https://stpaulscobourg.lutheranchurchcanada.ca/

St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cobourg, 388 William Street, Cobourg, ON (2026)

05/31/2026

The Holy Trinity

The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

05/25/2026

Who Is God?

A: For churches having a liturgical calendar, the "exciting" part of the Church Year ends on the first Sunday after Pentecost, with the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Trinity. From now until the next Advent season, the Christian Church settles into its equivalent of the "dog days" of summer. Rather than emphasizing the special events in Jesus' life, liturgical churches focus on His teachings, the building up of the faithful, and reaching out to those who are still lost.

Trinity Sunday brings closure for the series of Scriptures that began in Advent with the promised Messiah. Scripture clearly states that we worship ~one~ true God (Deut. 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:4; 1 Tim. 2:5) who is Triune, having ~three persons~ (Mt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:14). Reason cannot comprehend the Trinity, yet belief in it is a central article of the Christian Faith. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. However, the Father is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit, the Son is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Trinity Sunday celebrates all that God reveals Himself to be and all that He does. It reminds us that He is created, redeemed, and sanctifies us.

Trinity Sunday also leads us to consider God's divine ~attributes~ (characteristics peculiar to Him). Scripture reveals that God is ~eternal~ (without beginning or end), for Ps. 90:2 says, "From everlasting to everlasting you are God." He is ~immutable~ (unchanging); "I the Lord do not change (Mal. 3:6)." God is also ~omnipotent~ (all powerful), since He says, "I am God Almighty (Gen. 17:1)" and ~omniscient~ (all-knowing), as Peter confessed in John 21:17, "Lord, you know all things." We also believe that He is ~omnipresent~ (everywhere at the same time) from passages like Jer. 23:24: "'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' declares the Lord." God also tells us that He is ~holy~ (sinless, hating sin); "I, the Lord, your God, am holy (Lev. 19:2)." He is ~just~ (completely fair, demanding that right be done), as Deut. 32:4 confesses: "A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he."

These next two attributes listed are especially important for fallen mankind: God is ~merciful~ (full of pity and compassion) for "The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made (Ps. 145:9)" and He is ~gracious~ (loving beyond measure without first being loved), for "God is love (1 John 4:8)."

By not fully believing all that God is, we tend to "downsize" Him, making Him smaller and weaker---less "Godly" in our own minds---than He really is. This happens when we define God according to a few of His attributes, rather than confessing all that He shows himself to be. Some focus only on his mercy or his grace, refusing to believe how much God truly hates sin or that He commands death for sinners. This position denies much of Scripture, making a mockery of Christ's work of atonement, because if God doesn't condemn sinners, then why did He send His Son to suffer and die for them?

Others emphasize the other extreme, focusing almost exclusively on the holiness, majesty, and power of God. They try to scare people into belief, rather than fully proclaiming the sweet Gospel message of his grace and mercy, his love for us in Christ Jesus. They neglect the Gospel, overemphasize the Law, and create doubt about salvation in the hearers' minds.

God is not defined by individual attributes, nor by "averaging" them to find some comfy middle ground. He proclaims Himself in the language of extremism: He is absolutely holy, just, merciful, gracious, and all the rest. We fully proclaim his wrath at fallen mankind trying to live without Him. We fully proclaim that He forgives all sins because of Jesus Christ and will bring all believers to live with him in heaven.

05/24/2026

The Day of Pentecost

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

05/18/2026

50 Days of Easter

Just as the calendar year is divided into the seasons of winter, spring, summer and fall, so does the Church divide its calendar into seasons like Advent, Epiphany, Lent, etc. The weeks following the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection are often called the Easter season. There is, however, another phrase that was historically used to designate these days: The Great Fifty days.

The Great Fifty Days begins with Easter Sunday and concludes on the Day of Pentecost. (The word Pentecost actually comes from the Greek word for fifty.) The seven weeks that span the time between Jesus’ resurrection and the sending of the Spirit are sometimes called a “week of weeks.”

During these fifty days several customs are often observed that assist in highlighting the festivity of the season.

