Lutheran

   I'm a lifelong Lutheran.  I was born into a family with a long line of Lutherans and Lutheran pastors on my Dad's side.  I was baptized, confirmed and married in the Lutheran church.  I went to Good Shepherd Lutheran day school and Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School.  I am married to a Lutheran pastor.  I love being part of this heritage.

    I grew up receiving a sound, solid Lutheran education.  From Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade I went to school and each day we began and ended with Luther's Morning Prayer and Luther's Evening prayer, respectively.  We had Bible History lessons, memorized passages from the Bible daily, memorized hymns weekly, had Catechism class twice a week in our 7th and 8th grade years and attended chapel every Friday.  I went to church every Sunday and any other special services that were held during the church year ie. Advent, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter etc.

   When I hit high school age I attended a dormitory school away from home.  Much like living at college but at the age of 14!  Our little high school was located in the small rural town of Waco, Nebraska with a population roughly of 225.  Not even a grocery store in sight.   As a teenager I was excited and nervous about meeting new people and maybe even slightly scared being away from my parents also.  Yet here we were, students coming from all over the United States and Puerto Rico to attend this high school to continue receiving a good Lutheran education and be in fellowship with other teens of our faith.  I received further instruction in the Bible and chapel twice a day.  I was even part of the high school choir and found a new avenue to express my love of music through singing hymns and spiritual songs together with my classmates.

    I didn't always understand what being a Lutheran meant. That's just what I was, how I was raised, how I was going to raise my family.  I remember even at Confirmation, where I confirmed my faith in Christ, having been instructed and still not really understanding.  It just seemed like something that everyone of that age did in the church.

   It wasn't until I was much older and having children that I truly began to understand this faith of mine, this doctrine of fellowship I grew up in.  I still didn't understand what The Book of Concord was or The Augsburg Confession or even why we had Luther's Large Catechism.  Those things I would come to find out more about later.

  So what does being a Lutheran even mean? Isn't it all about that man Luther?  Aren't you following some cult?  These are questions that I get asked frequently. Even as a child I was asked these questions.

   So let me delve into a little about what being a Lutheran means.  First off I need to stress the importance of understanding that there are other Lutheran denominations and not all of us follow the strict guidelines of Lutheranism.  I belong to the LCMS denomination, that stands for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.  I will provide a link so you can better understand the background, and they can better explain it than I can.   https://www.lcms.org/    There they can tell you some of the differences of the denominations.  In the LCMS we do not ordain women or homosexuals into the Office of Ministry, meaning that they cannot serve as pastors of our congregations.  That being said let's move back to the subject of being Lutheran.  Our doctrine of faith rests on justification.  We become righteous in the sight of God through Jesus Christ.  I guess you could call our motto By Grace Alone, Through Faith Alone, by Scripture Alone.

   Scripture, God's Word is the final authority on all matters of faith.  So see, it isn't about that sinful human being named Martin Luther, he just helped open our eyes and get a better understanding of what the Bible teaches.

   We believe in the Trinity, the Triune God.  Three persons, One God.  In the words of the Athenasian Creed, " We worship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance.  For there is One Person of the Father, another of The Son and another of The Holy Ghost.  But the Godhead of The Father and of The Son and of The Holy Ghost is all One: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal."

  We believe in baptizing all people and this includes the baptism of infants.  Baptism is a means of grace, it works the forgiveness of sins, delivers us from death and the devil and gives eternal salvation to those who believe this to be true.

   We celebrate The Lord's Supper, The Sacrament of the Altar as the true body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

  As I have grown older and raised children in the faith these particular parts of our service have brought a whole new meaning into my life.  The hymns we sing, the Divine Service we hold every Sunday have become a very special part of my life and something I look forward to every week.

   I can stand back and say that I'm truly grateful for my upbringing. I'm thankful that my parents sacrificed having a newer car or a bigger house or trying to keep up with the Jone's to see to it that my faith was firmly rooted in Scripture.  Sure there was a time after I graduated that I wasn't so sure this is what I believed or that I wanted to go to church every Sunday, there were things I wanted to do.  As I've grown I now see how important it is.  I seriously doubt that I had I not been raised in the church I wouldn't  be where I am now.

  We are not a cult, just a religious body of believers saved by grace through Jesus Christ. He alone saves us.

Is there such thing as a role for the Pastor's family?

  There really isn't much prep work for the Pastor's family as they enter into the ministry. Our husbands receive theological  instruction, intensive Biblical training and the camaraderie of their Lutheran comrades.  

