Outside, the cold winter winds beat against the thin panes of the old school house windows.  Inside, the old pine floors creak and groan beneath each walking step.  It’s a large room, and the walls are mostly empty except for a long chalkboard at the north end of the room.  “Welcome to the ,” it reads.

This is where we worship each Sunday.

It really is like stepping back in time—literally.  This school house that we rent for weekly worship was built in the late 1890’s.  It now serves as the meeting place for the Battlement Mesa Historical Society.  And in every corner there’s a trace of that history.  An old player piano that wobbles and warbles when it’s played.  Vintage grammar books, dusty and dry with age.  The dunce cap, the spittoon, and the paddle.  The place even smells old.

My first visit to the church came the week before Christmas, when the whole community was invited to the school house for Christmas decorating, hot chocolate, and caroling.  We gathered around the player piano, wrapped in sweaters and jackets from the cold, and sang “Silent Night” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”  It could very well have been 1890.

I should be clear, though.  We don’t resent this building.  In fact, we’ve come to love it.  It is our home.  And for an exploratory that only began in August of 2008, that’s saying something.  We’ve come to see what a blessing this building is (old as it may be) for this small group of Christians. Maybe it’s the building’s character.  Maybe it’s the sound it makes as we worship.  Or maybe it’s the reminder of how we all, as Christians, live in the past. Read more ›

Read an article about two new visiting professors who will be teaching at Asia Lutheran Seminary in Hong Kong.

We just passed the halfway point of our two-month break from Mexico here in the United States. So far, our furlogh has been just great. Here are a few of the things we’ve been enjoying on this side of the border…

1. Time to Recharge
We left Mexico feeling tired. Tired of the stresses that come with living in a foreign country. Tired of the challenges we faced there. Now, however, that we have been away for awhile, we’re starting to feel refreshed and ready to jump back into things.

2. Family Time
Since Mike is not in Mexico, where he works long days, and I’m taking a maternity leave from most of my writing work, we’ve been able to spend time together as a family. It’s been wonderful. We even took the girls to the Mall of America in the Twin Cities (Trinity rode on the carousel there and then exclaimed, “This is fun!”).

3. Fellowship with congregations and schools.
We’ve visited various churches and schools during our break. We’ve had the chance to talk to many fellow WELS members. We share stories about Mexico with them, and get updates on the ministry going on here. It’s hard to put into words just how encouraging these visits are for us, but trust me, it’s one of the best parts about furlough.

4. Worship Services in English
In Mexico, we have a weekly English Bible Study at our house for workers on the field. But our Sunday worship services are all done in Spanish. So it’s a special treat to sing our favorite hymns in English and listen to sermons preached in our native language.

5. Food
Ah, so much tasty food. From potlucks to corned beef to rich desserts, we’ve been enjoying some of our favorite U.S. foods. We’re filling up now, because soon we’ll be heading back south. By then we’ll probably be craving tortillas and salsa all over again!

Every January, a group of men from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary travel to Mexico. Instead of hitting the beaches, they spend some time studying Spanish at a language institute. Then they meet up with Mexican seminary students and pastors for a workshop.This annual event is called the Mexico-Mequon workshop, and it is a special time for all involved. The seminary students from Mequon get a chance to learn Spanish, see a world mission field, and mingle with other Lutherans in Mexico. Our Mexican seminary students and pastors are always encouraged from the friendly visit and the fellowship that comes with it.

This year the gathering is being held in Puebla, Mexico. This colonial city is about two hours by bus from Mexico City. In addition to being a beautiful city, it is also home to three of our Mexican Lutheran churches. Pastor Mario Dominguez and vicar Carlos Rosales currently serve the congregation there.

The workshop only lasts for a few days, but it is always well remembered by the Americans and Mexicans that go to it. They not only get to share great food and swap stories, they also get to worship together. Some of them stay in touch after the workshop ends.

We give thanks for this opportunity. And I’ll post an update on this year’s workshop when it draws to a close.

On October 19th, 2008, God smiled on his people at Abiding Grace in Covington, GA.  From the perfect weather for the outdoor service to the beautiful songs of praise led by the band Koine and the Abiding Grace Choir… from the thrill of breaking ground on a new building for God’s name to the miracle of God’s message of law and gospel being applied to the hearts of the 274 worshippers gathered in that field – God smiled on us.  And the fun and fellowship continued into the afternoon with the food and festival that marked the day, enjoyed by over 300 people, including over 150 guests from the community.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow![slideshow=90]

Pastor Jon Scharf