This cover article appears in the Evangelgram, a publication of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The issue in which this article appears can be seen at: http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/World%20Mission/2006-03-Evangelgram.pdf
At St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, Iowa, volunteers record the Sunday morning services and distribute the tapes to the sick and shut-ins of the congregation. Henry Budweg, a resident of New Hampton Care Center, watches the video in his room the week after it is produced.
In this way, he can be virtually "in church" on Sunday morning. At first, Mr. Budweg invited two or three other members of St. Paul's congregation to join him and watch the church service.
Soon, other residents were also invited, until his room was full with nine or 10 every week.
"These brothers and sisters in Christ now living in nursing homes and care centers are dear to us and we miss them when we gather together on Sunday mornings,” said Rev. Ronnie Koch, pastor of St. Paul's. "We are comforted knowing that in this small way they are still with us to receive the Lord's Gospel and their prayers and praise rise up to heaven with ours."
Recently one of the regular worshipers passed away and another, near death, could no longer make it to Budweg's room. So Mr. Budweg was able to recruit others to fill the empty chairs.
One of these new worshipers remarked after his first visit that it was "just like going to church." He even tried to leave a dollar for the offering.
Budweg makes sure everyone can participate in the worship. He hands out bulletins from St. Paul's so those watching the video can follow along with the liturgy, Scripture readings, and prayers.
In this small way, the Gospel ministry of St. Paul's Lutheran Church is expanded to reach beyond the four walls of the sanctuary. A couple of the friends and neighbors at the care center who have visited Budweg's room for church eventually became members of St. Paul's.
Thanks to some simple, modern technology and Christian love for the neighbor, the Word of God is going out to those who need to hear it.
"We at St. Paul's Lutheran Church have a reason to celebrate about how the Holy Spirit works through His Word in small and big ways," Koch said. "Unnoticed to most of us, the video camera runs each Sunday up in the balcony of the church. Through the video recording, others are gathered with us into the hearing of the same Word and the worship of the same heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord."
