From: "Rev. Robert Wurst Jr. (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: CLIMB: Note from England and BMS appeal Date: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:28 PM Dear fellow Lutherans, After this short note is a letter I received today from St. Peter Lutheran Church, Plymouth, England. It is you, our helpers and supporters, to whom this letter is really written. I would like to encourage you to have your congregation add a line item in your budget this year for the Britain Mission Society. If we can get 25 congregations to make an offering of $1000 per year, we would have funds to buy more books, help subsidize pastor's salaries, and greater further the pure preaching and teaching of the Lutheran faith in Britain. Of course, if you can't swing $1000, give what you can. Please consider helping us out this year. You won't be disappointed in what your money does. 100% goes to helping the Lutheran churches of England. Thanks you very much. God grant you peace and rest in Christ, + Pastor Robert Wurst Director, Britain Mission Society Pastor, Our Saviour Lutheran Church Evansville, IN ***** NOTE FROM ST. PETER: Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ, Many warm greetings from St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Plymouth, England! The congregation of St. Peter's, along with myself, wish to thank all of those who have contributed to and supported the Britain Mission Society. This summer we received over 50 TLH's and Hymnal Supplement 98's. We are grateful, indeed, to have been so blessed by your faithful giving. St. Peter's Lutheran Church, and other congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church have been helped by the Britain Mission Society so that we might proclaim the wonders of Christ Who has called us out of darkness, and into His Marvelous light. When I look around me, even in this wonderful nation, I am faced with great spiritual darkness. Only about four percent of England attends church on Sunday. Christianity, according to bishops with the Church of England and the Catholic Church, say that Christianity has nearly vanquished in England. This only made the news a number of weeks ago. In the largest Church of England congregation here in Plympton, a church that can hold 2,000, there is sometimes only 12. For many, God and the Church are seen as vestiges of the past that many would like to forget. The result of such "spiritual darkness" is seen in the lives of people. Yet, there is great light. I am a Lutheran Pastor, called to preach the Gospel, to administer the sacraments that nourish God's people. I am a part of a congregation has is enlivened, animated, and governed by faith that comes, not by the will of man, but through hearing of the Word of God (Romans 10:17). St. Peter's is a congregation where we have about 25 to 30 worshipers each Sunday. God has blessed us with 4 Bible Studies throughout the week. Some of the men from St. Peter's, along with myself, we have a monthly "Men's Night" at a pub. It is wonderful to see men talk to other there at pub about Christ. I am more awe-struck of some of the things that our Lord enables these men to say, how they speak about their Lord so freely, and without any hesitation. Yes, there is great light, and in shines in the face of Christ who transfigures us in His Word and in the Sacraments. We have had new members at St. Peter's, though few. However, God has been giving us faithful members who see the church as the Body of Christ, the worship service where we are Heaven's Embassy, where Christ our Lord gives to us and acts upon us. They see the church as where Heaven and Earth meet. Yes, there is great light in the midst of great darkness. Nearly every Sunday, as I put on my vestments, I am reminded for a moment of how fortunate I am to enter the sanctuary in a few moments and preach the Gospel, a Gospel that sheds great light into the lives of British Lutherans. I am blessed to just be their pastor. The Britain Mission Society has been used by God in so many ways. St. Peter's has been greatly blessed. We are grateful to God for how He has blessed up through your prayers, support, and Christian love. Again, please accept our humblest thanks and greetings! Lastly, I know that a month ago, on September 11th, a horrible tragedy occurred when terrorists brought about so much death and destruction. With England you have a nation that stands toe to toe with the United States, and without reservation. The members of St. Peter's Lutheran Church are deeply concerned, you remain in our prayers. Many Brits and Americans were so deeply moved when Queen Elizabeth requested that the American National anthem be played during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. From the common citizen to the queen herself, there was hardly a dry eye to be found. People in this nation grieve terribly for what happened in America. There is no comfort or help that we can give you, other than to direct your eyes of faith continually upon the Lord. "From whence commeth my help? My help commeth from the Lord." May He bless and sustain you and the all Americans. God bless you all. All the best. In His Service, E Brockwell The Reverend Edward Brockwell Pastor, St. Peter's Lutheran Church + + + Confessional Lutherans in Missionary Boldness + + + The CLIMB e-letter brings you unedited, uncut reports directly from the mission field, whether in South America, Africa, Europe, inner-city, rural, or collegiate America, or military installations and battle sites around the world. It is our contention that those who truly hold to the ~Book of Concord~ as the pure exposition of Holy Scripture and the true confession of the Christian faith are also the most zealous supporters of the preaching of the Gospel in every corner of the world and, as such, ought to be kept thoroughly informed of how those endeavors are faring and shown how they may be rightly carried out without the destruction of orthodox doctrine and practice that some within the pale of Lutheranism now advocate. You may contact the authors of individual posts to this list simply by using the 'Reply' feature of your email reader (unless otherwise indicated in the above message). Because of the demands of their endeavors, there is the possibility that not all responses will be able to be answered. 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