Sermons

What is preaching? St. Paul writes in Romans: “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14-15)

Therefore our Lutheran Confessions state: “It is also taught among us that one holy Christian church will be and remain forever. This is the assembly of all believers among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel.” (Augsburg Confession VII:1-3)

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Festival of the Reformation 2011

30. October 2011
Festival of the Reformation
Revelation 14:6-7; Romans 3; John 8:31-36

When St. John saw another angel flying directly overhead, what was this angel’s name? It is opinion of the church of the Reformation that this angel was none other than God’s messenger—the blessed Martin Luther. For Luther returned to the church—languishing under medieval corruptions and authoritarian papal rule—an eternal gospel. This good news is Christ crucified and risen, the only means of salvation which is for every nation, tribe, language, and people.

It is as if St. John was transported through time and space to hear the preaching of our father Martin Luther, straight out of the pulpit of St. Mary’s in Wittenberg: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

This angel brought an eternal gospel. The Book of Heaven was opened before this angel to St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, where he read: “For by works of the law no man will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law… the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”

Apart from Christ, the angel Luther and all mankind is in bondage. Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. Slaves cannot free themselves. Nor do slaves remain in the house into eternity. Freedom from slavery comes only by the Son. If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples , and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 

Your Lutheran birth does not save you. Your moral upbringing does not save you. There is no boasting, for we are all powerless to save. Only by faith in Jesus, the one who died and rose, only by Him are we freed from sin and bound once more to our gracious God.

By this Holy Word, the angel was set free. His tongue was loosed to confess Christ’s name only. His dead flesh was crucified with Christ. God now passed over the angel’s sins because God’s wrath and judgment was propitiated by the Son of God’s own blood. Righteousness is given, not earned. Sins are forgiven, not repaired through acts of penance. All this makes God just and gracious. He only is justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

This message rocked the 16th century world and continues to this day. The modern division and schism of Christianity is tragic. For over a millennia, Christianity was marked by two divisions, East and West.

Even then, faithful Christians could not agree on the procession of Spirit from the Father and the Son nor could they arrive at a common date for the celebration of Easter. And so—the split. Despite these two traditions continuing apart from each other, they remain the dominant distinct confessions for a thousand years.

Then came Dr. Martin Luther, a Roman priest of the Augustinian order, the angel of God. The way the historians like to write the story, Luther was the instigator of our religious potpourri. By rejecting that the papacy retained the sole authority to interpret the Word of God, it is thought he caused all these little schismatic and heretical denominations or non-denominations that continue to sprout up all around us.

There is an element of truth to this. Evangelicals banded to together to form churches or around princes who shared their confession. A new split emerged from East and West—and they are the Evangelicals (or Lutherans as our opponents named us). Large swaths of western Europe and nearly the whole of Scandinavia become Evangelical in their confession.

But to blame Luther is to miss an important piece of the puzzle, one which is still relevant today. Dr. Martin Luther was not interested in leaving the church of Rome. No, he sought reform through a church council.

Today we celebrate the anniversary of this Reformation. Unfortunately neither the papal authority nor the holy Roman emperor Charles V would hear their call for reform. For their confession of the Gospel, priests and nuns, noblemen and professors were declared outside the Roman church.

It is clear from the ecclesiastical and secular histories, Rome and her Pope were the primary party responsible for the Reformation. The pope and all his cardinals could not abide by the teaching of Luther and his students. They found it incompatible with their man-made authority and aims. Rather than allow the teaching of the Scriptures be restored in their midst, they excommunicated Luther and the lot.

The name for Luther and those who follow in his steps is Evangelical, or according to the Gospel, the evangel. Lutherans will not allow anything to infringe on Christ and His work to save you. All that hinders this work of God in you through faith and by the Scriptures is to be omitted. Yet, we are not rightly called Protestants, at least not by today’s standards.

Today, Protestant means not Rome and not East. It describes all sorts of false-teaching churches, many of which might not even be called Christian. For example, there are protesting Christians who say we cannot pray the prayer our Lord taught us because its not “from the heart.” This is a clear rejection of God’s Word, as it is our Lord who commanded us so to pray.

