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St. Peter's Services
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Early Worship
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8:00 A.M.
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Sunday School
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9:00 A.M
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Worship
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10:00 A.M.
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Lutheran Church Beliefs
A Lutheran is a member of a Christian denomination named after
Martin Luther, the 16th-century pastor who began the Protestant Reformation. As
historian Abdel R. Wentz has said, " 'Lutheran' is a very inadequate name to give to
a movement that is not limited to a person or an era but is as ecumenical and abiding as
Christianity itself."
Lutherans are known for their emphasis on the graciousness of God,
justification by faith, the authority of the Bible, and the universal priesthood of
believers.
The unity among Lutherans is based upon faith more than
organization. Originally an immigrant church, Lutherans in America once were divided
into 150 bodies based upon regional and national origins. Consolidation and unification
have brought the number down to three major bodies. St. Peters is a member of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a body of 5.2 million people in 11,000
congregations.
Lutherans are "born-again" Christians, in the true sense of
Jesus' words. In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, as Jesus is talking with a Pharisee named
Nicodemus, our Lord says, "You must be born from above. "(NRSV) The words
"born again" are a poor translation of Jesus' words and, sadly, have sometimes
been used by some Christians as a litmus test to see who is a "true Christian"
and who is not.
Lutherans believe we are born from above at our baptism when God
publicly proclaims his acceptance of us, forgives our sinful nature, and plants the gift
of faith in us through the Holy Spirit. An emotional "born-again" experience is
not as important as the loving nurture which grows the seed of faith.
So what do Lutherans say when asked, "When were you
saved?" Perhaps the best answer is, "Two thousand years ago on a cross
outside of Jerusalem."
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