team will explain more of the process behind these two studies, will field questions and comments, and offer their encouragement to us. Please put this important event on your calendar and plan to attend!

I’m guessing that many of you are asking and wondering what you can do – I know that because of who you all are as part of the Lord’s amazing ministry here at Immanuel and where your hearts are with your love for the Lord and your love for this community of faith. To make this a little easier to read, I’ve put a number of suggestions and ideas and opportunities below in separate articles that many of us can take advantage of, if we’re not already, to help keep us moving forward in overcoming these current financial challenges.

So I thank you in advance for your prayers for our ministry together, for your leaders as we do our best to lead us through this season, for yourself and how the Lord can use you right now, and for the Lord to continue to use all of us to share His love and hope which we carry in our hearts, to the many people in our lives as well as those living in northern Colorado. I leave you with this – Faith, not fear, and remember that we serve a mighty God, a God not of scarcity, but of abundance!

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

Yesterday we looked closely at 1 Peter 4:7-11 where Peter starts this section by stating very clearly, “The end of all things is near.” One helpful key to understanding this is that God’s perspective of time is very different from ours as we’re reminded in 2 Peter 3:8, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” With that mind, along with Jesus’ ongoing reminders to us that no one knows when the end will come, He urges us to always be watchful, prepared, and ready.

How can we live our lives holding to these challenging biblical truths? By living each day, doing what we’ve been called and created to do – being good and faithful spouses, children, friends, co-workers, employees, employers; doing our best with the resources, talents, and abilities entrusted to us; and putting our faith and trust in the Lord each day.

Fred Lund was a longtime member of Immanuel who passed away on March 10^th. His memorial service was here at Immanuel last Saturday. As part of remembering Fred, one his sons read a piece, entitled “The Best Day of My Life,” that encapsulated Fred, his attitude, and the life he lived in a beautiful way. I share this with you as some encouragement for us as another way to live out the reality that “the end of near” – not with dread, but with faith in our Lord and gratitude in our hearts.

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!

There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did!

And because I did, I am going to celebrate! 

Today, I’m going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far; the accomplishments, the many blessings, and yes, even the hardships, because they have served to make me stronger.

I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.

I will marvel at God’s seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with all the people I meet. I’ll make someone smile. I’ll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don’t even know.

Today, I’ll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I’ll tell a child how special he is. And I’ll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them, and how much they mean to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don’t have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I’ll remember that worry is just a waste of time, because my faith in God and His divine plan ensures everything will be just fine!

And tonight, as I go to bed, I’ll raise my eyes to the heavens, contemplating in awe the beauty of all of God’s creation, and I will praise God for His magnificent world.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life.

And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation, because I know that tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life… ever!

What Now?

This week, live your life believing “the end is near” – not with dread, but with joy in our Life Together, encouraging each other to live faithful and faith-filled lives in every aspect of life the Lord has given us.

As I mentioned and encouraged in my sermon yesterday, we’re on week #8 of the 16-week “Love Challenge” that we began on February 2^nd – “Love is not easily angered.” If you’re just hearing about this, step in – it’s not too late. Or if you started this but then it’s fallen by the wayside, this week is a great week to re-boot and get going again. It’s never a bad time to practice this amazing gift of love that our Lord has given us!

What Now?

Print out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (provided below). Each week for the next 16 weeks, take one of the characteristics of love and look for ways to express it – to your spouse, your kids, your friend-group. Be creative, have fun with it, talk about it, and grow in the love our Savior has shown to us as we show it to each other.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails.”

Love Is Not Easily Angered

Like the characteristic of patience, this kind of love does not rush toward anger when others do us wrong. This love does not hold a selfish concern for one's own rights.

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

My article today is going to be a smorgasbord of topics that are on my mind, many of which I believe would be helpful for all of you who are connected to Immanuel to be aware of.

You’ll find in today’s update the monthly financial update from the Executive Council, including the financials from February as well as the year-to-date numbers. The Finance Team and Executive Council had some very productive conversation earlier this week in each of their meetings, trying to come to grips with some of the challenges that are before us. I’ll be sending out a Financial Update Special Edition within the next week or so that will speak more specifically to where things are currently at, some of what the Executive Council, Finance Team, and the Board of Christian Day School are working on and talking about, and some ideas about what each of us can do to make a difference.

On another topic, we have undergone some staffing changes, specifically in the area of our facility and grounds. This means we have some opportunities to serve and help in this large and significant part of our ministry together. We currently have most of our day-to-day custodial needs covered, which is critical for our school and childcare. But we will need some additional support when it comes to some of the bigger projects and ongoing needs. Those include things like our upcoming Spring Work Day, snow removal, and, before you know it, mowing all the non-sprinkled acres of our property, among many other smaller projects that arise on a daily and weekly basis. We are re-booting our Facilities Team and would appreciate some additional manpower, for those who have an interest – see the article about this in today’s update.

I also want to express my sincere thanks to several people who have stepped up in some very significant ways with some immediate facility needs we were facing. Those include Bob Kamtz, Joe Aigner, and Dennis and Luke Whitfield. Thank you, fellas!! You are very much appreciated!

When it comes to opportunities to help and serve, there seem to always be an abundance of those! Again, I encourage you to read on in today’s update and if there are some of those needs you can help fill in areas that you would enjoy serving, step in and join the fun! God is doing amazing things here at Immanuel as we carry out His mission and what a joy it is that you and I get to be part of His work! I can’t begin to name the names of so many of you who give and serve, oftentimes behind the scenes and without any fanfare – from the many facets of worship support, to serving on our many leadership teams, to just showing up for activities and ministries, to going shopping to purchase items for events and items to send across town and across the world for the sake of the Gospel. Our Lenten worship series is called Life Together – and that’s what makes this place so special – being in community and living Life Together! Thank you for being here, for calling Immanuel home, and for being integral parts of this awesome ministry!

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

Selection Sunday was yesterday – and I’m guessing that about half of you reading this have no idea what that means!! For those who don’t know, it’s a big day that kicks of March Madness, the annual college basketball tournament that consumes the next three weekends with hours and hours of basketball being played around the county, all vying for the right to be called the champions of college basketball.

Selection Sunday meant that 68 Division 1 basketball teams got the word that they had been selected to play in the tournament. The first eight teams will be playing on Tuesday and Wednesday and the tournament will officially begin with 16 games being played throughout the day on Thursday. I found out that my Wisconsin Badgers are playing in Denver on Thursday and my son Jonathan and I will be there at Ball Arena to watch the game – I can’t wait!

So why am I sharing all this with you? Believe it or not, it has several connections with yesterday’s message. I spoke a lot about destinations and journeys. Right now there are 68 basketball teams that have their sights set on a very specific destination – hoisting the NCAA basketball trophy. There are literally hundreds of thousands of players, university students, and fans who are embarking on this exciting journey over the next three weeks. For some, the journey will be very short – one day, one game, and they will go home. For others it will be longer. But for everyone the journey will be filled with nail-biting, excitement, anxiousness, disappointment, exhilaration, tears, and celebration.

But here’s the thing. The national championship game will be played on Monday night, April 7th. At about 9:00pm, when the game is over, a champion will be crowned. One team out of 68 will be celebrating. The real question is, how long will the exhilaration for those players and coaches and that university last? You and I both know that it won’t be long. It’s not to downplay the excitement – that’s real and it’s so fun to ride that emotional high. But it just doesn’t last very long and the question I posed yesterday is very applicable, particularly in the days or weeks after that championship game – “Is this it???”

I won’t repeat my sermon here, other than to say this: as followers of Jesus, we DO have a destination that is not temporary or fleeting. As Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:3-5), “In God’s great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” And the beauty of this “destination” is that it is something that has tremendous impact on us right here and now. It is this assurance and this gift of an “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade,” that provides us encouragement and hope – real hope – to press on with the journey before us.

Peter was holding out this hope to those Christians to whom he was writing. They were undergoing tremendous persecution. Regardless of our circumstances, the Lord is offering to you and me this very same hope. Know that you’re not alone – we’re living this Life Together, with the Lord and with each other, which the Lord has designed very intentionally. Don’t lose hope. Know that you’re not alone. The Lord is here and He loves you! Take this week’s What Now? to heart as we continue this journey of Lent together.

What Now?

1.   Keep perspective this week – an eternal perspective, assured of where this journey of faith and life are taking us.

2.   Settle in and enjoy this journey of Lent (and beyond!) in some of the ways we talked about.3.   Look for an opportunity to share the hope we have in Jesus.

3.   Look for an opportunity to share the hope we have in Jesus.

We’re also on week #6 of the 16-week “Love Challenge” that we began on February 2nd – “Love is not self-seeking.” Keep going with this and practice this amazing gift of love that our Lord has given us.

What Now?

Print out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (provided below). Each week for the next 16 weeks, take one of the characteristics of love and look for ways to express it – to your spouse, your kids, your friend-group. Be creative, have fun with it, talk about it, and grow in the love our Savior has shown to us as we show it to each other.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.”

Love Is Not Self-Seeking

This kind of love puts the good of others before our own good. It places God first in our lives, above our own ambitions. This love does not insist on getting its own way.

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,

As I shared with you in Monday’s update, we’re celebrating Lutheran Schools Week here at Immanuel. In my article today, I want to share a little more with you about Immanuel’s biggest mission and some of the fun that was had this week!

Lutheran Schools Week provides more than 1,800 preschools, elementary schools and high schools world-wide with the public opportunity to proclaim and celebrate God’s work among us in schools of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). This year’s theme is “Running the Race” with the scripture focus on Hebrews 12:1-2. Our student body has been meeting for a short all-school devotion every morning this week looking at various subthemes of “Running the Race,” including overcoming obstacles, being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and keeping our eyes on Jesus!

In addition to devotions, we’ve had some fun dress up days this week, including Pajama day, Space day, Sports Team day, Western day, and Dress Your Best day. We have read around the school with buddies, participated in some all-school relay games, and experienced an on-site planetarium ‘field trip’ where we learned more about seasons and space. We are hosting our annual Immanuel Lutheran School Showcase tonight—Thursday evening—from 5:30pm-7:00pm, focusing on art, music, and science, and you are ALL welcome to come and check out our amazing school, and invite others to join you! And on Friday, to wrap up Lutheran Schools Week, we are excited to again welcome grandparents and other VIP guests to spend the morning with us.

We thank God for the opportunity to provide excellent academic preparation for the children and families we serve. We are most grateful for the opportunity to share Jesus’ amazing love with children and their families.

I also want to share some good news about enrollment for next school year that I received from our principal Cheryl Gilbert. She shared with me that last year, at the end of February (2024), we had 37 students enrolled in K-8 and at the end of April (2024), we had 57 students enrolled K-8. As of today, March 13, 2025, we have 84 students enrolled in Kindergarten through 8^th grade! We also have multiple tours set up for this week and next week, from toddlers through high school. Praise God! Let’s celebrate where we are, and the gift of students and families God has given us!

Then continue to pray for our school and spread the word among those you know with school-age children from toddler through high school. Enrollment is open NOW, but there is a specific window for applying for some major scholarship and tuition assistance opportunities. If you have questions, would like to set up a tour, would like more information about scholarship opportunities and deadlines, or would like to enroll your child or children, contact the school office at SchoolOffice@ImmanuelLoveland.org.

Finally, one of the activities this week is students thanking all of Immanuel’s members and regular attenders for making our school a reality and supporting each and every student in the school. In your Immanuel mailbox this Sunday you will find a thank you note from the children. And this Sunday you’ll see student artwork in the main atrium as well as the book fair in the west atrium which will be open and available for you to browse and make purchases to support our school ministry.

Thank you for your prayers for our school ministry and the support you give through your offerings and gifts that help support our school and all the ministries of our church. We are truly BLESSED in a significant way to be able to share the Good News of Jesus through our amazing, nationally accredited Lutheran school! Enjoy a few morepictures below from the fun we’ve been having this week!

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

March 10, 2025

Friends of Immanuel,

This week we are celebrating Lutheran Schools Week at Immanuel and giving thanks for the blessing we have of operating a Lutheran school for almost 50 years (we opened with our first preschool class in 1977)! Our school is our biggest mission and has been since it began. Throughout the history of our school, we have had roughly 50% of all children enrolled who are not connected to a church. The majority of the other 50% of children are connected to other congregations in the Front Range. Nearly every Immanuel 101 class that I’ve ever held (2 per year) have included either parents, grandparents, or teachers from our school.

Given our current culture and many of the challenging issues that we’re seeing with our public schools in Northern Colorado (and across the United States), it is more important than ever for us to keep our school going strong! Our teachers are amazing and Jesus can be found everywhere – in specific curriculum, in chapels, in discipline situations, but also at recess, in math, and in science. Jesus is not just something we teach in a Bible class or talk about in chapel, but He truly is part of everything that goes on here. What a blessing! We will continue to stay grounded on God’s Word and do all we can to share the love, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus to every child, every parent, and every person who walks through our doors here at Immanuel!

With our celebration of Lutheran Schools Week, we kicked off the week yesterday with the Middle School handbell choir playing at the beginning of our 10:30 Contemporary Joy worship service and they did an amazing job, ringing a fun piece called Dry Bones! We also had the book fair set up in the west atrium, which is always fun. The Book Fair will continue through next Sunday, March 16^th, if you’re interested in seeing it and purchasing any books.

