Meet Our Partners

Bishop Michael Girlinghouse, 

Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod

We have a special guest this week, Bishop Michael Girlinghouse, of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod. In anticipation of his joining us for our Joint Worship Celebration this Sunday, Bishop Mike was gracious enough to take some time to help us get to know him better. Enjoy!

Bishop Michael Girlinghouse

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Thanks for agreeing to be part of Meet Our Partners. We always get started with some easy questions, such as what’s your favorite food?  
What ever is on the table in front of me?  I especially like deep dish Chicago Style Pizza and also Chili.

And your favorite drink?  
Again, depends on the context.  I like decaf Chicory Coffee... or a nice glass of Cabernet.

How about a favorite movie?  
Has to be the original Star Wars.

Missed Opportunities

In our gospel lesson this morning, Jesus’ disciples miss an incredible opportunity to share the gospel with a bunch of people who desperately wanted to hear it.

Thankfully, the Samaritan woman didn’t miss her opportunity. She told everyone about Jesus and John tells us that many people in that city came to believe in Jesus Because of her testimony.

• Exodus 17:1-7  • 
 
• Psalm 95  • 
 
• Romans 5:1-11  • 
 
• John 4:5-42

Faith in the Promises of God

Each time we worship, we demonstrate our faith in the promises God made for us in our baptism.

The promise of his unconditional love and the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection to everlasting lasting.

Meet Our Partners

Lance & Danyal Walters, 

Trinity Lutheran Church

This week we meet Lance & Danyal Walters from Trinity Lutheran Church. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to get to know them better.

Devyn, Danyal, Lance, Delicity Walters

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What’s your favorite food? 
Danyal: Steak and fried squash  
Lance: Mexican food

And your favorite drink? 
Danyal: Sweet tea
Lance: Sweet tea

Do you have a favorite movie? 
Danyal: All time favorite movies are Dirty Dancing and Little Mermaid
Lance: he nightmare before Christmas (I'm still a kid at heart)

Easier Said Than Done

If there’s one thing that’s easy said than done, it’s the old adage: “Good things come to those who wait."

Patience may be a virtue, but it’s certainly not an easy one to acquire or maintain.

Our lessons this morning show us two very different responses to the temptations and impatience. Adam and Eve chose one way, Jesus chose the other.

• Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7  • 
 
• Psalm 32  • 
 
• Romans 5:12-19  • 
 
• Matthew 4:1-11

Repentant Snowflakes

While every snow is beautifully unique, the one thing that all snowflakes have in common is that they're dirty at the core.

Snowflakes start as tiny dust particles in the clouds which collect moisture. And as the moisture freezes into crystals which then fall sparkling white to the ground. But that tiny bit of dirt remains at the center of each snowflake.

And so there’s a similarity between us and snowflakes.  Because while each one of us is uniquely and wonderfully made by God in his own image, at our core we are stained with the dirt of sin.

And this Ash Wednesday, each one of us will be marked with a visible reminder of that inner stain in the black ashes we'll wear on our forehead.

Meet Our Partners

Dennis & Barbara Messmer, 

Grace Lutheran Church

This week we meet Dennis & Barbara Messmer from Grace Lutheran Church. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to get to know them better.

Dennis & Barbara

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What’s your favorite food?
Barbara - roast beef 
Dennis - kimchi

And your favorite drink?
Barbara – lemon juice 
Dennis – coffee

What about a favorite movie?
Barbara --Saving Mr. Banks 

A Successful Mission Project

Great Job Everyone!

The collection of oral hygiene kits proved to be a successful first mission project for our faith partnership.  

Trinity's catechism students helped assemble packets

Thanks to the combined efforts of your congregations and the SWOSU Lutheran Campus Ministry we assembled nearly 150 complete oral hygiene kits to be distributed in Panama this Spring. 

In addition to the complete kits there were enough left-over supplies and monetary donations to complete at least a couple dozen additional kits. 

Considering the average cost of the items per packet, this is quite a sizable contribution! You all deserve a lot of credit!

The Star Witness

Our Gospel lesson this morning tells of the time the star witness appeared to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”

God the Father once and for all proivides the definitive answer: “This is my Son, the beloved, with whom I am well-pleased.”