Saint Matthew's

Last evening, I returned from visiting with friends at Concordia Theological Seminary out in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My time away was very gratifying on a number of levels, especially the “spiritual” where friends who entered seminary with me were called to serve in congregations throughout our country.

Being in attendance at the call service on Tuesday evening, while bringing back memories, I couldn’t help but see that entire service and ceremony in a different context. When I watched previous call services as a seminarist, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like when my name is called and I find out where I would serve our Lord in His Church. On April 27, 2005 when our call service was held, my mind raced as I tried to figure out where I was going.

However, this time, as a called and ordained servant of Christ, I saw these men and this ceremony in a different context. These candidates were now ready to join the “fraternity” of clergymen, or join the ranks of the servants of Christ on earth who care for the souls of their flocks. As someone who has been in that role for a little less than two years, I couldn’t help but smile as each of them received calls to churches in need of an undershepherd.

A couple of my seminary friends received calls to Kansas and Iowa, and they were both thrilled. We entered the hallowed halls of CTS-FW together back in the summer of 2001 as we struggled through the crash course known as Summer Greek. They worked hard and now they are getting the opportunity to use their talents to spread the Good News of Christ. Another seminarist, a relative of members at Saint Matthew’s, received a call to Illinois, which made everyone in the family happy.

But being happy is not just what call night is all about. It is about Christ caring for His Church by providing for men to serve at pastors.

To me, seeing these men receive their first calls, was a blessing.

HOWEVER, that trip home was insane!! It rained from Fort Wayne right through Wayne, NJ. Rain, some of the time obnoxiously heavy. It lightened up a bit at times, but it just poured all the way through Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. What I really don’t like is when I was driving at the speed limit (something I rarely did when I drove out to Fort Wayne in beautiful weather; maybe I shouldn’t admit this…) while trucks are moving past on the left while spraying water off their tires onto the windshield of my car. AAAhhhh!! My stress level peaked in Pennsylvania as the heavy rain in the central mountain area, combined with the twisting roadway, almost caused me to pull over and stay the night.

If you haven’t guessed, I really don’t like driving in the rain. My stress level rises soooo high. I hold onto the steering wheel tighter and drive much slower than usual. Plus, as I hit mile marker 186 (about midway through the state) on Route 80 in PA., my “check engine” light went on. I’ll deal with that later today or tomorrow. When I pulled into the parsonage last evening, my body was so tense, I just tried my best to stay awake for a while. I returned a few phone calls that I couldn’t return while I was away. But by 7:30pm, I fell asleep.

And yes, I missed Morning Prayer today…sorry.

Read Missouri Synod President Rev. Gerald Kieschnick’s statement on the massacre at Virgina Tech by clicking here.

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First, we learn that our governor, Jon Corzine, was not wearing his seatbelt when his SUV got involved in that horrendous accident on the Garden State Parkway last week. Now, we learn that the SUV was speeding, hopping along at 91 miles per hour.

This past weekend, we prayed for the governor and for his family, and we do so during each Morning Prayer service. I would hope that all of you would keep Governor Corzine in your personal prayers and ask our Great Physician for healing. He has a long road ahead of him; all our prayers can only help. But also keep our acting governor once again, Dick Codey, in your prayers as well. For the second time in a couple of years, he’s been hoisted into the governor’s office. We pray that he has the strength to serve all the people of our state.

On a personal note, I would hope that after The Gov. is up and better, he’d do some public service announcements urging his fellow New Jerseyans that seat belts save lives and speeding is wrong.

I know – I’ve been delinquent in writing lately. But I’ve been a little ill, a lot tired, and very busy. Hopefully, the first two on my list of excuses has eased a bit. And I mean a bit.

But this post is not about me.

This past weekend, our region was hit with the worst Nor’easter in 15 years. We had over 7 inches of rain that flooded streams and rivers…and where is that water supposed to go?

New Milford was hit with horrendous flooding, as were many communities here in Northern New Jersey. Lodi and Bound Brook got most of the news coverage – and deservedly so.

