+Wally Milbrandt+ Funeral Service

Isaiah 26 - In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

“We have a strong city;
    he sets up salvation
    as walls and bulwarks.
² Open the gates,
    that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.
³ You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
    You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
    and the earth will give birth to the dead.

1 Corinthians 15 - Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵ “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

John 14:23 - Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is form the Epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ, especially DiAnn, Scott, Tom, Lori and Stacy, friends and family of Wally.  It is a sad day today, as we are gathered to mourn the sudden passing of a dear husband, father and grandfather, and for many of us here, a friend.  I’ve heard from so many people about so many memories of Wally, and I myself have many.  There is so much about Wally about which we could speak.  We could talk about his 52 years of marriage to you DiAnn, and about his love and pride for his children and grandchildren.  We could talk about his induction into the Softball Hall of Fame as one of the two “M&M” brothers.  We could talk about the many pheasants that he killed, which he at many times distributed to the pastor and others to eat.  We could talk about the many meals we have eaten with him, or about the way that Wally had a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, as he sought to tease you about something or another.    

We will have so much about Wally to remember and miss.  But in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, it all changed.  A sudden heart attack, an ambulance call, a few sleepless days and night in the aptly  named hospital waiting room, and dreaded words we did not want to hear.  And so here we are today, hurting, mourning and missing Wally.  In a flash it changed so fast.  So quickly we have been confronted by the ugly sting of death.  So quickly sin has taken its toll.

Yes, we are sinners, just as Wally was, its true.  Yes we are guilty.  Yes, we, just as Wally, must confront death and pain and sorrow and we do.  It is the lot of sinners, as Paul writes in our text, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  God’s Word has given us a law that we have failed to keep, and by our failure we have earned death, as we heard in church just yesterday, “The wages of sin is death.”  And it’s a reality that confronts us so often, and is completely and totally out of our control.  And so we weep.  We cry.  We hurt.  We mourn, and we will continue to do so, for all the days of our life. 

And it is because of the reality of our sin in a world of death, that God sent Jesus.  The very Son of God took on our human flesh to confront death face to face.  To fight the battle that we cannot win by our own abilities.  To win for us forgiveness of sin, and the promise of life and salvation.  Jesus entered our world, and cared for people.  He helped the suffering and the hurting.  He visited those who were imprisoned, he healed those who were blind, he fed those who were hungry, and he comforted those who mourned. 

But those things would not save us on their own.  There needed to be more, there needed to be a sacrifice, there needed to be blood shed – for without the shedding of blood, there could be no forgiveness of sin.  So Jesus set his eyes on Jerusalem.  He went to that “Old Rugged Cross” to bleed, to suffer, and finally to die.  And die Jesus did, in our place, and in Wally’s place.  For our sin, and for Wally’s sin.  Jesus did what was necessary for poor sinners, like you, me and Wally to be forgiven.  

He was laid to rest in a tomb by mourning friends.  His family cried and wept.  They were in the very depths of hurt and pain, just as you, dear friends in Christ, are now.  But Death could not defeat Christ.  Death had no dominion over him.  The very God of Life could not be defeated by sin, but would by his own death defeat sin forever. 

And so, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, God the Father raised His beloved Son Jesus from the dead.  Christ has risen from the dead!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!  Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?  It is destroyed forever by the work of Christ Jesus crucified and risen for the sins of the world, crucified and risen for your sin. 

And so it is with confidence today, that we in the face of death may be certain that in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, we and all believers in Christ, will be raised imperishable.  That Wally’s body, which we today commit to its resting place will on that Great Day of the Lord be raised by Jesus.  We know that Wally is himself with Christ, the very “Resurrection and the Life” and that he shall be even forever more. 

And we know that promise is for you and me as well.  We who mourn shall be comforted by the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, which will wipe every tear from our eyes.  We who suffer shall be given rest by him who suffered in our place.  And we who face death, will be made alive forever by the one who overcame death and the grave.  We have already died to sin with Jesus in baptism, and if we have died with him, we shall also without a doubt be raised with him.  Christ has promised it, and today we believe that promise, for it is for you, for me, and for Wally. 

