03/26/2026
The Work of the Ministry
As we at Trinity Lutheran Church celebrate our 100th Anniversary as a congregation, we look back on the pastors who have served here. They are as follows: Pastor Oscar Heimsoth (1926-1929), Pastor A.W. Maack (1929-1932), Pastor Herbert Halter (1932-1935), Pastor Armand Graf (1935-1943), Pastor H.C. Lehenbauer (1944-1945), Pastor Arthur C. Kuecker (1945-1948), Pastor Otis Lang (1949-1957), Pastor Herman Otten (1958-2013), Pastor Jacob Ehrhard (2013-2018), and Pastor Andrew Preus (2021-present).
As I follow in the train of so many who went before me, I recall the words of Jesus to his disciples, âHere the saying is true, âOne man sows, and another reaps.â I sent you to reap where you had not worked before. Others have done the hard work, and you have succeeded them in their workâ (John 4:37-38).
But what is this work? Why does God give a pastor? The pastorâs work is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to instruct in Godâs holy Word, hand out the body and blood of Jesus to those who have been instructed, and to announce repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesusâ name. This is the work of the ministry, through which the Holy Spirit works faith in mortal hearts and gives eternal life (2 Cor 3:6).
Itâs important work. Itâs work that Trinity Lutheran Church takes quite seriously. Itâs why the people gather around it every Sunday â calling on the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; confessing their sins and receiving forgiveness of their sins because of Jesusâ Word and command, âIf you forgive sins they are forgivenâ (John 20:23). They sing the angelic song that declared the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:14). With John the Baptist, they declare the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). With the seraphim, they worship the Holy-Holy-Holy LORD of hosts (Isa 6:3), and they welcome Christ the Lord who meets us as our Savior and King (Matt 21:9). Just as Christ promises to be in their midst (Matt 18:20), they eat his body and blood, trusting in his word and promise, âgiven and shed for you for the forgiveness of sinsâ (Matt 26; Mark 14; Luke 22; 1 Cor 11). After holding the Lordâs body and blood on their very tongues, they sing the song of Simeon who held the baby Jesus in his arms: âLord, now You let Your servant go in peace according to Your Wordâ (Luke 2:29-32).
The people at Trinity gather each week to receive the reading and proclamation of Godâs Word from the Scriptures, because they know that they need Godâs Word even more often than every week. They need it every day. They confess together the works of God in the words of the Creed. They know that faith comes from hearing Godâs Word (Rom 10:17). They trust Jesus who says, âHe who believes and is baptized will be savedâ (Mark 16:16). They are strengthened by what they hear, because Jesus says, âThe words I speak to you are Spirit and Lifeâ (John 6:63). It is for this reason that the folks at Trinity take the pastorâs job seriously.
Jesus spoke to his whole church when he said, âWhatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you set free on earth will be set free in heavenâ (Matt 18:18). God calls his baptized believers a holy priesthood who proclaim the works of him who called them out of darkness and into his light (1 Pet 2:9). He therefore calls pastors through his congregation (1 Cor 3:21-23). Even as he gave them this work of the ministry, he also promises to provide pastors to carry it out publicly (Eph 4:11; Luke 10:2).
All of us at Trinity, both pastor and parishioners, take the pastorâs work seriously. It is the Word of God and the ministry of reconciliation, which the Lord has given to us (2 Cor 5:18). It is the ministry of life by which God declares us poor sinners righteous through faith (2 Cor 3:6-11; Rom 1:16-17). It is the pure doctrine of our Savior, and he says we are blessed when we keep it (Luke 11:28). As St. Paul said to Pastor Timothy, âWatch yourself and your teaching. Continue in these things. If you do that, you will save yourself and those who hear youâ (1 Tim 4:16). In other words, the gospel saves both those who teach it and those who hear it.
It is a great blessing to serve the people here at Trinity and in the New Haven area. The congregationâs devotion to the pure doctrine of Christ gives me confidence in what the Lord has called me to do. Whether I am preaching from the pulpit, teaching during the week, visiting in homes, sitting at the hospital bed, standing at the grave, or even writing something for the paper, it is the same Word of Christ who died for our sins and was raised to declare sinners righteous through faith. I would like to invite you to gather with us around our Saviorâs Word. He is the true Shepherd and Pastor of the flock, and his sheep listen to his voice.
Trinityâs service times on Sunday are 9am Sunday School/Bible Class and 1Oam Divine Worship Service. Wednesday during Lent 2pm and 7pm.
