One tradition as the Church approaches Christmas is to pray the Great “O” Antiphons that accompany the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Through Christ, let us offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, the offering of lips confessing His name. But, do not forget to do good and distribute, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.

This passage helps to remind ourselves that we do all things through Jesus Christ, and we can only do good in our prayers and the confession of our faith because of His death and the forgiveness we receive from Him.

This passage also serves as a reminder of the discipline we should practice to do good within the church and among our neighbors. It’s a call to be good stewards of the gifts entrusted to us.

A frequent question on the lips of children is, “Is it Christmas yet?” No, rather it’s Advent! It’s a time of waiting. And be reminded by Bonhoeffer, “For the greatest, most profound, tenderest things in the world, we must wait.” This Advent, look to Jesus and wait.

The Apostle Paul wrote,
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. (Philippians 1:3-5)

Looking back on the past year, there is much to be thankful for at Good Shepherd.

Sometimes we make inviting others to church more difficult than it needs to be, but trust me, you don’t need a Master of Divinity to do it. In fact, research shows that 86% of people come to a church because a friend invited them, and only 6% come because a pastor invites them. As we gather with family and friends in the coming days for Thanksgiving or prepare to exchange pleasantries with neighbors as we shovel the snow that will soon fall on our sidewalks, don’t be afraid to be a disciple of Christ and invite your family, friends, and neighbors to church.

My hope is that last week’s brief article demonstrated the importance for men, specifically fathers, to be in church. But the other side of this image above is the crying babies. Yes, the little voices of toddlers and the tears of newborns can be distracting. But the solution should not be simply to remove the children from the Divine Service. What a serious consequence it is to remove a child from God’s sanctuary, from God’s family. We remember how these little voices are being trained to sing the song of heaven, even now.

An article published by Touchstone Magazine years ago revealed that research showed children often do not stay in the Christian faith if their father does not regularly attend and participate in church. What’s even more alarming is that only 2-3 percent of children raised attending church with their mother continue in the faith. However, if the father attends and participates, the likelihood of a child remaining in the faith increases to nearly 50 percent.

All Saints Day is traditionally observed every year on the first Sunday in November. One of the traditions of many congregations is to read the names of congregational members who died since the previous All Saints Day during the Prayer of the Church and ring the bell.

Throughout this past month, we have explored not only the Scriptures but also the history of music in the Church, discovering that singing, chanting, and various forms of song have been used in the Church since the beginning of time, stretching from the Garden of Eden to the new song of heaven revealed in the book of Revelation.

Today marks our third week in the series on singing in the church. Today, we explore the use of song and music throughout the Scriptures. But even beyond the temple, people learned to pray the Psalms and make them meaningful by singing them.

Today, we continue our series on music and singing in the church. But what is singing anyway? In the simplest terms, singing is the joining of words and music. Singing makes your voice your greatest instrument! Now, in the church, there are a few different singing styles we use most often: homophonic and polyphonic singing, and what is known as chanting.

Today marks the start of a series of newsletters on the topic of singing in the Church. Come to the Divine Service, sing with your brothers and sisters in Christ, take God’s Word to heart, and prepare to sing in glory.

Last year, I was asked by the School Ministry office of the LCMS to write what are called Chapel Talks. Chapel Talks are meant to serve as springboards for pastors, teachers, and school leaders to lead devotions in their school chapel time.

Throughout the year, Good Shepherd holds many events and strives to provide opportunities for fellowship and growth in the Christian life. These events and opportunities are only possible because of your support, tithing, and offerings.

This Sunday, we will observe Holy Cross Day, an observance that dates back to the 4th century when it was believed the cross of Jesus was discovered.

As the school year begins, it’s time for us to send you the 2025-2026 Church Calendar.

With Labor Day Weekend here, it’s a good time to remind you that the sermons of Good Shepherd are available as podcasts. We’re especially happy to share that sermons and content from Good Shepherd can be found on all podcasting platforms. So, if you’re away this week, open your favorite podcast app and listen to the “Shepherd’s Voice!”

"This Sunday, the Church observes the festival of Saint Bartholomew, one of our Lord’s first disciples and martyrs for the faith."

Through the RaiseRight (SCRIP) program, you can turn everyday purchases into lasting support for Good Shepherd. Buy a gift card, use it as you normally would, and a portion comes back to the church. Together, even small steps can make a big difference.

We’re reintroducing ourselves to Tomah with new tools to share the Gospel. Come to Bible Class this Sunday for a first look at our promotional video before it’s shared publicly.