St. Timothy - Williamsburg

06/02/2025

05/24/2025

Dear Family members in Christ Jesus.
Indeed, His mercy endures forever! Though I do not deserve it, the Lord has poured forth His mercy and grace upon me abundantly yet again. With the new heart valve (a bovine/cow heart valve replacement) I can now Mooo in time for Pentecost to please all those pentecostals and other reformed who push the speaking in tongues instead of the speaking about Christ crucified.
I arrived home to Williamsburg, Iowa, from the hospital on Friday around 6 PM. Things were a little rough for some time post-surgery, but everything turned around and I was able to be discharged. When the heart goes out of sync it is not a good feeling. I am very, very, very exhausted. But the Lord is my strength and will surely be with me each day of the future as in the past.
No, I will not be back in the pulpit for this Sunday nor next Thursday (Ascension), but hopefully after that I will soon return. However it was stressed that I rest and recuperate; I will try and observe this (and the way I feel will certainly help in keeping me slowed down!).
Many grateful thanks to those who sat with my beloved wife and oldest daughter throughout the surgery. Also thanks to everybody who kept me and my dear family, as well as my beloved family of Saint Timothy, in your prayers. Your kindness and Christian love is immensely appreciated.
I am very tired and must get more rest.
Until we meet on the other side…may the Lord sustain you and keep you in His care via His Means of Grace and the working of the Holy Spirit.
In Christ,
Reverend Karl J. Heck, Pastor

11/11/2024

Luther's words regarding today's sermon text, Matthew 9:18-26:

"Only see what a heart the woman had. Hers is indeed a noble, great faith and confidence. She did not think otherwise in her heart than that He would certainly help her, if she only discreetly touched His garment with her hand, and yet she is not so bold as to approach Him openly. She regards herself as unworthy to speak to Him or look at Him; for she knows that she deserved nothing, and never did anything for the Lord. Therefore she so plans premeditatively as to approach Him from behind, falls down at His feet, and merely touches the hem of His garment."

"There is nothing but mere awkwardness and unworthiness here. Who had merited that the Lord should permit the Gospel to be preached to these people? There is no preparation, no work; yet the poor woman is there and hopes to obtain great things from the Lord, that He would release her from her sickness. She had had an issue of blood flow for about twelve successive years. How could she earn anything under such circumstances, or how could she because of her disease be worthy of anything? Of course she was worthy, but only to receive and not to give; for at that time she was not able to give the least thing."

"And this is the true preparation for the grace and goodness of Christ, that I feel my need of it. And then it harmonizes beautifully, that the two meet together, the rich and the poor, Christ the Ruler and the King, and her the sinner and slave. Yet it is a great art to persuade people that they are poor and in need of grace. It is a difficult matter, nor does the devil permit it to be done, but always diverts the people to their good works, that they may under no circumstances receive the idea that they stand in need of the grace and mercy of Christ."

04/16/2024

“Teach us to count our days that we learn to be wise” (Psalm 90:12).

"And as people are appointed to die once and after that the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Many grateful thanks for the kindnesses extended over the past week to our daughter, Rachel Campbell, and Chase, upon the death of her husband (our son-in-law), Rob, early on Sunday morning (4/7/24). Many grateful thanks also for the outpouring of kindness extended over the past week to our family during this time of grieving and loss. Your sincerity and compassion is sincerely appreciated.

- Pastor, Audrey, Spencer, and Angelina Heck

05/27/2023