I wrote “Soldiers of the Cross” in honor of Dale Young who was buried last week. Phillip Magness, a real professional and a partner in the Gospel notated and harmonized the song I wrote for the LWML PRAYER SERVICE, called, “THIS IS WHAT WE ARE BAPTIZED FOR” or “Because of Jesus Sacrifice”. He said it was “a bit country ballady” for his taste, but he did it for me anyway.. Check out his work at www.liturgysolutions.com
To learn more about Phillip and his unique ministry please check this blog for 2013/10/11.
Anyway, Phillip saw the blog yesterday and had some nice words and fond memories of Pastors he has known and loved and appreciated. I had mentioned that I was uncomfortable with Pastors Appreciation Month. I makes me a little uncomfortable. I feel like Hallmark decided that they need a bump and voila, we get a month. It is not that I don’t like being appreciated it just seems a bit contrived and, to me at least, embarrassing. So here is a suggestion – if you want to celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month check this out.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Veterans of the Cross helps veteran church workers and their spouses in financial crisis. The program supplements low or inadequate pensions of retired pastors or their widowed spouses to help them afford the cost of necessities such as medication, food and utility bills. The average monthly support is between $500 and $1,000. Veterans of the Cross stipends are approved annually and continue as long as need is demonstrated. The program was created in 1937 to help care for the spiritual and physical well-being of retired servants of the church, who had enrolled in the old, low-benefit pension plan. They often had staggering medical expenses and experienced difficulties meeting their basic needs. Today, some retirees need supplementary assistance because of lifetime service in small congregations that are unable to afford full-time salaries and thereby have a lower rate of contribution to the worker’s Concordia Plan Services retirement account. The program is funded by the LCMS Office of National Mission thanks to faithful donors. It is administered by Concordia Plan Services.
You can give a gift and send it to
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Attn: Veterans of the Cross
P.O. Box 66861
St. Louis MO 63166-6861
Or by phone: 888-930-4438
