President’s Message November 2011

Dear members and friends of our ELS:
Who goes to a restaurant just for bread? In southern Missouri, however, that is the attraction. A small restaurant chain known for its bread, or—more precisely—for its tossed, freshly-baked dinner rolls, serves them to patrons by tossing the rolls across the room to your table. Children enjoy it; they even bring baseball gloves! Now, Lambert’s Café certainly has many good entrees on the menu. Yet, the popularity of the place is “all in the bread.”
“All in the Bread” describes our lives as Christians. All of life—its meaning, purpose, true reason for existence—is wrapped up in the Bread of Life who was born at the “House of Bread” (Bethlehem) to give our sinful souls the necessary nourishment for eternity. Jesus said in reference to Himself: “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51).
But we can say, “All is in the bread,” in another way. The little petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread,” serves to summarize the many material blessings God provides to take care of us humans. With Thanksgiving only days away, Martin Luther’s explanation comes to mind:
What is meant by daily bread?
Daily bread includes everything needed for this life; such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, fields, cattle, money, goods, God-fearing spouse and children, faithful servants and rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, order, honor, true friends, good neighbors, and the like.
We have so much for which to exclaim, “O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever!” (Psalm 118:1). We not only have food and clothes, we have closets and pantries. How do we respond? Many people around us are in need. Can we help? As we have opportunity to let our light shine in assisting people with daily bread needs, we also will be putting the focus on the Bread of Life.
As we sit in worship on the 24th or the evening before, remember one more “daily bread” item that fills us with joy. Thank God for your congregation. Think of how, through what is offered at your church, you have what counts—God’s forgiveness offered in Word and Sacrament. Thank God for your pastor and the teachers of the children. Thank God for Christian friends who join you in prayer, who console you in troubled times, who share the common goal to spread Christ’s Gospel to many others. Thank God you have a place of spiritual refuge, a place to have your spiritual batteries recharged each week.
“Pass the bread, please.” Hearing those words at the table teeming with turkey and trimmings, remind yourself of all the ingredients for life. Then, say a big thank you to the Chef Supreme!
“Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.” (ELH 262:1)
Rev. John A. Moldstad, ELS President