TRADITION SAYS

    This is the November newsletter. The American tradition says that my lead article should be about Thanksgiving, because we will celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving November 26. Though this is strictly an American holiday, it is so big a holiday that it is listed in red on Church calendars, as if it were a holiday that began inside the Church.

    While I certainly value Thanksgiving Day, and we will have our traditional Thanksgiving Eve worship service (7:00 PM), there are actually quite a few holy days that are often overlooked, which fall in November. I'm go-ing to focus on them so we can have reasons to celebrate and be thankful for the entire month. The ones listed on our liturgical calendar (and some churches have far more) are: All Saints' Day (Nov 1) and The Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle (Nov 30). Along with these the following "Commemorations" fall in November: Johannes von Staupitz, Luther's Fa-ther Confessor, November 8; Martin Chemnitz (birth), Pastor and Confessor, November 9; Martin Luther's birthday, November 10; Martin of Tours, Pas-tor, November 11; Emperor Justinian, Christian Ruler and Confessor of Christ, November 14; Elizabeth of Hungary, November 19; Clement of Rome, Pastor, November 23; and Noah, November 29. What follows is a very quick description of these special days and the people they honor.

    All Saints' Day celebrates the "communion of saints," thus accenting that the Church is more than those who are living on the earth today, but in-corporates all believers throughout time.

    Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the original 12 Apos-tles. Tradition says he was martyred on an X-shaped cross.

    Staupitz encouraged Luther to get his doctorate in theology and counseled Luther to focus on Christ and not on himself during Luther's early struggles to understand God's grace.

    Chemnitz was the major force behind the writing of the Formula of Concord, putting together the Book of Concord, and basically kept Lutheranism from splintering.

           Martin Luther, of course, was a monk who did some writing!

           Martin of Tours (4th century) was the bishop of Tours in western Gaul (France). He is remembered for his simple lifestyle and passion for sharing the Gospel. The one-day-old Martin Luther was baptized on St. Martin's day, which is why he was named "Martin."

    Justinian was emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire AD 527-565, when the empire was in decline. Along with his wife, Theodora, he restored the splendor and majesty of the Byzantine court, reestablished Byzantine/Roman control over all the former areas in the Eastern Empire, and fostered a renaissance in the em-pire. A faithful orthodox churchman, he convened the 5th Ecu-menical Council in Constantinople (AD 533) to settle the controversies about the person of Christ. The decisions of this council

remain normative to this day.

    Elizabeth (born in 1207) was married to Louis of Thuringia, Germany, when she was just 14. Elizabeth is remembered for her charity, generosity, and compassion for the sick and needy. At one time she even gave up her bed to a leper. She is com-memorated through the many hospitals named for her around the world.

    Clement of Rome (ca. AD 35-100) is remembered for having established the pattern of apostolic authority that governed the Church during the first and second centuries. He also insisted on keeping Christ at the center of the Church's worship and outreach, especially his death and resurrection. He was martyred for his faith by drowning.

    By the time of the flood, Noah and his family were the only ones who believed in the true God. But that faith, and the willingness to act on his faith, saved him and all on the ark. He is remem-bered and honored for his obedience, believing that God would do what He said He would do.

    For all the saints who from their labors rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.

Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!                                                                           We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;                                                                        Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.                                                                      Alleluia! Alleluia! (LSB 677:1,4)

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor