New ELS President

Bethany Seminary Students

David R. Emmons

tSp4rnonshoredm  · 

We in the ELS received some shocking news this morning. This is the email that was sent to us by our new synodical president Glenn Obenberger (until yesterday our vice-president):

Dear Brothers in Christ,

We just received the shockingly sad news that President John Moldstad’s soul was lovingly taken home to heaven by his Savior God. He apparently died of a heart attack yesterday and was found by Joslyn, when she arrived home from teaching at Peace Lutheran’s Preschool. Please pray for Joslyn and their family that they may find comfort and peace in the Word of Resurrection and Life, which John so faithfully and joyfully declared as a beloved father, grandfather, pastor and president of our Evangelical Lutheran Synod. We would request that you also lead your congregations this coming Sunday in such prayers for the Moldstad family.

We will inform you of the arrangements for services as soon as they have been set.

Lord Jesus Christ, great Shepherd of Your flock, it has pleased You to call John, a faithful under-shepherd to Your people, into Your gracious presence. We thank and praise You for all the blessings and mercy You bestowed on Your departed servant and upon us through his service to us. We praise You for having kept him faithful in the face of trials and difficulties, for having given success to Your Word which he rejoiced to proclaim, for having built Your temple in the hearts of many through his ministry, and for having given him a blessed death and reception into the kingdom of Your glory in heaven. Comfort and strengthen all who mourn his departure. Grant Your grace that in the midst of sorrow we all may retain a lively hope. Direct our thoughts heavenward that we may ever seek the one thing needful, the grace and knowledge of You our only Savior, while we await our joyful reunion in heaven, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen. (Based on prayers in the Lutheran Service, CPH, pp. 645-46)

Dear brothers, our beloved brother, John, will rise again for Jesus’ sake.

In His saving name,

Glenn Obenberger

Rainstorm Following Three Inch Deluge

We recently had a three-inch deluge which left the backyard a lake overnight. The squirrels and birds fought over stale crackers yesterday - a real war. They must have known about the next storm, which built up slowly today. Sassy and I walked in the early morning, with hardly any rain.

Next, she definitely wanted to go along on the trip to the post office. Any suggestion of a trip always energizes her. If it ends with some food, that is even better. The rainstorm grew gradually as we headed to the post office and Mcdonalds.

It is fun to distribute books. Recently the Lutheran Librarian sent 8 Bibles to us for distribution. They were given away locally and by mail. Next, PFC gave me a large, heavy box full of Christian books, including a $100 Bible, and they began to be shared.

When I was reading magazines on collecting books, an author wrote, "Breaking up a collection is good, because rare titles are given a new audience." 

I think of Biblical books and Bibles as only potentially good if they are stored, but powerful when read and enjoyed by another population.