However, here in New Milford, we got hit hard, too. Hundreds of families were evacuated. If you know of the Prospect Street park near Saint Matthew’s, the water was so high, it was just below the rims on the basketball hoops, which stand upwards of 10 feet above the ground. This flood stretched straight through New Milford. The high school football field could have been used for water polo. Evacuations were done via motor boat. These were scenes that we only see on television newscasts, scenes rarely every seen in Northern New Jersey. But it was happening in our New Milford.

Our police chief said the flooding was worse than Hurricane Floyd a few years ago.

Standing at River Road, I could not believe my eyes as I looked south. Where there were once homes and a roadway, there was now just water, flowing as if there was nothing wrong. I could only think of the families whose homes were now underwater. I could only think of those families from throughout our community who were devastated.

Here at church, we were without lights for a good chunk of Monday. I don’t know when the lights came back on since I was out trying to see how people were doing. Not that I could do anything tangible.

But the people who did something should be commended. What more can we say about our police officers who worked to protect? What more can be said about our public works employees who tried everything to prepare our community for the coming rain and worked overtime to start the clean up process? And county emergency workers who jumped in to help the displaced and try to help them rebuild their lives.

However, there are volunteers in our midst who went out and spent the past couple of days serving and protecting. Our volunteer fire fighters were on calls all Sunday night, all Monday, and even this  Tuesday morning. They rescued people trapped in homes and helped others pump water out of their basements. I watched them late last night from the parsonage as they returned to the fire house here on Center Street. They looked tired.

And the first responders, also volunteers, were out all night and day as well. They helped rescue and treat the sick and the scared. They, too, looked like they could sleep for days.

It tells you something about a community where people give their free time to protect and serve. It tells you something about a community where people risk their lives to keep their community safe. And most especially, it tells you something about a community where a bunch of people act so selflessly to make sure that their neighbors are protected.

I can’t say anymore about these great men and women. While our New Milford is facing a long clean-up, we can only thank our Father in heaven for these volunteers, these police officers, and these boro workers who worked harder than hard to make this home of ours the best place to live in New Jersey.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

(Taken from John 20, English Standard Version) 

When I decided to add a midday service to our absolutely insane church schedule this Holy Week, I never thought one additional service would make me sooooooo tired.

To clarify – we here at Saint Matthew’s have Holy Week services at 7:15am, 12:00pm, and 7:30pm each day during this Holy Week.

This morning after Morning Prayer at 7:15am, I sat in my church office staring at the bomb shelter that is now my office. My desk is a mess. I have boxes piled up in the corners. My bookshelf is a mess. I want to clean it all up, but I am tired. And it is not that I haven’t slept. OK, my “sleeping” is different than most considering I get around 4 hours a night.

I have to finalize my sermon for tonight’s Vigil (beginning at 6:30pm). We have an Easter egg hunt at the church (beginning at 11:00am). I have hospital runs this afternoon. Oh, and I have to get ready for our Noon service sometime over the next twenty minutes. AND I have to fix up my Sunday sermon at some point today.
While I am tired, it is truly a blessed time. I can sleep late on Monday.

According to a story in this morning’s New York Times, the parting of Red Sea with Moses leading the way, well, it never happened, along with the entire Exodus story we find in the Bible. An archeologist says he cannot find any physical evidence to prove the parting or the exodus, therefore it didn’t happen.

Oh, he does believe that a volcano erupted around the same time that wiped out villages all throughout the region. He claims he has evidence of that … even though this is probably the first time anyone has ever heard about it.

Me – I stick with the Bible. Moses lead his people out of Egypt through the parted Red Sea, the sea where Pharoah’s army perished.

You’ve got to read the ending of the article — another archeologist claims that one possible reason for the lack of evidence is that Egyptians lost this round against the Jews, and the Egyptians didn’t like to publicly say they lost anything.

Funny story in today’s NY Post – an atheist is all up in arms that the New York Times rejected his proposed log-on name of “Anti-Christ.” The Times said it was offensive.

While most of the NY/NJ area is thinking baseball (Mets beat the Cardinals 6-1 last night, Yankees open up at the Stadium at 1pm), today is Holy Monday.

As a reminder – we’re holding court in church at 7:15am, 12:00pm, and 7:30pm all week. Join us!