There are “Christians” who are unwilling to confess the Creeds, saying they are man-made documents. Most have serious issues with the confession of Christ, His essence, and His life. Yet, examine the Creeds and tell me whether they are not truthful expositions of God’s Word.

Are they not necessary to be believed? How can one call himself Christian and deny God is maker of heavens and earth, or that Jesus died and rose again, or that the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith, granting the forgiveness of sins? Yet, there are protestants who make this claim.

Then there are “Christians” who deny that Baptism now saves you, or that is a washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. No, they say, baptism is a work, something we do, and it only saves if we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and savior, and then only if we’re after the age of accountability. Thus, they deny our Lord’s command and the Apostolic injunction to teach and baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity. Christian? Protestant?

Never mind the mess with the Holy Communion! Most protestant churches deny Christ’s bodily presence under bread and wine, received into the mouth, received for the edification of the faithful and the condemnation of the impious.

Now it is acceptable to receive bread and wine anywhere you want, even if the church doesn’t believe its Christ’s very body and blood received for the forgiveness of sins. Its become some sort of great agape meal, where we can all sing about peace, love, and understanding and put aside our differences.

Just as before, this is a clear rejection of the command of Christ, who clearly says “this is my body” and “this is my blood.” The Apostles’ ate and drank Christ’s body and blood when they gathered. It was a statement not of personal faith but of the corporate confession, that is, the Apostles’ doctrine. St. Paul clearly teaches to avoid false teachers and their union. He clearly teaches as well those who do not believe the Apostolic doctrine each and drink to their judgment.

So is the case for you. If you receive the Supper without faith in these words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” then you receive it to your judgment. St. Paul says that such eating caused some in Corinth to become sick and others to die.

Do not think to receive the Sacrament without preparing with repentance. So also, do not receive the Sacrament in a church that teaches contrary to your confession. Their false teaching makes a mockery of this saving grace and you cannot join in union with them no matter what is in your heart.

These things all sound pretty Roman catholic, don’t they? And they should. Luther sought reform of Rome not a new church body. We live in perennial hope that the church of Rome will reject their council of Trent and return to the evangelical teaching of the Scriptures.

Yet, we do not protest. No, we do not hate Rome nor do we hate the Protestants. We confess not protest. We confess the truth. We are a light in the darkness, markers in the wilderness of American protestantism.

We retain that which can be retained without sin, standing on the shoulders of our spiritual fathers. Thus, we retain the prayers, the propers of the mass, the ordinary divine service, the priestly vestments, images, and other accoutrements. We do not protest that which is indifferent or edifying. We confess that which is necessary and true.

Luther summarized this essential Evangelical confession in the three solas—Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone. In other words, the good news of salvation is known only be the Scripture, given purely out of God’s grace, and received only by Holy Spirit-inspired faith. There can be salvation by none other than Christ, his gracious lifeblood, received through faith in His gracious Word of promise.

If you believe this, can confess the Creeds, pray the Lord’s prayer, know that the pastor’s forgiveness is Christ’s forgiveness, that there is only one baptism and it saves, and that the Holy Communion is truly Christ’s body and blood received in your mouth for the forgiveness of sins—well, then you are truly Christian for you trust in the Word of the Holy Scripture and that this is all received in faith without any worthiness or merit in you.

This may describe many Roman catholics and it may some Protestants. Yet, they remain in their false communion despite their public error and false teaching.  There is the only true confession, the one attached to the one holy catholic and apostolic church. This was the aim of the Reformation.

“Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.” He spoke with God’s authority, freeing bound sinners to be free in Christ. We are sons of God, knowing the truth, and this truth setting us free. We thank God he used his servant Dr. Martin Luther of blessed memory to bring the Gospel to light.

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana

Trinity 22 2011 – Matthew 18:21-35

23. October 2011
Trinity 22
Matthew 18:21-35

Each day we pray: forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. We pray in this petition from the Lord’s Prayer that our Father in heaven would not look to our sins, or deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment. So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us (SC, Lord’s Prayer, Fifth Petition).

