Elsie Sechkt (member of our church back in NYC) was born in Saxony in 1895. In 1927 Elsie came to America. Her fiancé, Paul Hoeffner, was waiting at the ferry terminal in lower Manhatten when Elsie got off the Ellis Island ferry. Boarding the train they made their way across Manhattan, Brooklyn, then Queens to St. John's Lutheran in College Pt. where they were married in the front room of the parsonage (very same day). Elsie had been waiting for three years, their vows sealed an engagement promise made back in Germany before Paul left for America. Three years--That's faithfulness! Faithful to Paul, to her family, to her church, and as a new citizen Elsie was proud to be American. Elsie's life-story was exciting, amazing, and difficult . . . but not without humor. Like the story (she told many times) of her first day of school. The teacher asked the children to stand and recite their name and birth date. When it was Elsie's turn she stood and confidently announced, My name is Elsie Sechkt and I was born in 1995. To which the teacher gruffly responded, Sit down! You're not here yet.

Knowing your place in life is important. As God's people we recognize three stations in life: family, society, and church. We are born into a family with duties in relation to others in that family. We are born into society with duties toward others in society. And we are born into the church by grace through water and the Word of God. Our duties to others in the church arise in relationship to fellow members.

Blessed to be a Blessing, a familiar saying in the church-See 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. Recently in an article from LCMS Bd. Of Stewardship, the author wrote, All we have in life is to be pressed into service for family, society, and church. You work hard and manage what you have that you might take care of your family: food, clothing, shelter, and so on. You pay taxes out of obligation and in relation to the needy in society. Family, society . . . but what of church? Family needs are immediate. Taxes are the law. Truth is, last on the list for many is church. While our offerings are supposed to be first-fruits, more often the church (Our Lord Jesus) gets leftovers. This requires intent. Is church only an afterthought when it comes to spending your income?

If you were to take a stroll around our church and school (along with 2 kitchens, 11 bathrooms, 1 old fire-escape) You will find 102 doors! Not to mention light fixtures, electrical outlets, pews-chairs-rockers and all kinds of useful objects contained within. Now how did this all get here? Someone knew their place. Someone before us (most of whom no longer here) planned for, worked and sacrificed for, gave their hard earned money that they might have spent on other things. And then when a funeral or other event came along, they went back into their kitchen and made noodle casserole or brownies for others . . . . . That's Faithfulness!

As Christians we know our place in life. We know that all that we have is from our gracious God. He spared no expense for us and our salvation. He gave up His only Son that we might be restored to His kingdom. Each of our lives are amazing stories of God's faithfulness. And always by His grace, as you live life as family, as citizens, even more so as members of God's family -- Do so with Joy, with Gladness and always to His Glory. I'd like to suggest that it's very much what we mean when we say: Live Life in Christ.

Pastor Kelly Mitteis