Pioneer Lutheran Church

Publisher: Julie Petersen jmpete@itctel.com Volume Number 11 Issue Number 28 Date:

APRIL 2009
Pioneer Lutheran
PASTOR TYLERChurch
HEPNERCouncil Minutes-
601 4TH St. APT 12 BROOKINGS, SD 57006
March 2009
President Dana Crooks called the Pioneer Lutheran Church bill was considerably higher this month and asked that
Council meeting to order on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at members be sure to shut-off lights, kitchen heaters, and close
8:00 pm following Lenten services. Present were Larry doors etc. Larry Holler moved to accept the Treasurer’s
Holler, Tiffany Petersen, Aimee Lutz, Kevin Quail, Arlene report and pay bills. Tiffany Petersen seconded the motion,
Madsen, and Pastor Tyler Hepner. Glen Thompson was and the motion passed.
absent, and intern Peter Kauffman was present as a guest.
Pastor Hepner led devotions on the Paul’s letter to the OLD BUSINESS:
Romans and discuss that the righteous live by faith and need
not be ashamed of the scripture. He closed in prayer, and the No old business was brought before the board and President
meeting proceeded. Dana Crooks proceeded to new business.
Secretary’s Report: Minutes from the February 2009 NEW BUSINESS:
meeting was presented to the council. Kevin Quail moved to Pastor’s Report: Pastor Hepner reported he conducted 3
accept the minutes as presented. Larry Holler seconded the visitations, prepared 4 Sunday services and Ash Wednesday
motion, and the motion passed. service and prepared bulletins for each. Pastor Hepner led 3
book discussions on the book the Hammer of God. Pastor
Treasurer’s Report: Arlene Madsen presented the monthly Hepner
treasurer’s report. The general fund was negative $714.22 at
the end of February. Arlene Madsen indicated that the power
worked on the new church website and created a Pastor’s
blog. It was indicated that April 26, 2009 would be Synod
Stewardship day.
Pastor Hepner discussed the Church Affiliation and our
alignment with either LCMC or ELCA and the difficulty with
being aligned with both synods.
Easter Services:
Good Friday service will be held at 7:00 pm on Friday April
11, 2009. Easter Sunrise service will be on Sunday April 12,
2009 at 7:00am and a potluck breakfast will follow the
service.
Senior Service: Arlene Madsen discussed having a Sunday
Service in honor of the students graduating from high school
this year. A date of 5/10 was suggested for the service.
125th Anniversary Celebration: Arlene Madsen discussed
plans for the 125th celebration. A 10:00 am service is planned
for that day followed by a complimentary meal, program and
cake.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned and the Lord’s
Prayer was said in closing. The April meeting will be held
on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. following Lenten
services.
Respectfully submitted,
Aimee Lutz
Freedom from Babylon
In our time we find it quite routine to associate the term
"church" with denominational bodies. We know people who
prefer to be Lutherans, Methodists, Episcopalians, Catholics,
non-denominational, etc. who we say belong to different
"churches." And these "churches" have different sets of
beliefs and practices that make them distinct from one
another, even while they worship the same Lord. Which one
is the truest or best "church" then?
Answer: none of them. Not one of them can properly be
called the "church" at all. For the true church is the body of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not any institution,
structure, or organization of this world (I Corinthians 12;
Ephesians 5:29-30; Colossians 1:24). The body of Christ and
his kingdom are simply not reducible to, or understandable in
terms of, any thing within the kingdom of this world. It is a
spiritual house, as Peter declares, "you also, like living
stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy
priesthood" (I Peter 2:5).
Luther states it most beautifully in his Schmalkald Articles
when he gives the church an image from Christ: "God be
praised, a child seven years old knows what the Church is,
namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of
their Shepherd. For the children pray thus: I believe in one
holy [catholic or] Christian Church. This holiness does not
consist in albs, tonsures, long gowns, and other of their
ceremonies devised by them beyond Holy Scripture, but in
the Word of God and true faith." This is the image of the true
church Christ Jesus gave us, that we are like sheep hearing
the voice of our Shepherd. In hearing his voice we become
one with him, a part of his body, a living stone in the temple
of God.
Another thing Luther knew about all this is what it meant to
be freed from an institution of the world calling itself the
church. For him it meant being kicked out, or
excommunicated. In response, he used an
image that put things in their proper biblical perspective. He
called it the Babylonian captivity of the church. A foreign
power has taken the people who should be of God away from
the place of their God, and put them under another lordship.
This describes the way in which any person or group or
institution that tries to teach "the church" is something other
than the body of Christ, that tries to command something
Christ Jesus has not commanded, or contradicts the teachings
of Christ, has left or been cut off from the body of Christ that
is the true Christian church. Just so, any "church" as an
institution of the world may be carried off. And given the
naturally corrupting tendencies of the world, it may be that
every "church" of this world is bound to travel this same road
in one way or another, at least to the extent it becomes
focused on human things rather than divine things (Mark
8:33).
Another thing this means, is that those who leave or are
kicked out of corrupt institutions are not really leaving
anything, nor are they going anywhere. The body of Christ
does not come and go; it is the Word of God which remains
forever (Isaiah 40:8; I Peter 1:25). And if you are in Christ
you are in the true Christian church, no matter where you are.
It is indeed a tragedy when anyone is carried off to Babylon,
whether it be an individual, a group of people, or an
institution. But it is only by the power of God one may
return. To him we make our appeal through prayer on behalf
of those who have been taken captive, that he would lead
them once again to the Truth, and protect us from the powers
of the world, the devil, and the sinful self, which threaten to
lead us away as well.
To whatever extent the things of this world function to
communicate the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ they
help to build up his body. But they are never to be
confused with the real presence of the body of Jesus
Christ in which we live by faith, and in the newness of
life. God keep you, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in
him.
In Christ,
Pastor Tyler

Congratulations to the Haines
A baby girl was born to Chris and Cammy Haines, Saturday
evening March 14, 2009 at the Sanford Hospital in Sioux
Falls, SD. She weighted 8 lbs. 10 oz and was named Cloe
Christine. She joins older sister Hailey at home
REMINDERS:
• Don’t forget to donate to the food pantry
• Pray for Pastor Tyler and Tricia as they are
engaged to be married May 30th
• Remember to pray for our Compassion children
and all others around the world
German, with only 5 in the graduating class. One might start to wonder
• Have a meaningful and blessed Holy week &
Easter
idea that they weren't banging on the door to get in. Kind of like today,
• Easter Sunrise service 7:00 followed by potluck
brunch
• Church Cleaning on April 25
125th Pioneer Lutheran News
There's an old abandoned house out north of here. No one seems to
remember who owned it last. Spring thaw putting life into these old
legs of mine, I lit out across the thawing prairie to investigate, my
dog and I. Finding the house still respectable, I ventured in, still
dry despite the wear. Much was there, too long to tell, I spied these
papers there. Here's what they had to tell.
All of Brookings County back in 1870 had 15-18 "white people." I
guess they couldn't count so good back then. Either that or they just
wouldn't stand still long enough to count them.
It seems that White, newly founded, had a population of 137 souls in
1890, but in ten short years had more than tripled. The whole place
was like that. Brookings went from just over 1500 to 2400 in those
years.
About the turn of the century, White was quite a booming place. Had
two weekly newspapers going at the same time. Brookings had the
same, it seems. Lot of reading going on back then, mostly on the
weekend, I suppose. Not all of it in English though. There were two
German churches in White, and who knows what they were doing out
at Pioneer. High School tells us that there were 20 students studying
why the class was so small, until one reads a little further down that
they were advertising for students saying, "We have room for a few
more students in high school, but those who want it must make
application early, as the vacant seats are very few." You sort of get the
don't you think?
In the 1909 White Business Directory published out of Denver, it says
here that they had 75 listings. No telephone numbers though, even if
they did have a White Telephone Company. I guess it was something
 like you'd pick up the phone, give a couple of healthy cranks and yell
into the phone, "Hey, Molly, get me Doc Harriman. My cows gone
down and won't get up." Had an Opera House too. I wonder what that MAY FELLOWSHIP AT PIONEER LUTHERAN
was like on a Saturday night. I'm betting they didn't have no dancing
girls with garter straps. That'd be down at the Ney's Billiard Hall. Must
have had a lot of horses too. There were two blacksmiths and one Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 7, 2009 at
harness shop. 6:30 pm for May Fellowship at Pioneer. All area
Says here that Albert Berndt, farming 2 miles north of White, was
auctioning off his farm, including 4 good work horses, 3 "milk" cows women are invited for a time of gathering together
(that's them Germans again), 6 steers, 50 chickens, some geese, a for a program, songs and salad meal.
McCormick binder, 1 disc, a walking plow, a sulky plow, 3 wagons, 2 Monica Petersen will be our guest speaker. She will
hay rakes, a fanning (winnowing) mill, corn cultivator, and 3 sets of
harnesses. I guess it wouldn't look like that today. be talking about her trip to Argentina last summer.
Well, I guess I better be getting home. Been sitting too long. Got to She will share the American and Spanish culture of
keep the old joints lubricated, you know. Come on Emma. I'll just living together. Plan to attend and invite a friend
leave these papers here. Just in case you want to come and take a look
yourself.

HYVEE RECEIPTS QUOTA MET!!!!!

Thanks to members and friends of Pioneer who have
turned in HyVee
Receipts. The grand total of $150,000.00 has been
turned in and counted. As has happened twice before
our little church then receives $1000! We also thank
SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2009 SENIOR DAY HyVee for this benefit.
Pioneer Lutheran would to recognize our 2009 Graduates Several cash register receipts were turned in this past
during the service. Please join us in congratulating
them. week and we are on our way for the next quota if this
Kristina Montis, Chelsey Petersen, Jessie Pike, Lucas service is on going. Thanks Everyone!!!!
Quail, Bayli Skroch, Brittany Tolrud
 CHURCH CLEANING
DEATH~
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY
TO EXPLAIN IT..
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing
to

Plan to spend a fun day at the church on Saturday, April 25.
This will be a workday. We will clean the church and the
cemetery. We have two special events coming up and we want
to have all work completed in time for these events. Pioneer
is hosting a Salad Luncheon in early May and then, of course,
we have our 125th celebration on June 14. If the weather is
wet and uncooperative on April 25 we will work on May 2nd.
Please come and help, if we have a large group the work will
not take long at all. Plan to begin at 9:00 a.m.
Leave the examination room and said,
'Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? Your, a Christian man,
and don't know what's on the other side?'

The doctor was holding the handle of the door;

On the other side came a sound of scratching and
whining,

And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room

And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness

Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
 'Did you notice my dog? lady.
He's never been in this room before.

He didn't know what was inside.

He knew nothing except that his master was here,
And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.
I know little of what is on the other side of death,
But I do know one thing...

I know my Master is there and

that is enough.'

A Sunday school teacher began her lesson with

a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know
about God?" A hand shot up in the air. "He is an
artist!" said the kindergarten boy. "Really? How
do you know?" the teacher asked. "You know -
Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old

family Bible to her brother in another part of the country.
"Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal
clerk. "Only the Ten Commandments." answered the