  As future pastor's wives ( I will refer to us as PW's and the kids are labeled PK's here on out )  we were extended the invitation to take a few courses that were specifically set up for us in the evenings, to join the SWA ( Seminary Women's Association ) and to make connections at Friday night BBQ's in the Woods.  ( just a side note, this is all from Concordia St. Louis Seminary ) These were all excellent avenues to meet and greet and hopefully build life -long friendships among our community of believers but there really wasn't anything offered to prepare us for full time ministry and what to expect.  Not even a crash course of "PW and PK 101: How Not to Fail at Your Husband's/ Father's First Call".  Could there even be such a thing as preparing a family for what's ahead?

  16 years later I can give you an answer with a definite "NO".  Every church is different and has their own unique characteristics and personalities from each of the members of the body of Christ.  So of course there couldn't be a course to tell you what's up ahead or how to prepare you for the future congregations you will serve.  

  Every pastor and his family will have a different story to tell, some will be beautiful stories of ministry, others not so much.  There are some that have been hurt so deeply, wounded and scarred and broken to the point where you wonder if they can even go on.  Nobody said ministry was easy.  Nobody said it would be hard either.  

  I spent years thinking I had to be this certain person, act a certain way and make sure my children appeared saintly.  Going to church was painful sometimes because I felt like I couldn't be real, I couldn't have needs or be hurting and I certainly couldn't make friends in the congregation.  I hadn't given myself grace and I lost my focus of the real reason we were going to church in the first place.

  Where did these ideas of having to be perfect and saintly and being capable of doing everything ie. play the organ, sing in the choir, be impeccably dressed. Where did they come from?  I don't have the answers but I do know they aren't Biblical. 

  So what is the role of the Pastor's family? Is there a role? I can answer that with an emphatic "NO".  Thankfully.  

   I came across a beautiful blog that covers this more clearly than I can tell you.  Pastor Matt Richard puts the right amount of grace onto the subject of who actually is called into the ministry and allowing the family to be just that, the family, members of the congregation in just as much need of forgiveness, sinners in need of the Sacraments and without the expectations of having to put on airs.

  

What Is A Pastor’s Wife To Do?

  I'm leaving you with these thoughts, love, love, love your Pastor and his family.  Pray for them and give them grace.  They are as much a sinner as you are, in need of grace, mercy and forgiveness.  

  



  


  

  

  

Thoughts About Our Journey....

  As I sit here and contemplate the journey we've been on for the last 16 years, I can see how through all the ups and downs, through the muck and mire and through the blessings and provisions there has always been one constant and steady presence through it all.  God.

  There were many times I recall wondering where He was, why had He abandoned us or even allowed that situation or that certain person to do/say the things he/she did?  Yes, I played the "Why me?" card.  I didn't understand why this could be happening to us.  Afterall, weren't we doing the right thing?  Hadn't we given up enough and followed You to the hilt?  Aren't we making the right decisions and choices?  Where did I/we go wrong?

  I have even lost friends because of it all.  Friends not willing to stick around because they were afraid of me being too real, too raw.  Afterall, wasn't I the one supposed to be there for them when they were feeling down, lost or confused?  I was the pastor's wife, they needed me, not the other way around!  I felt abandoned, lonely and even at times wanting my husband so badly to not be a pastor anymore.  The pain was too much.

  It hurt to watch it ripple through the house and create raw, oozing sores in our children.  The damage was done.  Those wounds have left scars.  You know, like those scars that are left where skin was actually removed and left a lump resembling a welt.  Some of those scars imprinted and damaged the nerve core of some of my children and have made them to question their faith, their religion, and yes even God. A few have even stopped attending church because of it.

  Ministry is one of the hardest undertakings for a family to take hold of.  Many of us go in thinking we can make big changes, move lives, save lives!  Failing to realise that we cannot neglect our ministry at home at the expense of church and ministry.

  Our family has stretched and grown and some have grown stronger and some have even shriveled a bit because of ministry.  It's hard not to internalize and wonder if it's worth it all?  But I am reminded of that constant, the One Who remains through it all, The One Who has seen it all and knows the outcome.  I just need to remain faithful.  Faithful in my prayers, faithful in my loving and guiding and nurturing of my children, faithful in my church and Bible reading.  God will do the rest.  He will work on those scars He will mend the broken and downtrodden.

  If I had just been quiet and silent and trusted and allowed Him to do His work rather than jumping in and wanting to do it my way because He wasn't doing it the way I thought it should be done.

 Had I known then, what I know now ( isn't that cliche'?)  but it's so very true. God uses even our low times, the times we feel we can't go on, the times we at our lowest.  God uses those times to shape and mould us into the vessels He can use. All only because of His grace and the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  If  we keep Him as center and read His word we will grow in wisdom and discernment the more we rely and trust in Him and believe full heartedly that He knows best and He knows the outcome.  

  In the meantime I will just continue to be His servant, His vessel and pray the His will be done.