The paschal candle is moved from its normal place near the baptismal font to a prominent place near the altar.

The liturgical color of white is used during the entire fifty days-longer than at any other time of the church year.

The “Alleluia,” which is omitted during the penitential season of Lent, is restored to the liturgy as the premier expression of joy celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.

While such customs may or may not be celebrated in every parish, they point to the fact that the fifty days following Easter are a time of profound joy for the people of God. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

05/16/2026

Seventh Sunday of Easter

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

05/11/2026

Mothers’ Day

The tradition of Mother's Day, as we know it, began in the United States in 1908, organized by Anna Jarvis in West Virginia after her mother's death. She campaigned for a day to celebrate motherhood and is considered the originator of the modern Mother's Day. Jarvis envisioned Mother's Day as a celebration of the home and the role of mothers. She also popularized the custom of wearing carnations, with white carnations for deceased mothers and red or pink for living ones.!

The Canadian government officially recognized Mother's Day in 1914. The holiday quickly gained traction, becoming a widely celebrated event in Canadian culture by the 1920s. This included the commercial aspects of gift-giving and greeting cards.

Very often, mothers are at the forefront of handing the faith down to the next generation. As Paul wrote to Timothy: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5). In the Church, a mother’s influence can extend far beyond her biological family. Paul says in Romans 16:13: “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.” In some way, God used this unnamed woman to nurture, to mother, the great apostle Paul.

We recall our ancient enemy hates pregnant women, remembering always God’s promise that the seed of the woman would strike the serpent’s head and that a pregnant mother gave birth to the Savior who spelled his doom. It is fitting to give thanks to God on Mother’s Day and at all times for the blessed motherhood of Mary, for our spiritual mother the Church and for all mothers who honour God with their lives by bearing and nurturing children.

A prayer for Mothers’ Day

Heavenly Father, as we acknowledge our earthly mothers on Mother’s Day, we ask you to bless those mothers entrusted with the care of your most precious little ones. We thank you for the sacrifices moms make for their children. Bless those who are in the midst of diaper changing, teething, and sleep-broken nights, and give them the assurance of your love.

We thank you for the time moms give to their growing children. Give peace to the chauffeur moms and the moms who keep tabs on teens that claim greater independence. Give rest to tired moms. May you be the source of spiritual and physical strength. Bless the love they provide and the security of their homes.

We also pray for the women who wish to be mothers and those who mourn the loss of their dream of motherhood. Provide opportunities for nurturing meaningful relationships and assure them of your steadfast love.

And finally, we thank you for the moms who have been called to their heavenly home. May we know that you have a place of honour for these mothers. Most of all Lord, on Mother’s Day and always, may our hearts overflow with gratitude to you, who formed and knitted each of us in our mother’s womb. Amen.

05/10/2026

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

04/26/2026

The word “Easter"

The word "Easter" doesn't appear in the Bible. In fact, while the *observation* of the first Easter formed the basis for early Christian worship and is at the heart of our faith and practice to this day, the *word* "Easter" has strictly pagan roots. It comes from the Old English *eastre*, which means "spring," and the ancient British celebration of its return. This, in turn, came from their goddess of the dawn *Eastre* (from whom we also get "east"). When Christianity spread into the British Isles, the missionaries found a religious observation occurring at almost the same time that they were preparing to celebrate the Resurrection. The return of a winter-dead land to life was a simple illustration for the return of the Son of God to life and the new life He gave His followers. Gradually, *eastre* disappeared in practice as more of the land came to faith in Christ, but the name lived on.

We use it now because it comes out of our English-speaking heritage, and because "Happy Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" is quite a mouthful for most occasions.

Finally, whether we set aside one day each year, one day each week, or part of each day to rejoice in the Resurrection isn't that important. Neither is what we decide to name that special time. What is important is that we remember and believe that He truly *did* rise from the dead - and that because He lives, we shall live also. Meanwhile, the most important Name remains that of our Saviour, so "that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Phil. 2:10-11]"

04/26/2026

Fourth Sunday of Easter

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

04/19/2026

Third Sunday of Easter

On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14"They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cobourg

05/31/2026

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