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 

Forgiving each other does not come easy. Children heckle and hate each other. Husband and wife grumble and gripe. Congregations moan and backtalk. Pastors whine and protest among themselves. All these we would rather than do than simply forgive and be forgiven.

To make matters worse, we daily sin much. For God’s part, we deserve nothing but punishment, but are forgiven out of pure grace. So, we should forgive continuously, despite the perennial sin of our neighbor. But we don’t like it.

No, we don’t like it one bit. We’d rather tell off our brother or worse yet send our fist to his jaw, rather than forgive. We’d rather give our spouse the silent treatment or yell and scream, rather than forgive. We’d rather complain about our pastor, the conduct of the service, the length of the sermon, the flavor of the wine, or simply gripe, rather forgive him. We pastors go off to our conferences, bitch and moan about this congregational issue, this synodical bureaucrat, or this errant brother, rather than forgive.

Forgiveness is the harder path. In order to forgive, you must approach each other, declare wrongdoing, apologize truthfully, and declare forgiveness sincerely. This is true brotherly reconciliation. And its hard. You have to sacrifice your ego and pride, be willing to admit wrongdoing, and call sin what it is. Only then is forgiveness received and true. That’s why St. Peter asked Jesus the question: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Its such a hard thing to do, that even Peter wanted a means of escape. He wanted to avoid this godly duty and instead give into his hatred and backbiting. Yet, we learn from Jesus’ parable that such an attitude is not only wrong, but it is damning. If you are unwilling to forgive your brother to the utter depths of his sin, then so also your Heavenly Father will withhold forgiveness from you.

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 

When Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead, this will be the scene. The Father reigns as the king upon the throne in heaven, while Jesus sits at his right hand. All will be called to settle accounts with him, and those who have done good will enter into eternal life and those who have done evil into the hell of fire. You and I will be asked to account for our life.

If we are completely honest, we know that the debt for our sin is far too great to pay. Everything we have will be deservedly repossessed, even our very life. We might be tempted to be so bold to ask the LORD to have patience with us while we try to make up the deficit, to fall down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ This is a false and misleading dream, that we our sins could redeem.

We know and believe that it is only Christ’s sacrificial blood that atones for our sins. We cannot merit any grace towards heaven, either from our work here or our work in the life to come. Nor could we ever pay the penalty for our sin, for we daily sin much and deserve nothing but punishment.

But the Father sent his Son to die for us, to be our passover lamb, to set us free from the bonds of sin. He lavishly pours out this grace, proclaiming it in the Gospel, washing you in Baptism, declaring you forgiven in Absolution, and feeding you with the body and blood of forgiveness in the Sacrament. We daily sin much and God daily forgives us much.

This servant had been forgiven more than he could ever repay. Such forgiveness is life-changing. It changes thought and deed, word and heart. When God so abundantly forgiveness your innumerable sins, your guilt is released, your heart cleansed, your mind made charitable, and your words fitly spoken. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in you, renewing you and sanctifying you in the one true faith. Indeed, when your sins so bother you, run to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. Run to him and be forgiven, over and over. We daily sin much, to be sure, but Christ forgives all the more. Thanks be to God.

Yet, St. Peter’s question deserves a strong rebuke from the Lord: 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

You might be tempted to think that forgiveness of sins is all about your relationship to God. Not so! God has forgiven you in Jesus not only to insure your heavenly future but that you would be a beacon of His grace for others. He wants others to experience a taste of His forgiveness in your life.

St. Peter’s question, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? betrays his own understanding of humanity. After he betrays his LORD three times on Good Friday, he won’t be so naive. Christ will look upon him and Peter will know the deep darkness that is his sin. Your LORD’s forgiveness is greater still. Jesus will absolve and commission St. Peter three times after he rises from the dead.

So it is for you. Do not think that you are beyond saving. Do not think your debt is too great to be absolved. When he says, “I forgive you your trespasses,” receive this voice of Christ declaring all forgiven. When Jesus the Master  is moved with compassion for you his servant, releases you, and forgives you the debt, receive this with thanksgiving. When Christ gives you his very body and blood, receive Him joyfully for the forgiveness of every sin.

