Mother Church

St. John’s is often referred to as the Mother Church of Bartholomew County. She has earned this title in several different ways. First, Christ has called the church his Bride; this makes us think of the church as our mother, for it is in the church that we are baptized and born again to newness of life. Second, St. John’s was the first Lutheran church in our county and was responsible for planting many of the other Lutheran churches; the congregation is a mother in that she has ‘given birth’ to other congregations. Third, through the school St. John’s has been responsible for educating many generations and grounding them securely in the faith; like a good mother the church has faithfully nurtured the faith of the children that God has blessed her to have.

As St. John’s approaches her 175th anniversary, God continues to bless his bride with countless opportunities to mother his children. He continues to bless the work of her hands in the formation of young Christians who are taught to “fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” Through St. John’s continued work with the school, not only are our members blessed, but our ‘children’ have returned home; the very congregations that God planted through St. John’s are now sending their children to the school so that they too might receive a Lutheran education. As the Mother Church, our hearts swell will love and pride to see the family of God ‘coming home’ and working together to receive the gifts of God’s forgiveness and life through his Word and Sacraments.

As a mother, the church is all too familiar with the saying: “A mother’s work is never done.” As St. John’s has faithfully responded to God’s calling down through the years, God has given the congregation more and more work to do. At times the work at hand is somewhat overwhelming, but with God’s help the congregation has approached each new task with a mother’s determination and love. Sometimes it is hard to know where the resources and strength are going to come from, but God has already foreseen this difficulty and has given the church this encouragement in Philippians chapter one: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all - making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

In the past year our congregation has become a new type of mother. Last fall, Jacob Hercamp began the four year journey to become a pastor by entering Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. This fall, James Rockhill will also begin his training at the same Seminary. These young men have a heart for the Word of God and for his people because of the faithful upbringing they have been given in their Mother Church. While Jacob is a natural-born son and product of our Lutheran school, James and his family transferred in from another church and have been adopted by our congregation. Both men are sons of this congregation by the grace of God and have been united to us through Christ Jesus. Both men are excited to serve the Lord, and like a proud mother, we are excited to see how the Lord will use them in the upcoming years!

I would like to take the opportunity that this newsletter affords to encourage you to consider what a blessing it is to be used by God as a Mother Church. God has faithfully worked through the willingness and generosity of the numerous generations here at St. John’s to nurture and provide for this congregation. Yet, this congregation didn’t just spring up from the ground of its own either. Even as St. John’s took up the task of educating children and planting churches, so it was that other congregations were being faithful mothers as well. Our congregation came into existence because another church brought our first members to faith in Christ Jesus. Our children have been educated by Lutheran school teachers because other congregations invested in helping them receive their education and sent them out into the world to do the work of Christ. Our congregation has received pastoral care for the past 173 years because our sister congregations of the Missouri Synod have vowed to use their resources to help form pastors so that they might be called to serve in local congregations.

Now, as we send two of our sons to Seminary, God is once again asking us to serve as a mother. He is asking that we would pray for and encourage these men as they step out in faith. Through the Synod and its Seminaries, God is also asking us to make a financial commitment to support them. Both men will be charged just under $30,000 per year for their tuition and fees alone (this doesn’t include room and board, health insurance, etc.). The Seminary is asking St. John’s if she would commit to supporting each man with a $4,200 per year congregational scholarship, as well as setting up a way for individuals to give gifts to a fund that will support the student’s other needs (food, insurance, etc.). This issue will be brought up at the next voter’s meeting, but in the meantime I ask that you would give this subject your prayer and consideration. I am excited to be serving alongside you all, and look forward to seeing the ways new and old that God will enable us to be one of his faithful Mother Churches!  

Pastor Cook