from my perspective
St. Paul Lutheran Church
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Welcome!
I welcome your comments regarding our shared ministry at St. Paul.
 If you would rather comment privately please, email me at Prshepherd@westriv.com

"Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes, 
"because if one falls down, his friend can help him up." 

I deeply desire to bring Christian comfort and the power of prayer to those who are challenged with sickness or circumstances in life. However, in this time of restricted visitation call me and I will attempt to contact them.

Please, assume that if you don’t tell us, we do not know. 
Call me at 301-4956 if surgery or hospital stay is imminent or if a visit could be helpful. 

Pastor Dennis
from my perspective…

    Breaking News, or Headline News, is updated by the hour and minute. The programs are designed to get our attention and to sell advertising. (Big surprise!) On the other hand, the Good News of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and is proclaimed today for an entirely different purpose.

    Mark begins his gospel with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mk 1:1, ESV) It sounds like Mark is reporting, “Breaking news! Pay attention! Something important has happened!” 


    Matthew begins his gospel, “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.” (Mt. 1:1) It sounds like Matthew is introducing a history lesson whereby we might learn something. Don’t get me wrong – I love history because I believe with George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 


    John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” (Jn. 1:1) This is something totally different. John invites us to lay aside our daily concerns and ponder life’s Big Questions concerning God and “The Word of God.” 


    Each year, we might take a measure of our life on Tax Day, an anniversary, or any number of other milestones. Regardless of the circumstances, we go through a process of reflection, evaluation, and decision-making. We might reflect on the Big Questions of Life, like “Who are we? And “How do I fit in with family and society?” or “What positive difference am I making?” 

    I will grant that the most common daily question is, “Am I happy.” But I believe the Bible teaches us that happiness results from how we think of ourselves and our relationship with others. Therefore, John invites us to ponder anew our relationship with the One God of the Holy Scriptures, as opposed to mental or emotional gods of pleasure, wealth or self-importance. 
In the church year, Lent is the season that encourages us to ponder our relationship with the one and only eternal God and one another or who we desire to become. 

    Join us as we explore Jesus’ great encounters with religious rulers, a disrespected woman from a disrespected people and His disciples. In John, Jesus, the Word of God, invites people to question who we are in God’s eyes and who He desires us to become to live a fulfilling life. (e.g. John 10:10)
As John informs us, Jesus, the true Word of God, comes into the world to save us from ourselves and the destructive temptations brought on by the evil lies of the great Satan. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17, ESV) 

Please join us in our encounter with the Living Word of God, your pastor, Dennis.

from my perspective

From shipwreck to a new life.

 by Pastor Dennis on 04/17/18

Long ago and far away an event happened that changed the world; although at the time it was just something tragic. A man gave up. In earthly terms, his work was done. So, he gave up his spirit. Then after a few days God did something that gave him a new life and a new purpose. You might think now that I am talking about Christ. And you would be correct. But I am also talking about all those who gave up trying to run their lives by themselves; doing things their way; and finally realize how futile it was - and gave their life to God.

I often wonder how many resurrections are happening each day by this method. And I wonder how many lives are changed; transformed by God, out of the sinking ship we all have made of our life.

The good news is that God has the power to put our lives back on course. Before, we were just rearranging the deck chairs on our sinking lives. Now, He gives us purpose and a new life; we are named children of the Most High God; and we are called serve one another with compassion and mercy.

If you haven’t said the words, “Lord, I give you my life” ever - will you give up and let God be the Lord of your life? If you have done this in the past, won’t you reaffirm your commitment and ask Him to send His Holy Spirit so that you can become the best child of God you can be?

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Sunday Worship at Faith Chapel

 by Pastor Dennis on 02/17/18

We drove to the Cities on Friday and flew to Jamaica on Saturday. Sunday begins with two opportunities to worship up on the mountain; Faith Chapel by West Haven Children's Home outside of the village of Corpse OR St. John's Anglican Church in Darliston near Clifton Boys Home.


