Beloved Friends in Christ,

We have often heard it said that our country was built on Christian principles. Without question, the Christian Church played a significant role in shaping the values of all of western culture, including our country. However, it is also fairly safe to say that our country has moved away from its Christian roots. No longer does the Church seem to be playing a significant role in the shaping of its values. To the contrary, Canadian culture seams to be shaping the Church.

Another sad example of that can be seen in a local Lutheran pastor's eagerness to follow popular trends. In a recent edition of the KW Record, it was reported that Rev. Frank Haggerty of St. Peter's, Kitchener is willing conduct same sex marriages.

While St. Peter's is part of a different church body than we are, his pronouncement will no doubt have a negative effect on our congregation. Those outside the Church will likely not differentiate between churches. They will see the Lutheran name that we share and believe that we also support this aberration.

As a result, many will declare anew their reason for not participating in the Church. The Church, they will say, has nothing to offer. It doesn't shape society; it doesn't encourage a higher moral fibre among the citizens of a country; it doesn't offer light in the midst of darkness; it offers no flavour in the world. It is salted by the world, rather than salting it.

When the Church becomes like this, then Christ's own words have come true. Such a Church, He declared, "is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and be trampled on by men". Is that why the Church is being cast aside as irrelevant? Is that why so many are trampling on the Church-mocking and opposing it?

God keep us from becoming a church like that. God help us in proclaiming the truth of His Word--both the Law that condemns and the Gospel of salvation in the forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In His service,

Pastor Richard A. Frey