And so it was dear friends, that this past Sunday evning in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, our world was turned upside down, and Wally was taken from us.  But we have certainty, that he is now with Christ, even forever more.  We know that he is alive because of Jesus, the Resurrection and the life. And we know that on the last day, in a flash and twinkling of an eye, he shall be raised, as Jesus has been raised. And so, in faith we say the words of our text today, saying, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  Thanks be to God, He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Wally W. Milbrandt Obituary

From Frank Family Funeral Home Website

Wally W. Milbrandt (71) of Hankinson, ND passed away Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at Essentia Health in Fargo, ND.  Funeral Services will be Monday, June 23rd at 11:00 am at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hankinson, ND with Pastor Adam Moline officiating.  Burial will be at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Hankinson.  Visitation will be Sunday, June 22nd starting at 4pm with a prayer service at 6pm all at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hankinson.  There will also be a visitation one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church.  Pallbearers will be his nephews, Wayne Hartleben, Kevin Medenwald, Tim Medenwald, Todd Buck, Jamie Milbrandt, a very special friend, Fred Wallock, and a special neighbor, Stuart Strege.  Honorary pallbearers are his grandchildren and great grandchildren who were so, so special to him, and Rick Mattson and all his wonderful friends at United Hardware. 

Wally was born April 25, 1943 in Veblen, SD, the son of Elroy & Ann (Hrdlicka) Milbrandt.  He was baptized on May 23, 1943 and confirmed on April 14, 1957 both at Emmanuel United Church of Christ, Hankinson.  He grew up on a farm southwest of Hankinson, attending school in Hankinson and graduating from Hankinson High School in 1961, where he also was very involved in athletics.

Wally married DiAnn (Buck) on August 11, 1962 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hankinson.  Wally worked for Elroy Muehler’s Turkey Farm, Cargill, Fenske Feed & Grain, Hankinson Lumber, and in 1983 managed Don’s Hardware until 1992 when he and DiAnn purchased the store.  Wally loved his “Wally’s Trustworthy Hardware” store.  He thoroughly enjoyed helping his customers, enjoying visiting with everyone who walked through the doors, and loved shaking dice for a bottle of pop.  Retiring in 2010 was very hard, but soon found out retirement meant spending much, much more time with his wonderful family.

Wally enjoyed hunting (especially with his boys) and was an avid sports fan and player.  He loved cheering for the Twins and his beloved Dallas Cowboys.  Wally is well known statewide by many, often being called the “best third baseman ever”.  He and his brother, Larry, were known as the “M&M Boys” with Wally on third base and Larry on first.  He was very, very proud playing on “his” team especially the famous Dick’s Bar team that won 3 state championships, participated in three regional and one national tournament.  He was proud of being named “Most Valuable Player” at the Rob Markuson Memorial Tournament in Valley City that boasted 27 different teams.  His most cherished accomplishment was being inducted into the North Dakota Softball Hall of Fame in 1994, joining his brother, Larry, who was inducted two years prior.  He really beamed when he was able to play on a team with his sons, Scott and Tom.  Wally retired from his favorite sport when he reached 60 years of age.

Wally is survived by his wife, DiAnn, of 511/2  years; Daughter, Lori (Scott) Althoff, Pasco, WA; Son, Scott (Vicki) Milbrandt, Kindred, ND; Daughter, Stacy (Dale) Boyer, Savage, MN; Son, Thomas (Amy) Milbrandt, Tower City, ND.  Eight grandchildren, Whitney (Matt) Arnold, Austin Althoff, Nicholas & Paige Milbrandt, Krissy (Eric) Wasness, Nic Boyer, Annabelle & Brynleigh Milbrandt.  Three great-grandchildren, Caleb & Kinsley Arnold and Oliver Wasness.  Brother, Larry (Joyce) Milbrandt, Hankinson, ND; Sister, Shirley (LeRoy) Hartleben, Ely, MN.  Sister-in-law, Janice (Dale) Medenwald, Wahpeton, ND; Sister-in-law, Marcy Buck, Fairmount, ND.  Numerous nieces and nephews.

Wally was preceded in death by his parents, Elroy and Ann, his mother & father-in-law, Clemens & Amanda Buck, brother-in-law Mervin Buck, and an infant brother.

We love you Dad!  Go Cowboys! 

Immanuel and St. John's Communion Statement

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

-From Luther's Small Catechism

The last four or so months, our Elders have been discussing the Lord's Supper in accord with the District Presentations on Closed Communion.  We discussed many of the ins and outs of the Lord's Supper, using the What About Fellowship in the Lord's Supper article written by former LCMS President Dr. A. L. Barry. 

