Pastor's Desk
Endure: 2025-26 School Year
Pastor Neil Wehmas
As I write this, the LCMS Youth Gathering is fresh on my mind. What a wonderful trip for our youth. The theme was “Endure”. How wonderful and timely of a topic! Many of us had some enduring moments getting to and from New Orleans. Our van got recalled and had to travel with two vehicles. An impending, possible tropical storm held back a couple of attendees. Others had difficulties with flights, buses, and cars. One individual came down with appendicitis while we were there. Add that, 20 years since Katrina, the recent floods especially in Texas, the fires in LA less than a year ago, tornadoes around the country, “Endure”, how timely.
On Monday, August 25th, the bells will ring and school will be in session. What will the year bring? What subjects will challenge each student? Perhaps it will be preparing a paper or speech or getting ready for a test that will be difficult. Home life may at times challenge. A loved one becomes sick or dies. Parents marriage crumbles before their eyes. A parent struggles with an addiction. Fellow classmates are less than kind, and are downright cruel in their scathing words.
Depression, anxiety, and loneliness flows through the classrooms. Parents struggle to keep up with their kids busy lives. Parents have struggles at work. Some will struggle with an empty nest for the first time. Some will struggle with medical results, their body not working like it did when they were in their 20s, let alone as a teenager.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to JESUS, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Join us on Sunday, August 24th, for our annual blessing of the backpacks. Listen to our Youth Gathering attendees tell you of their experiences at the gathering. Come to our schools as we “Inspire Our Schools” with prayer. Let us start this year right. That we may indeed endure properly, with Jesus as our focus and foundation. Let us set our eyes on him, for in Jesus we endure together.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Last Updated: 8/8/2025