Atlantic District Publications

Letters from the President - Good Shepherd

May 1, 2009 at 8:16 AM

At the front of the parish I serve, almost out of sight behind a large wooden beam, two stained glass windows give away the identity of a faith community.  One is a depiction of St. Peter, the other a depiction of Christ the Good Shepherd.  Remembering the Risen Lord’s instruction to Peter to “feed my lambs,” those coupled windows were described to me when I arrived in Brooklyn as the tribute to the memory of “the Sainted Dr. Arthur Brunn, our Pastor.”  I arrived 25 years after Dr. Brunn died, but he was still “our Pastor.”  

Know what?  After I’d been there awhile, I felt as though he were MY pastor as well.  So formed in the faith received through his instruction and training were the long-time members that when they spoke it was as though he were there with an arm on their shoulder coaching them along.  

The great joy of pastoral ministry is the feeding of the lambs.  First of all, that involves preaching, teaching, sharing the Good News that our Good Shepherd laid down His life for us, and in the glory of the Resurrection, offers us life eternal.  Watching the faces of several dozen baptizands at the St. Peter’s altar and in Queens in our Holy Season brings the reception of that divine offering home in human response to God’s grace.  The nurturing and care for those precious lambs with forgiveness and strength  is at the center of a pastor’s heart.  

Feeding the lambs for us Lutherans is a literal task, too, isn’t it?  We come to altar on a weekly basis for the nourishment that is Christ Himself – in the words of the hymn “Himself the Victim and Himself the Priest.”  The Good Shepherd was and is the Lamb.  Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain, and Who now reigns from His eternal throne.  Watching First communicants come to the altar for the SECOND time is one of my great joys – then what has been anticipated now becomes a regular occurrence – Christ feeds His Body with His Body through all the days of one’s life.  There’s this look in the eyes of the children then, no longer in white dresses but just everyday wear – “Wow!  I can come every week!”  We pray that spirit remains with them.

As we are so often reminded in these days of shrinking parish rolls, Jesus was very specific about letting us know that he has other sheep for us who are not part of this fold, that, in His words, “I must bring also.”  And so we follow our Good Shepherd out beyond the walls of our own sanctuary/sheepfolds into other pastures, as He bids us.  I know parishes throughout our Atlantic District where the Lord’s bidding is being taken seriously, and pastors and parish leaders hit the green fields with love in action.  I also know there are too many where the only sounds come from INSIDE the sanctuary, and the joy is covered and kept, when it’s meant to be shared.  

As we plan for our upcoming Atlantic District Convention June 5-6, 2009, we’ll be seeing and sharing the stories of God’s love that are so powerful among us.  But no earthly story compares to the true story of Jesus, the sacrificing life-empowering Good Shepherd who guides and leads us each and every one!