After looking through that document, and attending the circuit forum on Closed Communion, our elders and I decided we would like to include a communion statement in our bulletin.  As we worked on it, we had several goals in mind: 

1. To let people know what we believe we are receiving in the Lord's Supper - namely, the very body and blood of Jesus in, with, and under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins. 
2. To let people know we also believe that the participation in the Lord Supper is an intimate thing, in which we publicly declare that all who come to the altar are in one mind about our doctrine and practice. In other words, it is a profession of unity.
3. To warn people that receiving the Lord's Supper wrongly can hurt their spiritual health.
4. To encourage and invite people to become members so that they might attend the Lord's Supper in the future. 
5. To base our statement off of what Scripture clearly says, and to include those references in the statement.
6. To do all of the above things in as kindly a way as possible. 

As you can imagine, accomplishing the task above was not easy.  To help us in formulating our statement, we looked at statements from 20 other LCMS churches, both in North Dakota, and in other states. (Ask Pastor if you'd like a copy of those statements)  We also examined the communion statement model provided by the LCMS. We talked about and used parts we thought were good, and we talked about and didn't use parts we thought weren't good.  

In examining all of the statements, and to meet our requirements as concisely as possible, we came up with the following statement for our bulletins.  It will be a supplement to the statement on our communion cards.  It is perhaps a bit longer than we'd have liked, but it does state what we believe as clearly as we could. 

In our Parish we follow the historic Lutheran practice of closed communion.  This is nothing new, nor a novel innovation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  Rather, for many centuries, this was the universal practice of all of Christendom, and to this day, is still practiced by the majority of the Christian Church.

We observe closed communion because the Lord’s Supper is a public profession of our unity of faith.  (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)

We believe Christ’s body and blood are truly present in the bread and the wine for forgiveness of our sins.  (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

We observe closed communion to protect people in body and soul from taking the Lord’s Supper to their judgment and harm.  (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)

Our practice is prompted by our love, care, and concern for all people.  If you are not a communicant member of a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, please do not commune today.

However, please know that we look forward to having you at the Lord’s Table soon.  We sincerely invite you to visit with Pastor Moline about the joys of Holy Communion.  He will offer you instruction about our Lutheran faith and this sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, so you will be ready to stand with us and partake of this wonderful meal.

We would like to talk about this statement some in Bible Studies in the future as well, to explain all the reasons we have included the things we have included.  We would be happy to field any questions about the statement you might have as well.  Feel free to talk to Pastor or an elder about the statement at any time. 

 Our intention is to be clear about our faith to visitors and guests as well as our own membership, so that by the Holy Spirit working through our confession of God's Holy Word, they might believe along with us.  

VBS Pictures

Below are some pictures from our Annual VBS.  We had 72 kids from around town this year that participated, as well as many many volunteers!  Enjoy some pictures!

Activities

Crafts:

Songs and Bible Learning:

Games:

Lunch: 

Closing Service:

Paschal Candle Information

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light" 

(Isaiah 60:1)

Immanuel's New Paschal Candle

At Immanuel (And perhaps soon at St. John's) we have recently acquired a Paschal Candle.  It was dedicated this morning, and used at it's first baptism.  The Paschal Candle is a large, special candle that reminds us that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and is the Living Light of Life (John 8:12). The Paschal Candle also reminds us of the pillar of fire that led the Israelites to safety across the Red Sea, as they fled from slavery in Egypt. In the same way, Christ rescues us from slavery to sin through His baptism. 

The Candle has an Alpha and an Omega on it, to symbolize that Christ is the beginning and end of all things we know, and often times the Paschal Candle has the current year on it (i.e. 2014) as a reminder that we are in the 2014th year of our Lord.  

After a period of darkness beginning on Good Friday, congregations first light this candle during their earliest Easter celebrations, signaling Christ’s banishment of death and darkness. This tall white candle represents Christ’s steadfast presence in our midst, and its flickering flame dances with light and warmth, illuminating our shadowed world. We continue lighting the paschal candle each Sunday throughout the Easter season, with most congregations continuing to light it until Ascension Day, when we  remember that Jesus "was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19).

The Paschal Candle also is lit at Baptisms, reminding us of the presence of Christ as a person is initiated into the Christian faith, and lit at Funerals to remind us that the person died in Christ's grace as well.  The Paschal Candle usually is situated in the Sanctuary near the Baptismal Font.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Pastor.  

Pentecost - 2 - 2014 - Holy Spirit Comes in Word

The Feast of Pentecost

June 8, 2014- Pastor Adam Moline

Numbers 11:24-30, Acts 2:1-21, John 7:37-39

Hymns – LSB 594 (Baptism Hymn), 496, 498, 500   Communion – LSB 503

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today, for the Feast of Pentecost, is from the 2^nd reading, especially these words, “But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ.  It started as a pretty average Pentecost day in Jerusalem.  The town was full with visitors to celebrate the annual harvest festival of Pentecost.  The feast not only was the celebration of a good harvest, but also the remembrance of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.  The feast was a remembrance that you shall not murder.  That you shall not steal, commit adultery or bear false testimony.  It was the day they celebrated receiving God’s Holy Law, even as they failed to keep it. 