Although the children have very little compared to US standards they praise God for His abundant love.

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A prayer of Thanksgiving.

 by Pastor Dennis on 11/06/17

Lord God, Precious Savior, Holy Spirit. With all my heart and soul, I thank you for all the undeserved mercies You have given us this year. I thank You for our friends and neighbors who pray for us, watch out for us and work with us in Your Kingdom. I thank You for all the maladies you healed and the rain that came to refresh the land. I thank You for the gift of new life and for the gift of the Resurrection. I Thank you for providing this life for us and the life to come.  I thank You for all those who You have called to protect and serve our community; emergency and medical personal, who give of themselves in ways we cannot fully understand. I thank you for the land we are blessed to live in; for the freedom we hold dear; for the safety we enjoy from war and pestilence. Most of all I thank You for the Spirit of grace You continue to give us; who guides us through challenging times; warns us of temptation and pulls us back from danger; forgives us when we stumble and fall and leads us to forgive others. I thank You for the church You have created, where we hear Your Words of Promise, where we are renewed in the Baptism of forgiveness and our hearts are regenerated through Your Word with the certain knowledge that You are our Lord and Savior. May we each day wake to proclaim, “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul.”     Amen

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If you can say anything good about somebody...

 by Pastor Dennis on 01/10/17

The snow fell silently as I came in from chores. The coolness of the night was welcome. But soon I buttoned my coat. It was a reminder that the world in darkness is a cold place.

The kitchen window glowed with warmth and wood smoke gently rose from the chimney. Mom would be making supper.

Life was simpler when I was young. We worked the farm; went to school in town; and went to church every Sunday. Except on rare occasions during harvest, or if a winter storm blocked the road.

My parents seemed to live by simple rules. My mother was fond of saying, “If you can’t say anything nice about somebody, don’t say anything at all.”

Although I did not know it at the time, she had captured the essence of Luther’s explanation of the eighth commandant.

The eighth commandment warns against “bearing false witness against our neighbor.” I thought it only applied to court cases. My mother knew better. She knew Luther’s words.

“We should fear and love God,” Luther’s writes, “so that we do not deceitfully belie, betray, backbite, nor slander our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him and put the most charitable construction on all that he does.” (Small Catechism)

What we say makes a difference; good or bad. And it is important to God. For He loves to see His children encouraging not discouraging one another.

The Israelites were enslaved for centuries and when they were freed from slavery, they did not know how to live as a free people. So, God gave them the ten instructions; like a good parent instructs His children. However, the children could not keep God’s Law perfectly.

So, in the fullness of time, God sent His only Son to proclaim, “God meant what He said and He said what He meant.” And second he paid the price so that all who come to Him might be forgiven and released from the guilt of sin.

The challenge for all of us today is to take God’s Word, and my mother’s wisdom, seriously. Jesus gave His followers a new commandment, “Love one another just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)

When we miss the mark, be assured, if we will call upon Him; He will release us from the guilt of sin that enslaves us. So that, we may be free to be better at life and love our neighbor in word and deed.

I hope to see you in church where God’s Word and wisdom guides us through a cold and dark world.

 Pastor Dennis

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Who knew?

 by Pastor Dennis on 12/20/16

            Christ came not to give us a new set of regulations or a new law. He came to give of himself for us; the greatest gift we did not know we needed. Certainly, the people had prayed for a Savior; to save them from oppression and poverty. But who knew they needed saving from their sins; their cruel self-centeredness; their greed; their thoughtlessness. Who knew they needed a God like Jesus?

            Maybe the lowly knew. Shepherds were lowly - outcasts, dirty, living-off-the-land shepherds were definitely lowly. In their humbleness they knew they needed a Savior who acted like a Shepherd. They did not want or need another self-righteous, religious ruler who gave out judgments and condemnation. They wanted and needed a Shepherd who would guide them to green pastures and lead them to still waters and live with them in peace – and that is what they found in the manger. Is it any wonder, that they knelt down and praised God?!

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