March 2013
On the Move
Dear Friends, Welcome to the March issue of On the Move. As you receive this letter, our congregations are well into the Lenten season and I pray that you are spending this holy season remembering the great love that our Savior, Jesus showed to us by taking upon Himself our sin and the sin of the entire world and atoning for such on the cross. As we near the end of the month, our emotions will again be shaken as we remember the crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” only to see those shouts turn into cries of “Crucify Him!” only a few days later on Good Friday morning. Fortunately, the story does not end there and the final cry comes after Easter Sunday morning when we can proclaim “He is Risen! Alleluia!” Studies consistently show that more people will attend worship services during the next few weeks than at any time of the year. Most congregations reach their annual attendance peak on Easter Sunday. It is at this time of the year that more people are seeking something than at any time of the year. We know what that “something” is – Jesus. The only question is are we ready to share that knowledge, that faith, with those who do not yet know or believe? Many of our congregations carry on the tradition of using Palm Sunday as a day for the rite of confirmation for those who have been taking instruction in Lutheran beliefs. Whether your congregation uses Palm Sunday or another day for this ancient rite, I pray that all who publicly profess their adherence to what we believe will be blessed in their faith as a result. Much of this issue of On the Move is dedicated to the topic of growth. Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) continues to grow, as we are blessed by the faithful investors who support our work. More importantly, we seek to use those resources to help congregations and other ministries grow in their effort and determination to reach out and win new souls for the Kingdom. We know that this happens as individuals who are already part of the body of Christ grow in their faith and become bolder in their witness. I pray that as we again remember the passion of our LORD and celebrate His victory over sin, death, and hell on Easter that we would be even more convicted in that faith that has been worked in us by the Holy Spirit and that we would be emboldened to reach out with the Good News that is found only in Jesus Christ to a world that is in such need of what we know to be true. A joyful Easter to each of you! Thank you for your past, present, and future support of the ministry of Lutheran Church Extension Fund. In HIS Service, Dennis Klussman LCEF Vice President