Principal's Corner
Beyond Biblical Integration, Immersing you and your students in a biblical worldview by Roger C.S. Erdvig
Habits of the Household, Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley
The New City Catechism for kids, 52 short questions and answers to help children better understand God, humanity and salvation, Crossway publishers.
These three books are being used in our RHLS community this year to help children and adults develop deeper roots and an immersive worldview based on God’s Word and His Truth: a super-sensible substrate.
I pray that you and your family will have an opportunity to discuss your faith and life as a family within a biblical worldview these days. Please know that you are always welcome here for worship, bible, or book studies. Let’s grow deeper roots together as a Christian community in the eternally important process of Christian education.
Have a blessed October!
Blessings,
Dr. Paul Marquardt
Tustin Tiller Days
Join us for Conference Day Camp!
Friday, October 20th
7:30am - 6:00pm
$100
Conference Day Camp will be a fun day filled with baking, crafting, parachute games, Gaga Ball and more with friends! Our program will start at 9:00, but the fun will begin first thing with donut holes and cartoons from 8 - 8:30am then free play, worship and games in the CLC followed by morning centers. In the afternoon we will move into free-choice centers and then enjoy The Peanuts Movie at the end of the day together. Free popcorn provided!
*Free drop in care during elementary conferences is also available. Use the same link to sign up if you need us to watch your child(ren) in the daycare room during your conference times.
Please contact Caroline Elias (celias@redhillschool.org) if you have any questions.
Pastor's Corner
Dear Red Hill Lutheran School Families,
On Sunday, October 29th, we celebrate once again the festival of the Reformation. On October 31, 1517, a relatively obscure Catholic priest nailed a document to the door of the village church in the small town of Wittenberg, Germany. This priest, Martin Luther, was calling for a debate on some of the theological (and in many ways, political) assumptions of his day that he believed were contrary to Scripture. While most did not realize it then, this simple, yet dangerous, challenge to the church and empire, would reverberate through the surrounding villages, on through Europe, and would ultimately change the course of world history itself! Both secular and church historians would mark Martin Luther's nailing of the “Ninety-Five Theses” on the church door in Wittenberg as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
What prompted Luther to engage the immensely powerful church and empire of his day? What empowered him to boldly preach, teach, and write about Biblical truths that conflicted with the accepted teachings of the church? What sustained Luther in the face of intense criticism and accusations, which would ultimately lead to his excommunication from the church, brand him an enemy of the church and state, as well as lead to the threat of death? In a word, it was the Gospel!
Luther had discovered, deep in his soul, the truth of the Gospel (Good News); that the mercy and love of God was a gift of sheer grace. All of Luther’s religious efforts to please God and make himself acceptable were useless, because Jesus had died the death that he deserved and lived the life he couldn’t live. All Luther had to “do” was trust what Jesus had already done! Luther’s discovery of this “Gospel truth,” came as he studied the book of Romans. One glorious day, Luther read a passage from this powerful Epistle from Saint Paul. Luther describes what happened next:
"Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that ‘the just shall live by faith’ (Romans 1:17). Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which, through grace and sheer mercy, God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise."
Of course, Luther’s challenges to the church in that day were not well-received and he was asked to appear before an Imperial Diet (fancy word for a committee meeting) in Worms, Germany, in April of 1521. Believing he was there to debate his concerns, Luther was told to publicly recant his teachings and writings. Luther famously rejected that demand, and in response told the Diet of Worms: "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. May God help me. Amen."
From this time forward, the ideas and theology of Luther spread throughout Europe. Other reformers would arise, igniting the Protestant Reformation; a theological, social, and political movement that changed the course of human history. It all started with a monk who found in the pages of scripture, the life-changing Gospel!
Remembering and celebrating the Lutheran Reformation is more than recalling a particular, historical moment, as important as this “moment” in history was. Remembering and celebrating the Lutheran Reformation is remembering that, like Luther, all Christians stand on the Word of God. To go against the Word of God is neither right nor safe! Celebrating the Lutheran Reformation is to celebrate that, like Luther, we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ alone! Like Luther, even though the powers of hell itself may rise up against us, we can boldly believe and live that, because we belong to Jesus, God will sustain us and lead us home.
As we celebrate the hope and grace that flows from the Reformation, join us for worship on Sunday, October 29th at 10:00 am (one service that morning), followed by our annual Oktoberfest BBQ celebration and “Trunk or Treat” for the kids! We will also offer games and prizes for our kids throughout the morning! We hope to see you!
As the Pastor of our church and school, my hope and prayer is that you find, deep in your soul, the hope of the Gospel—just like Luther!
Have a great Reformation Day and a great October!
Love in Christ,
Pastor Seth
Red Hill Lutheran Church and School
Email: rhlsoffice@redhillschool.org
Website: www.redhillschool.org
Location: 13200 Red Hill Avenue, Tustin, CA, USA
Phone: 714-544-3132