Heed the warning of the parable. Do not make a mockery of the forgiveness that Christ so graciously gives you. Acknowledge your sin and be forgiven. But don’t let it stop there. Let this forgiveness move your heart to forgive others. Do not be like that wicked servant who could not forgive the minuscule debt of his brother, despite the Master forgiving abundantly.

God has forgiven you beyond all telling. Go and reconcile with your brother. If you hate him for what he has done, declare to him that you have forgiven him his error. If he admits his fault, this forgiveness will unburden his conscience. If he will not acknowledge his fault, so be it, you are free.

If you are holding some secret resentment for your spouse, declare your sin to her. If she is truly Christian, she will declare this sin pardoned, and receive you as forgiven, healing the one-flesh union. Reconcile with each other, declaring the sin and forgiving it, just as your LORD declares your sin and forgives it forever.

If you are bitter over something I have done as your pastor, do not let the sun go down on your anger. This anger sitting within your conscience will putrefy and fester, growing like a cancer. So also, God grant me the strength to reconcile with you, when I would rather grumble and weep to brothers than approach you. Let us reconcile and forgive each other.

There’s no point in keeping our sins or the sins of others secret. Let us bring them to the light, exposing them to the forgiving Word of Christ. Let us receive forgiveness in Christ and let this forgiveness rule our hearts and minds. Let your every thought, word, and deed be forgiving love. Then, we can boldly stand before the King, reconciled and reconciling. We pray: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana

Trinity 21
 2011 – John 4:46-54


16. October 2011
Trinity 21
John 4:46-54

St. John the Evangelist records three expressions of faith in the official nobleman of today’s Gospel. First, the official comes to Jesus after hearing “that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, and he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.” This is the first expression of the official’s faith by coming to Jesus for healing for his son.

Second, after Jesus tested him and received the good confession, the man demanded in yet stronger faith: Sir, come down before my child dies. Jesus spoke these words: “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. Once again, the man expressed his faith, this time hearing and trusting in the Word of Jesus.

Third, after recognizing the healing promised by Jesus at the seventh hour of 1 pm,  the official confessed all the more boldly what he had received. This time he himself believed, and all his household.

From these three expressions, we see how Jesus takes our weak faith that is barely a glowing ember and tends it by His Word of promise until it is a glowing flame, in order that the household and the world will see. It begins with simple faith: a belief that Jesus is the source of God’s gifts. Then Jesus will take the hungry heart of faith challenges it with trial and quickens it by the Word and Spirit. The believer who once sought only benefits in Jesus Christ now finds his every hope in Jesus. This living faith burns hot and bright until it cannot be contained and shines forth to household and neighbor.

This is precisely how God works, most evident in the precious Gospel. After hearing one sermon, likely second-hand, and witnessing one miracle at the wedding at Cana, the certain nobleman and official for King Herod seeks after Christ. Every earthly solution for his son’s sickness had availed him nothing. Now, he must act in faith. Having heard of Christ and his benefits and feeling need that cannot be met by the gifts of this world, he seeks after the bread of life come down from heaven. His faith is weak, for he demands that Jesus must “come down and heal his son.” We know such a demand of the Lord of the universe is utterly unnecessary. Like the centurion, we know that for Jesus, speak the Word only and my servant will be healed.

Therefore, Jesus knows this man’s faith is weak. But rather than stoke it with platitudes or a journey to this man’s house, He instead rebukes him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” No doubt, the man’s heart was set on miracles from Christ. But his faith needed suffering, a cross, to kindle it into a flame. Isaiah says, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Isaiah 42:3). Surely such a rebuke would destroy this man and cause him to despair?

Our instinct is wrong. Jesus doesn’t want faith that weakly holds onto him as long as things go well. He wants a faith that is firmly grounded on Him and in His Word. He sends suffering, trials, and crosses your way not to snuff out the flickering flame but to cause it to burn bright. The Lutherans used to call this anfechtung. God sends trials our way, allows the devils to haunt us, and even permits Satan to torment us, just like Job.