Today was pajama day, so many of the kiddos and staff came dressed in their cozy PJs! We started the day with an all-school devotion in the sanctuary, which will happen every day this week, all based on this year’s theme, “Running the Race,” from Hebrews 12:1-2. Every day will include different fun dress-up days and special activities.

Two days I want to highlight include Thursday night when we will have our Showcase Night will lots of different projects on display as well as some performances (5:30pm-7:00pm). Share this with others you know who have school-age children and invite them to come over and check Immanuel out.

Then Friday is our Grandparents/VIP Day and I’ll be leading a special end-of-week chapel to wrap up our celebration of Lutheran Schools Week. Chapel will start at 8:45am in the sanctuary and all are welcome.

Thank you for your prayers for our school ministry and the support you give through your offerings and gifts that help support our school and all the ministries of our church. What a blessing that we can be a shining light in our community, helping others see Jesus and the power of His love!

From yesterday’s sermon in our Life Together series, here is this week’s What Now?, as we talked about our identity and the power of God’s Word.

What Now?

Be true to yourself!

• Know who you are in Jesus.
• Know the gifts, abilities, personality, etc., the Lord has given you that make you you.
• Know and lean into the living and enduring Word of God and the promises He’s made to you.

And finally, we’re also on week #6 of the 16-week “Love Challenge” that we began on February 2^nd – “Love is not rude.” Keep going with this and practice this amazing gift of love that our Lord has given us.

What Now?

Print out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (provided below). Each week for the next 16 weeks, take one of the characteristics of love and look for ways to express it – to your spouse, your kids, your friend-group. Be creative, have fun with it, talk about it, and grow in the love our Savior has shown to us as we show it to each other.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸ Love never fails.”

Love Is Not Rude

This kind of love cares about others, their customs, likes, and dislikes. It respects the feelings and concerns of others even when they are different from our own. It would never act dishonorably or disgrace another person.

Serving together in Christ alone!

Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel,
Yesterday’s Ash Wednesday services got us off to a good and healthy start to the season of Lent. As we have now begun this journey of Lent, I want to share a little more about what Lent actually is. Some of you may be familiar with Lent but I know for many of you, Lent was not part of your growing up or your family traditions.

Lent is a season of the Church year that leads us to Holy Week and the ultimate celebration of the Church, Jesus’ victorious resurrection from the dead that we celebrate on Easter morning. Lent has long been not only a season but a practice of the Church. It’s a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by several specific spiritual disciplines – the disciplines of repentance, preparation, fasting, prayer, and acts of service. As I wrote about last week, this year at Immanuel we’ll be focusing on Life Together throughout the season of Lent.

The season of Lent began yesterday with our observance of Ash Wednesday, a very somber day that is literally marked with ashes on our foreheads. Having ashes on your forehead is not intended to be a “mark of honor” or anything boastful. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It’s intended as a mark of humility, that we are admitting, acknowledging, and confessing our sin in a rather public way. It’s a demonstration of the reality that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. But the ashes are in the sign of the cross – a sign of forgiveness, grace, and love. It’s a demonstration of the reality that while we are dead in our sins, we are alive in Jesus and because of Jesus. The ashes on our foreheads can be a great opportunity to start conversations with others about faith and about Jesus.

Throughout the season of Lent, we will have five more Wednesday midweek Lent worship services at 1:00pm and 7:00pm. The remaining midweek services will be much briefer, 30-minute times of worship, devotion, and prayer that Pastor Robin and I will take turns leading. I encourage you to come and take advantage of all these services and the resources they provide as well as the opportunity to take a brief “holy pause” in our busy lives and worship together with our sisters and brothers in Christ. For those Wednesday worship services, Pastor Robin and I will use the Lutheran Hour Ministry devotional materials as a stepping off point to go a bit deeper into those Wednesday devotions.

Daily devotions are another aspect of Lent that I want to encourage you to step into. Over the past several weeks, we’ve had Lent devotional materials for adults, children, youth, and families available. The adult devotions, which can also be used by families, can also be accessed online at https://www.lhm.org/lent/. Take time each day, either as individuals, as couples, or as families, to read through these simple devotions and then talk more about them and what they mean for you and your life of following Jesus. Spending time in God’s Word each day is a great habit to get into!

Another of the spiritual disciplines of Lent is acts of service, or helping those in need. For many years during the season of Lent, we have put together personal care kits in conjunction with Lutheran World Relief to supply basic needs to people when crises or disasters strike. You can see the article below for more details on that opportunity.

Another spiritual discipline is fasting or giving something up. Giving something up between Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday is a practice that has become more popular again as of late. While this is not something we have to do, the positives of this practice is that it’s a form of personal sacrifice, mirroring Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert, demonstrating self-discipline, focusing our attention more deeply on our faith by reflecting on Jesus’ suffering, ultimately with the desire to bring us closer to God, to prioritize God in our lives, to put God in the center of our minds and lives, and to make God the focal point.

So, for example, if you’re thinking about giving up chocolate – do it! But also ask yourself, “How will this bring me closer to God?” One way it could bring you closer to God is that every time you start craving for chocolate, you take that as a cue to pray, to confess your weakness, to confess your need for God’s grace, and to be reminded that God is with you.

With all these powerful disciplines of Lent, I pray that you take advantage of one or more of them and let them help you grow in your faith throughout these 40 days as we live Life Together in our Savior.

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel, 

Yesterday we looked more deeply into some of the mysterious “radiating” going on in Scripture – from Moses in Exodus 34 to Jesus in Luke 9. While both of these occurrences are definitely other-worldly and quite mysterious, neither has to scare us. In fact, I hope just the opposite is true – that we are encouraged. For Moses, being in the presence of God on the top of Mount Sinai to get version 2.0 of the 10 Commandments following the Golden Calf mishap, we’re told that his face was radiant, all because Moses was in God’s presence. In other words, being with the Lord changes us! 

We saw Jesus radiating His own glory on the mountain of Transfiguration, as He pulled the curtain back ever so slightly for Peter, James, and John (and us!) to catch a glimpse of who Jesus truly is. And they also heard the Father’s voice declare, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him!” 

Our celebration of Jesus’ Transfiguration also comes right before we observe Ash Wednesday and begin the season of Lent (which is THIS Wednesday with worship services at 1:00pm and 7:00pm). As Jesus talked with Moses and Elijah about His “exodus” or departure, He was referring to His crucifixion (and ultimately His resurrection), the completion of His mission in Jerusalem that would take place very soon after His Transfiguration. As we prepare for our annual pilgrimage to the cross during the season of Lent, I pray that we take the Father’s encouragement to heart – that we listen to Jesus as we gather on Sundays and Wednesdays for worship, as we continue to show up for worship and for Bible studies and small groups, and as we spend time in personal and family devotions in God’s Word each day. God’s promise to us is that when we show up and are in His presence, things happen, and He will change us! 

From my message yesterday, here is the What Now? that I hope you take to heart: 

What Now? 

Consider these two “Transfiguration actions”: 

1. Set a goal for the season of Lent to listen to Jesus more intently. 
2. Let the Lord “light you up” through His Word and look for opportunities to Radiate!  

We’re also on week #5 of the 16-week “Love Challenge” that we began on February 2nd – “Love is not proud.” Keep going with this and practice this amazing gift of love that our Lord has given us. 

What Now? 

Print out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (provided below). Each week for the next 16 weeks, take one of the characteristics of love and look for ways to express it – to your spouse, your kids, your friend-group. Be creative, have fun with it, talk about it, and grow in the love our Savior has shown to us as we show it to each other. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.” 

Love Is Not Proud 

This love is not overly self-confident or insubordinate to God and others. It is not characterized by a sense of self-importance or arrogance. 

Serving together in Christ alone! 

Pastor Glen 

Friends of Immanuel,
Today’s email update may seem a bit jarring as you’ll read about the start of Lent as well as some of the many opportunities to serve and give as we get ready to celebrate Holy Week and Easter. And this Sunday we’re going to wrap up our Radiate! Epiphany series with the celebration of the mystery of Jesus’ Transfiguration. We’ve got a lot of different messages, emphases, and crossing over of seasons and themes all going on simultaneously, but that’s what comes at this time of the year. In my article I’m going to share with you about Ash Wednesday and the upcoming season of Lent, to help us be ready for next Wednesday.

Why Ash Wednesday? Lent . . . calls us back to God, back to basics, back to the spiritual realities of life. It calls on us to put to death the sin and the indifference we have in our hearts toward God and our fellow persons. And it beckons us to enter once again into the joy of the Lord—the joy of a new life born out of a death to the old life. This is what Ash Wednesday is all about—the fundamental change of life required of those who would die with Jesus and be raised to a new life in him. — Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004), 99-100.