So the town was bristling with activity.  The people were buying their goods at the shops at the foot of the Temple Mount.  Others were taking their two loaves to into the temple to wave as an offering before the altar in the inner courts.  The daily sacrifices for sin rose up as smoke from before the temple itself.  It was by that animal’s death and burning that their sins were forgiven.  It was by Sacrifice and blood that those ancient Jews knew they were forgiven.  The day was going forward just as every Thanksgiving feast had before that day.  As the sun rose, the people went about their routines with a familiar sense of normalcy.

But then suddenly a great wind blew through town, to the upper room where those 12 followers of Jesus were staying.  A great noise arose, reminiscent of the great wind that came before God in Elijah’s day.  A wind, that blew as strong as the wind that split the Red Sea, as they escaped from Egypt, led by a pillar of cloud by day, and fire by night.  And now flames as red as our altar paraments again came to God’s people.  A fire from heaven came and landed on those 12 followers of the Resurrected one, and the Holy Spirit came to his people with His Word. 

Immediately the 12 went out into the temple mount, and began to preach, speaking in dozens of languages.  All that were gathered there for the feast could understand the words in their home land’s languages.  In Egyptian, in Parthian, in Cappadocian and Phrygian.  In all the languages, God’s Word came from the mouth of the 12.  And through those 12, The Holy Spirit began his work, of preaching a Word about Jesus.  About the true Sacrifice.  About the one who died on the cross, who shed his blood that all mankind may be forgiven. 

The people knew the story.  They had been there 50 days  earlier, when that Word Jesus had been crucified.  They had heard the rumors about his rising again, risen indeed.  But now those rumors were confirmed to them, not by miracles, not by magic shows, not by babbling and gobbledygook as in the Pentecostal churches.  But by a preaching of a sure and certain word.  By the work of the Holy Spirit, who works always through that word to point us to Jesus.  To meaningfully deliver the forgiveness of Jesus to us by Word and Sacrament.  The promise in the sermon of all 12, in all the languages, that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. 

Dear friends, our text today is a historically reality.  The Holy Spirit came truly through God’s Word to God’s people.  And dear friends it does the same for you today.  You too go about your daily lives, just as those in ancient Jerusalem did.  You go to the store, you visit friends, you plant your crops, and in a few months you too will harvest them. 

And just as those people, you deal with sin.  You deal with hurt, and pain and sorrow.  You are guilty, and you see others who are guilty.  For there is none innocent.  And because of your sin, you try all sorts of ways to sacrifice your time and efforts to God.  You try to make up for what you’ve done wrong, but deep down you know the truth, that you cannot by your own reason or strength earn forgiveness for your sins. 

So God comes to you as well.  He sends his Holy Spirit to you also.  No, not with wind, not with flames that land upon your forehead.  That only happened to the 12.  But God sends the Holy Spirit to you same way it came to those people 2000 years ago.  Through preaching. 

Through the proclamation of God’s Word to you in your own language, with a slight Nebraska accent, the Holy Spirit comes to you.  And so every week, we gather together and hear about Jesus, and the Holy Spirit says, “IN Him you are forgiven.”  We read God’s Word about Jesus together, we sing hymns with God’s Word about Jesus in their verses.  We come to this place to be inundated with the Holy Spirit in God’s Word pointing us to Jesus.  And by it, you are connected to Christ on the cross who died and rose for your forgiveness. 

And the Holy Spirit calls you as well to come to the font, and be washed in Christ’s blood.  To be marked as belonging to God.  The Holy Spirit calls you to the altar to eat of Christ’s body and blood for your forgiveness, for you life, and for your salvation.  He proclaims to you in his Word, that whoever calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. 

That’s what Pentecost is all about.  Hearing God’s Word through the work of the Holy Spirit.  To be forgiven by the Word of God.  To be pointed firmly and certainly to the cross, through the Word of God.  It happened 2000 years ago on an average day in Jerusalem, and it happens today, on an average day in Hankinson, ND.  The Holy Spirit comes. His Word is proclaimed, clearly.  And faith is created in our hearts. 

Come Holy Spirit, creator blessed.  And make our hearts your place of rest.  Come in your Word.  Come in your Sacrament.  Come and connect us forever more to the blessings of Jesus.  Amen.