This seems utterly stupid. God the Father is out of his mind. Or so it would seem, if not for Jesus. When the going gets rough, the rough get going… in faith in Christ. When you suffer under crosses that try your faith, run to the cross of Christ. When your lives seem beaten and broken, run to the one who was beaten and broken for you. When it seems your blood is being spilled all day long, run to the Divine Service, where Christ’s blood is poured out for you and in you. We have a reason to hope.

… Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

When the light of faith wanes, the Father applies a cross to us, to kindle it, brighter and brighter. We don’t need to look far to see that this is how God acts, whether in our own lives, the lives of this church, the lives of the apostles, or the lives of the patriarchs. When the faithfulness of God’s people wanes, he burdens them with trials, exile, destructing, and even great suffering and death.

By means of our crosses, He means to teach us about how dark reality is apart from Him. Our flesh and blood hates Him and and His Word. Our reason opposes faith in that which is not seen. Our heart is full of dark evil and malice. Our desires are for wickedness all the day long.

When we fail to trust in our LORD completely for redemption, when we fail to call upon Him in every trial and need, when we act as though we don’t need a gracious God in our worship, our work, or our play, that’s when we allow the darkness in. Our flesh wants it and loves the dark. Our loving Father even allows us to suffer it. He wants us to know the darkness, to despair of it, and to turn to Him (Ephesians 4:18).

Jesus is the light who shines into darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. He is the voice of creation, begotten of the Father from eternity, spoken to create life, the universe, and everything where there was once nothing (Genesis 1:1ff). Just as then, it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6).

Weakness of faith is nothing for Jesus. That’s why weak faith is no barrier to fellowship. St. Paul even stipulated that the church in Rome Receive one who is weak in the faith (Romans 14:1). Why? Because no one becomes a Christian, instantly burning bright. First, the witness and their need compels them to seek Christ where He is found. Then, He kindles this flame with His Word and trials. Faith must rely upon Jesus, even in the midst of the worst of times. Only then does faith give hope and hope give way to trust. Faith does not trust feelings or thoughts or even the eyes. Faith trusts the ears which receive the Word of salvation.

Those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death have seen a great light. The darkened vision of our lives and our future are a result of sin. Clarity comes from light and the light is Christ. Clarity comes by faith through the hearing of the WORD.

Consider the Word of the sacraments. In Holy Baptism., you see plain water but the Word attached to the water makes it a washing of rebirth in the Holy Spirit. In Holy Absolution, you see only a man dressed in silly robes but the Word of promise is that his voice declares forgiveness as from God himself. In the Holy Supper, you see mere bread and wine but the Word of Promise declares: This is my body… this is My blood… for the forgiveness of sins.

Our LORD keeps his promises. We have heard them. Our hope is in them. Our trust remains on Jesus until our dying day. Don’t let go of the promise and until you receive the blessing. It is true, the LORD visits His people with chastisement and discipline, crushing your ego and your will until you utterly despair of yourself. It is also true, the LORD visits His people with mercy and grace, founded in Jesus, testified in the Word, and believed in Holy Spirit-inspired faith.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:5-7).

Build upon this foundation. Trust not your eyes but trust your ears. Diligently hear the Word, meditate upon it day and night, apply it to your daily life, and let it bring you the joy it promises. This light shines into even the darkest place, kindling your smoldering wick into a bright burning flame. The Word calls you to repentance and grants you faith, transforming you from death to life, from darkness to the brilliance of the Son of God.

Your sorrow has been turned into joy. The good work of faith has been given to you in Baptism, renewed in Absolution, and strengthened in the blessed Communion. Be like the nobleman, the official of Herod. Having heard the Word of Good News, confess with your mouth, believe both you and your household. Do not wait to feel the joy. Hear, know, believe, and trust that peace with God is once more made for you.

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:1-4).

Persevere in God’s gracious promise, so that whether you live or die. Hold tight to him and never let go. God has justified you and will save you.Even when he sends trial, he will help you in every need, never leaving you or forsaking you, but stoking you still small flame until it burns bright in him.

Jesus said: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana