Back to Blogging introduction

As we move to our website (Stpaulfreeman.org) we will be shifting the focus of this blog spot to what it is designed to be, and that is for text communication. We started the website because of where the videos are stored (YouTube).

But first, a little bit about where we have been. The purpose of the videos had always been for our brothers and sisters in Christ of St. Paul Freeman who, because of some mobility issues, could not get to the Divine Service (shut-in and facility bound) so they could watch it later. For the facility bound, they would gather together in thier chapel areas, so to remotely worship with their brothers and sisters from St. Paul Lutheran, just a different time and space. A volunteer would hand deliver memory sticks and bulletins to the facility so that they could do this. For homebound, the volunteer or I would bring them DVD's with a DVD player for them to watch. Then, I would go to those places or their homes after they had watched, and give them Holy Communion in a congregation-gathered setting if passible...until COVID hit.

When COVID hit and restrictions were beginning, we considered everyone to be shut in and went "live". We turned to YouTube and FaceBook for live-streaming and it was no longer necessary to deliver memory sticks. We also were able to have our videos placed on the local cable channel 90.

Since live-streaming is no longer necessary, and the website will work for getting the videos to our home and facility bound shut ins (and to those few visitors online we picked up who have been watching), we will take this blogspot back to what it was intended years ago.

I have not blogged in the past, so please bear with me. This past year and a half however, has brought many things to light concerning society’s worldview that I feel is important that we address. Many issues have risen, and each could be written and discussed at great lengths. In no particular order, are some below:

 

·        Healthcare’s separation of mind, body, and soul, with the body as priori.

·        The purpose of civil government in God’s three orders of estates (Church, Civil, Family)

·        Trust in man (media, science, social order, morality, etc.) over God

·        Human relationships (virtual, in-person, dependency, interdependency)

·        Fear as a means to manipulate (fear of death, guilt, shame, etc.).

·        Definition of “truth”

·        Purpose of life/death

·        Definition of what is church, worship, pastor, and love

 

This is a lot, and you can sense the anxiety of society today because of it. It is like a whack-a-mole game. You go to hit one to address it, and then, thinking it has been beaten down, another pops up from a different angle, and even the one you just smacked, pops back up. The difference between the whack a mole game and today’s issues however, is that you do not score points, and nobody wins! There are no rules, then there are rules that seemingly  change with the wind, and there is no order! No matter how much we try to make the game easier, or define the new set rules, the game goes on without us, even if we quit trying. The lack of order in our lives is frustrating to say the least. Exhausting, depressing, and life-sucking is probably more descriptive! This lack of “order” is the definition of chaos and insanity. No order will drive you crazy. Yet, there is  order. God’s order and therefore, Peace. That Peace of Christ which surpasses all understanding.

 

This is what I hope to help with this blog, is to examine the world’s happenings in a confessional Lutheran worldview. May it be a blessing to you. Pastor Terry Makelin