November 2026

Why Worship Matters

In our busy and often distracted world, it can be tempting to view worship as just one more activity on an already crowded schedule. Yet for Christians, worship is not merely another obligation—it is a gift from God and the very heart of the Church’s life.

When we gather for worship, God comes to us through His Word and Sacraments. We hear the promises of forgiveness won for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We confess our sins and receive God's grace. We are strengthened in faith and encouraged in our daily walk as disciples.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us: “Do not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25). Christian faith was never intended to be lived in isolation. Worship connects us to Christ and to one another as members of His body. Together we pray, sing, listen, and receive God’s gifts.

Luther understood worship not as something we do for God, but primarily as what God does for us. In worship, the Lord serves His people. Through Scripture, preaching, Baptism, and Holy Communion, He strengthens faith, comforts troubled hearts, and equips us for lives of service.

Regular worship also shapes our perspective. The world constantly pulls our attention toward temporary concerns, but worship redirects our eyes to Christ and His eternal promises. It reminds us who we are: forgiven sinners, beloved children of God, and heirs of everlasting life.

As we gather each week, we do not come because we have everything together. We come because we need the mercy, forgiveness, and strength that only Christ can give. Worship is where God renews His people and sends them back into the world with hope and purpose.

May we treasure this precious gift and encourage one another to gather faithfully around God’s Word and Sacraments, rejoicing in the presence of our Savior who promises, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).

Worshiping together,

Pastor Doug

October 2026

Each October, Lutherans remember October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses helped ignite what became the Protestant Reformation. But the Reformation is more than an event we remember. It reminds us that Christ is continually calling His Church back to the heart of the Gospel.

The Reformation was not simply about changing the Church. Luther wanted the Church to return to its foundation: Jesus Christ and the Word of God. The great rediscovery of the Reformation was that sinners are justified by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ—not because we have earned God’s favor, but because Christ has accomplished our salvation through His death and resurrection.

That message never grows old.

Yet churches can become comfortable. We can begin doing things simply because “that is the way we have always done them.” Traditions can be wonderful gifts, but every congregation must occasionally ask: Are we faithfully carrying out the mission Christ has given us?

The Reformation reminds us that the Church is always in need of renewal—not because the Gospel changes, but because we constantly need to be called back to the Gospel.

That is why I am excited about the North American Lutheran Church’s Renew process. Renew is a free resource designed to help congregations prayerfully examine their ministry and discern where God may be leading them next.

Renew encourages congregations to ask important questions:

What is God already doing among us?

What are our strengths?

Where do we need renewal?

Whom is God calling us to reach?

What is our next faithful step?

Through prayer, Scripture, conversation, a congregational health survey, and practical planning tools, Renew helps churches move from simply maintaining ministry toward intentionally participating in Christ’s mission. The NALC describes the process as appropriate for congregations that are thriving, struggling, or simply wondering, “Where do we go from here?”

Perhaps that is one of the best ways we can honor the Reformation.

We do not honor Luther merely by remembering what happened five centuries ago. We honor the Reformation when we continually return to Scripture, proclaim Christ crucified and risen, and ask how the Holy Spirit is calling us to faithfully serve our neighbors today.

Our challenge is simple:

Keep the Gospel at the center.

Hold firmly to God’s Word.

Be willing to examine what we are doing.

And never become afraid of faithful renewal.

The Gospel does not need to be reinvented. But the Church continually needs to be renewed by it.

This Reformation season, may our prayer be:

“Lord Jesus, reform and renew Your Church—beginning with us.”

Pastor/Dean Doug Hedman (East Iowa Mission District)