Today I share with you the “Quote of the Week” from The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, because of how simply he captures the essence of the season of Lent, which begins next Wednesday, March 5^th. Ash Wednesday worship will be held at 1:00pm and 7:00pm – both services will include the Imposition of Ashes as well as the Lord’s Supper and worship will be about an hour long. Please note that we will NOT be offering the Imposition of Ashes early that Wednesday morning, but you are welcome to receive ashes during our school’s chapel service that morning which is from 8:30-9:00am.

Life Together will be our worship theme on Sundays during the season of Lent. Written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in 1938, Life Together explores Christian community from a biblical lens. The book is based on Bonhoeffer’s experiences leading an underground seminary in Germany where he and his students practiced a shared life of faith, prayer, and study while resisting the rise of Nazi ideology. It serves as a practical and spiritual guide to authentic Christian fellowship.

The themes from Bonhoeffer’s book will be addressed in light of today’s postmodern culture, a culture that has moved away from ideas that were core to modernity (what many of us grew up believing in): absolute truth, objectivity, and progress. In postmodernism, there is skepticism toward all of this and more. This series will focus on what it means to live in community in postmodern times as we walk together through the season of Lent toward the cross and the empty tomb.

For the remaining five Wednesdays in Lent (March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9), we will have worship at 1:00pm and 7:00pm but they will be shorter and more devotional in nature. Pastor Robin and I will take turns each week expanding on the Lutheran Hour Ministry devotions for those Wednesdays.

I hope you can join me next Wednesday and on all the coming Sundays and Wednesdays for these many opportunities to gather together and worship our Savior throughout this season of Lent! And don’t forget to check out all the other information on the devotional materials we have available for this season as well as other opportunities to serve and give that are below in today’s update.

Serving together in Christ alone!
Pastor Glen

Friends of Immanuel, 

I want to express my personal thanks to Pastor Frank Johnson (one of our many amazing retired pastors here at Immanuel) for preaching yesterday and sharing God’s Word with all of us. As some of you know, last week I had two funerals, one on Monday and another on Tuesday, and then Kathy and I took a very quick trip to Michigan Thursday through Saturday to see three of our grandkids (and our oldest son and his wife!). In addition, I’ve been dealing with a bit of a cold since last Sunday, so to have Pastor Frank take yesterday’s preaching duties was a tremendous blessing to me! 

I want to share a quick follow-up on Pastor Frank’s fine sermon on the account of Joseph from Genesis 37-50 and how we can Radiate When It Doesn’t Make Sense. As Pastor Frank shared the obvious, we all have things that happen in our lives that may leave us scratching our heads – things that can frustrate us, that can discourage us, that can cause us to even wonder where God is in light of our particular circumstances. Joseph was a powerful example for us of the amazing trust Joseph continued to have in God, in spite of devastating things that continued to happen to him. Even with those happenings, God had a plan and God worked things out in Joseph’s life to use him to be a blessing to his family, to many others in the world during those years of famine, and also to us, to encourage us when we face challenging times. 

As St. Paul expressed in Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” That isn’t always the most comforting thing to hear, especially when we’re going through difficult times. However, we can still lean into that promise and the assurance that God DOES care about me, even when things are falling apart and not making sense in my life. This is a promise that takes us right back to Jesus! This is why Jesus came and did everything He did – to assure us that we’re not alone and we’re not on our own, ever! He laid down His life and rose again in order to bring us hope and allow us to live each day with a very real hope that comes straight from Him. 

I encourage you, especially if you’re living in a season of life when things don’t make sense, to never forget that Jesus has you firmly in His hands – He loves you and is right here with you. Trust Him and His powerful promises to you and don’t lose hope! You have been called by God to be His child and He will see you through whatever it is you are facing. 

Also, don’t forget about the 16-week “Love Challenge” that we began on February 2nd. This is week 4 and we’re talking about how love does not boast. Keep going with this and practice this amazing gift of love that our Lord has given us. 

What Now? 

Print out 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (provided below). Each week for the next 16 weeks, take one of the characteristics of love and look for ways to express it – to your spouse, your kids, your friend-group. Be creative, have fun with it, talk about it, and grow in the love our Savior has shown to us as we show it to each other. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.” 

Love Does Not Boast 

The word “boast” here means “bragging without foundation.” This kind of love does not exalt itself over others. It recognizes that our achievements are not based on our own abilities or worthiness. 

Serving together in Christ alone! 

Pastor Glen