St. Paul’s Wartburg, TN

Well, this weekend Cindi and I were so very blessed to be part of the 175th anniversary of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Wartburg, Tennessee. I got to preach at the outdoor Saturday Vespers (and we even had incense, yeah!!!!!), and then be celebrant at the 11:00 Divine Service the following day, for which Bishop Paavola preached, exhorting us to receive from our mother, the Church, the great treasure of the Word of God. Pr. David Graves and his congregation treated us like royalty! We will always treasure the gifts they gave us in memory of that joyous day (including the lovely ikon and cross you can see below). Hidden in those hills outside of Knoxville there’s a sturdy and staunch Lutheran parish, filled with saints that we came to treasure even in so short a time (including you, Deacon Dustin!)—and for which we give praise and thanks to the blessed Trinity. A few pics: